The present invention is directed to photostable sunscreen and / or artificial tanning compositions including
quantum dot nanocrystals of a material selected from
semiconductor nanocrystals, modified
semiconductor nanocrystals, multicomponent
semiconductor /
semiconductor nanocrystals, and
hybrid semiconductor /
metal nanocrystals, the
quantum dot nanocrystals having an
absorption band gap occurring at wavelengths higher than 400 nm whereby the
quantum dot nanocrystals have substantial
broadband absorption properties of
ultraviolet light at wavelengths across the range of both UV-A (320-400 nm) and UV-B (280-320 nm), and a dermatologically acceptable carrier for the
quantum dot nanocrystals. The present invention is further directed to photostable sunscreen and / or artificial tanning compositions including a material selected from metallic nanocrystals, multicomponent
metal /
metal nanocrystals, and alloyed
metal nanocrystals, the metallic material having a
surface plasmon resonance occurring sufficiently into the visible or
infrared spectral region whereby broad absorption features due to electronic transitions, the broad absorption features located at higher energies, provide substantial
broadband absorption properties of
ultraviolet light at wavelengths across the range of both UV-A (320-400 nm) and UV-B (280-320 nm), and a dermatologically acceptable carrier for the metallic material.