After a short-term hit in 2020, sunscreen and skin protection products saw explosive retail sales growth in 2021-22, with the market expected to grow by seven percent through 2023 due to consumer focus on skin health and total-body wellness routines.
However, Mintel research has indicated that the market would rebalance, with sluggish growth through 2027, due to the rise of multifunctional personal care products that include SPF as consumers lean toward convenient and multifunctional options for daily regimens.
Mintel research showed that over half of US sunscreen users (54 percent) are using sunscreen more often than they were a year ago (28 percent), and the majority are doing so to reduce their risk of skin cancer (89 percent), which is a 20 percent increase from last year (69 percent). Additionally, preventing signs of aging is a significant driver for sunscreen usage, as almost seven in 10 adults (69 percent) wear sunscreen for this purpose, an increase of 25 percent from last year (44 percent).
Carson Kitzmiller, Senior Beauty and Personal Care Analyst at Mintel, said that while overall sunscreen use had remained stable over the last few years, daily use among consumers is rising.
“Skin health has become a conversation across the larger BPC category in recent years as consumers place additional emphasis on their overall wellness and self-care routines. Sunscreen brands should incorporate ingredients, benefits, and claims traditionally seen in the facial skincare space to offer benefits beyond sun protection and anti-aging and prove value in daily routines,” said Kitzmiller.
Mintel research further showed that multifunctional beauty and personal care (BPC) products that include SPF would put increased pressure on sunscreen products, as over half of consumers (57 percent) who use personal care products with sun protection do so daily. Although sunscreen is the leading choice for sun protection (74 percent), BPC products with skin protection are more likely to be regularly used year-round for both men (50 percent) and women (61 percent), indicating a trend toward multifunctional personal care products that make SPF use easy within routines.
“As BPC brands reformulate products and develop innovations to meet consumer desire for value and convenience, and to include in-demand skin protection attributes, like SPF and blue light protection, sunscreen players must look to incorporate additional skin beautifying and health benefits beyond sun protection to stand out in a competitive market.”
Kitzmiller added that among the 49 percent of Black consumers who use sunscreen, more than half (54 percent) apply sunscreen more often than they were a year ago, in line with the trend in general consumer use.
However, brands are missing the mark when appealing to this engaged audience, as more than four in five (84 percent) Black sunscreen users say they wish more product options were made specifically for their skin tones.
“The lack of sunscreen made specifically for darker skin tones plays a role in Black consumers’ limited engagement in the category. While brands like Coppertone and Dune Suncare have recently released inclusive formulas for a wider range of skin tones, brands that address blend-ability and white cast, and include messaging about clear formulas, will be better positioned to engage with a wider range of sunscreen and skin protection consumers.”
Finally, Mintel’s research showed that Americans aged 25 to 44 reported above-average usage of skin protection formats (69 percent compared to 54 percent overall), including 30 percent who use skincare products that protect from environmental aggressors, for example, pollution, and blue light, compared to 16 percent of all adults.
Kitzmiller said that well over half (67 percent) of those aged 23 to 44 said they were interested and willing to pay more for products that strengthen skin to fight against urban pollution, such as airborne pollutants, and 38 percent said the same about topical products that protect skin from blue light.
“Multi-beneficial protection claims will become commonplace as consumers increasingly scrutinise their products’ claims and efficacy. Boding well for sunscreen players, broader protection in suncare will attract a wider consumer base and promote higher levels of usage and frequent reapplication, maximising results and combating unwanted skin damage. To stand out in a competitive market, brands should look to highlight emerging protection claims, going beyond sun care and addressing holistic skin protection.”
