Mineral sunscreen compositions with improved efficacy

1. A sunscreen composition comprising:

(a) one or more mineral UV filtering agents;

(b) piceid;

(c) ethylhexylmethoxycrylene;

(d) diethylhexyl syringylidenemalonate; and

wherein weight ratios for the piceid, the ethylhexylmethoxycrylene, and the diethylhexyl syringylidenemalonate relative to the total weight of the combination of the piceid, the ethylhexylmethoxycrylene, and the diethylhexyl syringylidenemalonate is as follows:

0.1 to 0.4 for the piceid,

0.3 to 0.53 for the ethylhexylmethoxycrylene; and

0.1 to 0.4 for the diethylhexyl syringylidenemalonate

(e) a cosmetically acceptable carrier.

2. The sunscreen composition of claim 1 , wherein the one or more mineral UV filtering agents are selected from titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, iron oxides, cerium oxides, zirconium oxides, and a mixture thereof.

3. The sunscreen composition of claim 1 , wherein the total amount of the piceid, the diethylhexyl syringylidenemalonate, and the ethylhexylmethoxycrylene in the sunscreen composition is about 0.5 wt. % to about 6 wt. %, based on the total weight of the sunscreen composition.

4. The sunscreen composition of claim 1 , wherein the piceid, the ethylhexylmethoxycrylene, and the diethylhexyl syringylidenemalonate are in amounts sufficient to boost the in vitro SPF of the sunscreen composition by at least 5% in comparison to an otherwise identical sunscreen composition in which the total amount of the piceid, the ethylhexylmethoxycrylene, and the diethylhexyl syringylidenemalonate is replaced with only ethylhexylmethoxycrylene.

5. The sunscreen composition of claim 1 , wherein the piceid, the ethylhexylmethoxycrylene, and the diethylhexyl syringylidenemalonate are in amounts sufficient to boost the in vitro SPF of the sunscreen composition by at least 5% in comparison to an otherwise identical sunscreen composition in which the total amount of the piceid, the ethylhexylmethoxycrylene, and the diethylhexyl syringylidenemalonate is replaced with only diethylhexyl syringylidenemalonate.

6. The sunscreen composition of claim 1 , wherein the sunscreen composition is free of butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane (avobenzone) and ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate (octinoxate).

7. The sunscreen composition of claim 1 , wherein the sunscreen composition is free of organic UV filtering agents.

8. The sunscreen composition of claim 1 , wherein the total amount of the one or more inorganic UV filtering agents is from about 1 to about 25 wt. %, based on the total weight of the sunscreen composition.

9. A sunscreen composition of claim 1 comprising:

(a) one or more mineral UV filtering agents:

(b) at least 0.2 wt. % of piceid:

(c) at least 0.5 wt. % of ethylhexylmethoxycrylene: and

(d) at least 0.2 wt. % of diethylhexyl syringylidenemalonate,

wherein the weight percentages are based on the total weight of the sunscreen composition: and wherein the total amount of the piceid, the ethylhexylmethoxycrylene, and the diethylhexyl syringylidenemalonate does not exceed 6 wt. %, based on the total weight of the sunscreen composition.

10. A sunscreen composition of claim 1 comprising:

(a) one or more mineral UV filtering agents;

(b) about 0.2 to about 3 wt % of piceid;

(c) about 0.5 to about 5 wt. % of ethylhexylmethoxycrylene; and

(d) about 0.2 to about 2 wt. % of diethylhexyl syringylidenemalonate,

wherein the weight percentages are based on the total weight of the sunscreen composition.

11. The sunscreen composition of claim 1 , wherein the piceid, the ethylhexylmethoxycrylene and the diethylhexyl syringylidenemalonate are in amounts sufficient to:

boost the in vitro SPF of the sunscreen composition by at least 5% in comparison to an otherwise identical sunscreen composition in which the total amount of the piceid, the ethylhexylmethoxycrylene, and the diethylhexyl syringylidenemalonate is replaced with only ethylhexylmethoxycrylene; and

boost the in vitro SPF of the sunscreen composition by at least 5% in comparison to an otherwise identical sunscreen composition in which the total amount of the piceid, the ethylhexylmethoxycrylene, and the diethylhexyl syringylidenemalonate is replaced with only diethylhexyl syringylidenemalonate.

12. The sunscreen composition of claim 1 , further comprising:

(f) one or more silicone oils.

13. The sunscreen composition of claim 1 in the form of a lotion, cream, gel, or spray.

14. The sunscreen composition of claim 1 , wherein the cosmetically acceptable carrier comprises water.

15. The sunscreen composition of claim 1 in the form of an emulsion.

16. A sunscreen composition comprising:

(a) about 1 to about 25 wt. %, based on the total weight of the sunscreen composition, of one or more mineral UV filtering agents selected from titanium dioxide, iron oxide, and a mixture thereof;

(b) piceid;

(c) ethylhexylmethoxycrylene; and

(d) diethylhexyl syringylidenemalonate;

wherein the total amount of the combination of the piceid, the ethylhexylmethoxycrylene, and the diethylhexyl syringylidenemalonate is from about 1 wt % to about 6 wt %, based on the total weight of the sunscreen composition; and

weight ratios for the piceid, the ethylhexylmethoxycrylene, and the diethylhexyl syringylidenemalonate relative to the total weight of the combination of piceid, the ethylhexylmethoxycrylene, and the diethylhexyl syringylidenemalonate is as follows:

0.1 to about 0.4 for the piceid;

0.3 to 0.53 for the ethylhexylmethoxycrylene; and

about 0.1 to 0.4 for the diethylhexyl syringylidenemalonate.

17. A method for protecting skin from UV radiation comprising applying an effective amount of the sunscreen composition of claim 1 to the skin.