Which sunscreen brand was introduced in 1944 after pharmacist Benjamin Green invented its original lotion? The answer is Coppertone.
Benjamin Green developed the original formula in 1944 while working as a pharmacist and serving as an airman during World War II. His early preparation used red veterinary petrolatum, often called “Red Vet Pet,” to help protect skin from intense sunlight. He later improved its texture with ingredients including cocoa butter and coconut oil.
Green marketed the product under the Coppertone name, referring to the copper-colored tan consumers hoped to achieve. The brand began as a suntan product, although modern Coppertone is chiefly associated with sunscreen and broader sun-care products.
A common mix-up is treating Coppertone as if it began with the famous Coppertone Girl advertisement. That campaign came later, in the 1950s, and helped make the brand widely recognizable. The original 1944 story concerns Green’s lotion, not the advertising character or a modern SPF formula.