Industry News: Outshining the Sun Care Competition: 10 Innovation Strategies

In May 2025, Laura Geller Beauty expanded its Spackle Primer range with the release of the Spackle Skin Perfecting Primer Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 30 (price point: $38). Actor Fran Drescher is pictured here as the brand's spokesperson.

Laura Geller

The sun care market is booming, and brands have a golden opportunity to innovate with health-focused, next-gen solutions that go beyond basic SPF. To meet evolving sun care demands, brands will need to focus on formulations that cater to specific needs, such as sensitive skin, as well as luxury features, multifunctional benefits and clean, inclusive ingredients. Additionally, addressing reapplication challenges, integrating SPF into daily routines, expanding into post-sun care and educating consumers on UV risks can drive engagement across diverse demographics and price points. Read on for full details.

Sun Care Shines: Growth and Innovation in a Booming Market

In Q1 2025, Circana reported that sun care¡ªpowered by sunscreen and self-tanners¡ªdrove significant growth in the skin care sector. Perhaps it shouldn't have been a surprise.

According to Euromonitor, the global sun care market outpaced the broader skin care category in 2024 by a factor of 3x. This surge reflects increasing awareness of the dangers of UV exposure and a growing emphasis on self-care and health-centric innovations within the sun care space, extending beyond basic SPF protection.

Looking ahead, new data highlights a wealth of opportunities for innovation in this dynamic category. Here's a closer look.

Top-growing Sun Care Claims: Vitamins, Antioxidants and Skin-Friendly Ingredients

Augustinus Bader's recently launched The Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 (price point: $140) comprises non-nano zinc oxide and titanium dioxide and the company's core TFC8 technology.

¡°Good source of vitamins¡± and ¡°antioxidant¡± are among the fastest-growing sun care category claims, per Euromonitor, reflecting the sun-care-and-more approach to many launches.

Augustinus Bader's recently launched The Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 (price point: $140) is emblematic of this trend. The sunscreen comprises non-nano zinc oxide and titanium dioxide and the company's core TFC8 technology, in addition to:

¡¤ ¡¤ vitamins E and A

¡¤ ¡¤ antioxidants such as pomegranate flower, perilla leaf and kakadu plum

The launch also highlights the luxification of sun care, pointing to innovation possibilities across price points.

According to Euromonitor, sensitive skin claims are also booming in the sun care category. Ilia's Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 (price point: $48) highlights this trend well. The formulation, described by the brand as ¡°safe for sensitive skin,¡± offers lightweight coverage and sun defense. Key ingredients include hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, plant-based squalane and non-nano zinc oxide.

The evolution of the sun care category has boosted the prevalence of skin-friendly ingredients such as vitamin C (hearkening back to the broader vitamin trend) and collagen.

Kiehl's Since 1851 highlights collagen in its Better Screen UV Serum SPF 50+ Facial Sunscreen with Collagen Peptide (price point: $45). The peptide is said to correct the signs of UV damage to optimize skin texture and tone, per the brand.

Meanwhile, Murad features vitamin C in its Superactive Brightening Moisturizer SPF 50 with Vitamin C (price point: $55). The lightweight cream formulation¡ªdesigned to address dark spots, dullness and dryness¡ªfeatures a vitamin C that is reportedly 10x more potent than conventional forms. This material ¡°minimizes visible signs of UV damage, including dull and uneven skin,¡± per the brand.

SPF-Powered Launches Unveil Innovation Opportunities

Beyond top-growing claims, a survey of recent SPF-powered launches uncovers additional innovation opportunities for brands across categories.

Delivering SPF Defense During Peak-diagnosis Years

In May 2025, Laura Geller Beauty expanded its Spackle Primer range with the release of the Spackle Skin Perfecting Primer Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 30 (price point: $38).

Laura Geller

In May 2025, Laura Geller Beauty expanded its Spackle Primer range with the release of the Spackle Skin Perfecting Primer Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 30 (price point: $38).

The primer carries the Seal of Recommendation from The Skin Cancer Foundation and features homosalate (7.3%), octisalate (5% sunscreen) and zinc oxide (13.58% sunscreen).

Designed for women over age 40, the formulation is intended to simplify routines while providing needed defense.

The product is particularly relevant as melanoma rates for women aged 50 and older continue to rise 3% per year, per American Cancer Society data cited by the brand.

In fact, per the brand, ¡°about half of all melanomas occur in people over the age of 50, with the median age at diagnosis being 59.¡±

Clean, Inclusive and Hydrating Sun Defense

Youth To The People recently broke into the sunscreen category with its Youthscreen SPF 60 Daily Hydration + Pollution Defense Fluid (price point: $30).

Youth to the People

Elsewhere, Youth To The People recently broke into the sunscreen category with its Youthscreen SPF 60 Daily Hydration + Pollution Defense Fluid (price point: $30), a clean formulation that is said to boost moisture and moisture retention, while defending against pollution adhesion and reducing oxidation.

The lightweight formula is designed to leave no white cast and is gentle enough for sensitive skin. It features a blend of kale and green tea extracts to combat free radicals, dandelion root for smoother, more protected skin, and a combination of vitamin E and jojoba to hydrate and soothe.

Furthermore, the product's chemical sunscreen is anticipated to qualify for Clean at Sephora certification. Overall, this formulation reflects growing trends in sun care, focusing on antioxidants and vitamins for enhanced skin health.

Fixing the Sun Care Reapplication Problem

Reapplication of sunscreen is a perennial issue.

Kindel Media at Pexels

Beame is a brand focused on both delivering easy-to-wear sun protection and fixing the perennial replication challenge in the category.

The brand's Something You Mist (price point: £25.00) formulation delivers sun defense, skin care and a mood-lifting fruity-floral scent.

Designed to leave no white canst and work even over makeup, the mist is vegan, safe for sensitive skin and reef safe, eschewing ingredients such as oxybenzone and octinoxate.

Beame has also launched a sweat- and water-proof UV detection sticker that starts off transparent and changes color when exposed to UV light. When the sticker turns purple, the wearer knows it's time to reapply product.

Elevating Post-sun Care

Recently, new brand Zura Solaris, unveiled a product range focused on post-sun care, pointing to ongoing opportunities for addressing damage, as well as activity in higher price points.

All of the products are designed to offer ¡°essential repair to skin damaged by a lifetime of sun and light exposure,¡± according to Zura Solaris.

The body range includes the Shower Rinse, featuring ¡°a flash AHA and enzymatic exfoliation,¡± as well as the longevity-focused Body Treatment, which offers hydration as well as correction of hyperpigmentation and skin barrier damage resulting from ¡°a lifetime of sun and light exposure.¡±

The face SKUs, meanwhile, include the calming, brightening and perfecting Cooling Infusion, which is designed to offer hydration while reducing redness, evening skin tone and boosting microcirculation.

Finally, the longevity-focused facial Essential Serum offers anti-pollution defense, as well as correction of hyperpigmentation and compromised skin barriers.

Price points range from $58-148.

10 Ways to Innovate in Sun Care Marketing & Product Development

Given this, beauty product developers and marketers have a wide range of ingredient, format and communication strategies to leverage in a highly competitive marketplace.

1. Incorporate Vitamins and Antioxidants: Develop formulations that include ingredients like vitamins C, E, and A, as well as antioxidants such as pomegranate, perilla leaf, and kakadu plum to align with growing "sun-care-and-more" consumer demands.

2. Target Sensitive Skin: Create sun care products specifically designed for sensitive skin, incorporating gentle ingredients like plant-based squalane, niacinamide, and non-nano zinc oxide.

3. Highlight Luxury Features: Consider premium formulations with advanced technologies (e.g., TFC8) and luxe packaging for the growing high-end sun care market.

4. Address Specific Demographics: Develop targeted products for demographics like women over 40, incorporating multifunctional benefits like SPF defense and anti-aging properties.

5. Focus on Clean and Inclusive Formulations: Launch products that are clean, vegan, reef-safe and leave no white cast to cater to diverse consumer needs and sustainability trends.

6. Solve Reapplication Challenges: Innovate with easy-to-use formats like SPF mists or UV detection tools to encourage proper sun protection practices.

7. Combine Sun Protection with Daily Routines: Explore hybrid products like SPF primers or moisturizers to simplify sun care for consumers while addressing skincare needs.

8. Emphasize Post-Sun Care: Develop complementary after-sun products with calming and restorative ingredients to expand product lines and meet related consumer needs.

9. Educate Consumers on UV Risks: Build marketing campaigns that raise awareness of UV dangers and the importance of SPF usage for all ages, leveraging statistics on melanoma trends.

10. Capitalize on Innovation Across Price Points: Create offerings ranging from affordable to premium to capture a broad customer base, ensuring accessibility while fostering brand loyalty.

This article references insights from "Outshining the Sun Care Competition: 10 Innovation Strategies," published by Cosmetics & Toiletries on Jun 4th, 2025.