What does SPF mean?
SPF stands for sun protection factor. Sunscreens are classified by an SPF number which refers to their ability to deflect UVB rays.
SPF rating is calculated by comparing the amount of time needed to burn sunscreen-protected skin vs. unprotected skin. So if a person who might typically burn after 10 minutes in the sun puts on SPF 2, they have double that time before a sunburn, so 20 minutes. Skin protected with SPF 15 would take 15 times longer, or 150 minutes for a sunburn to occur.
Keep in mind though, the increase from 20 to 45 level SPF provides only 2.8% more UV protection. Read more about SPF and sun science here
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