Where is the next billion-dollar opportunity in the sunscreen industry?
A very obvious change in the skin care industry in recent years is that sunscreen is gradually changing from a seasonal single product to a basic step in daily skin care.Whether it is commuting, outdoor activities or going out for a short time, more and more consumers are beginning to get used to using sunscreen products every day.
At the same time, the industry has also entered a new stage.Mainstream sunscreen products have been highly convergent in terms of core properties such as SPF50+, PA++++, broad-spectrum protection, waterproof and sweat-proof, and their basic capabilities have almost leveled off.
In this context, the focus of market competition is shifting, from “who is more protective” to “who is better to use and more willing to be used every day.”
Firstly: Non-sensitive skin sunscreen is becoming the number one growth breakthrough
The core complaint of consumers about sunscreen is not that the protection is not enough, but that the use experience is not friendly enough, such as obvious greasy feeling, heavy upper face, whitening, or subsequent makeup rubbing mud.
Therefore, “non-sensory sunscreen” is becoming one of the important product upgrade directions at present.The industry is trying to make sunscreen maintain a high degree of protection while minimizing the presence of the skin as much as possible, so that the use experience is close to a state that is applied but not felt.
In this direction, the optimization of the basic grease system has become particularly critical.For example, CETYL PALMITATE is often used in sunscreen systems to improve ductility and smooth application, making the product easier to spread out, while reducing the heavy feeling and making the overall skin feel closer to the state of cream or light lotion.
This kind of experience optimization is gradually becoming a key factor in consumer repurchase, not just the sun protection index itself.
Secondly: The boundary between skin care and sunscreen is continuing to merge
The rhythm of modern skin care is constantly being simplified, and multi-step skin care is gradually being replaced by “one-step” products.Consumers are more inclined to choose composite products that can provide basic skin care effects and have protective capabilities.
As a result, sunscreen has undergone structural changes, from a single UV protection to a multi-functional skin care system, such as moisturizing, basic repair, antioxidant and other capabilities began to be integrated into the same formula.
In this composite system, structural stability becomes very critical.For example, Ammonium acrylate copolymer is commonly used to enhance the consistency of film formation, so that a stable structure can be maintained after multiple activities are superimposed, and the problem of stratification or unstable efficacy can be reduced.
This trend essentially means that sunscreen is changing from a “single-function product” to a “daily skin care solution”.
Thirdly: Colored sunscreen is entering the alternative market for base makeup
As the trend of light makeup continues to strengthen, more and more consumers are beginning to reduce the multi-layer base makeup steps such as liquid foundation and cream, and turn to simpler “sunscreen + skin tone modification” integrated products.
As a result, colored sunscreen has entered a stage of rapid growth, and it is particularly prominent in commuting, daily light makeup, and plain makeup demand scenarios.Such products not only provide basic protection, but also even out the skin tone to a certain extent, modify dullness, and make the overall makeup look more natural.
In the formula system, some structural raw materials are also improving their overall performance.For example, MYRISTYL MYRISTATE, which is commonly used to improve the smoothness of the skin, make the product more skin-friendly and easier to push away, while reducing the phenomenon of stuck powder and mottling, and making the makeup effect more stable.
Colored sunscreen is gradually eroding the traditional light base makeup market, which is a very clear structural change.
Fourth: Scenario-based segmentation is accelerating the expansion of sunscreen
The use scenarios of sunscreen are constantly fragmented, from traditional seaside and vacation scenarios to commuting, night running, fitness, cycling, and short-term outings and other lifestyles.
The differences in the demand for sunscreen in different scenarios are also becoming more and more obvious.Sports scenes pay more attention to water resistance, sweat resistance and durability, commuting scenes emphasize lightness and comfort, while sensitive muscles pay more attention to low irritation and gentleness.
In some gentle system designs, Stearalkonium chloride is commonly used to optimize the overall skin feeling and system stability, so that the product can reduce irritation while maintaining good comfort.
Sunscreen is gradually changing from a “unified standard product” to a “scene-customized product”.
Fifthly: Portable patching is becoming a new growth opportunity
A long-standing problem in the sunscreen industry is the low implementation rate of replenishment.Although scientific skin care emphasizes the need for regular replenishment, most consumers in real life do not strictly implement it.
The core reason is that traditional sunscreen products are not portable enough and the way to use them is not simple enough.
Therefore, lightweight products such as sunscreen sticks, sunscreen creams, and air-cushion sunscreen have begun to grow rapidly.This kind of product is more suitable for carrying with you, and it is also more in line with the actual needs of fragmented patching.
In portable systems, Peg 7 glyceryl cocoate is commonly used to improve the smoothness of the texture, make the product easier to apply evenly, while enhancing the overall skin-friendly experience, and make the replenishment process more natural and non-sticky.
The essence of portable sunscreen is actually to lower the threshold of use, rather than simply changing the form.
Overall: The industry is moving from parameter competition to experience system competition
Overall, the competitive logic of the sunscreen industry is undergoing a significant shift, from the competition for protection parameters in the past to the system competition with user experience and scene adaptation as the core.
Sensorless skin feeling, multi-function fusion, scene segmentation, and portable replenishment, these directions essentially point to the same problem: how to increase the frequency of daily use of sunscreen.
In this process, the role of the raw material system is further enlarged. Basic raw materials such as cetyl palmitate and myristyl myristate are more used to build the foundation of skin feeling and texture, while system adjustment raw materials are used to improve overall stability and fineness.
AI personalized sunscreen is becoming the next stage direction
In addition to existing trends, AI-driven personalized sunscreen is becoming an early but potential new direction.
Traditional sunscreen products use a unified formula, which is difficult to cover differences in different skin types, skin tones, and UV environments.
In the future, based on the user's skin type, UV index, and life scenarios, it may be possible to match different textures, protection levels, and even architectural sunscreen solutions for different groups of people.
In the system design, the choice of structure, including Water in oil emulsion, may also become one of the important foundations for personalized formulation in the future.
End
Overall, the growth of the sunscreen industry has not slowed down, but structural migration is constantly taking place.
The industry is moving from the “era of parameter competition” to the “era of experience and scene competition”.Products with real growth potential in the future are not necessarily the most protective, but the kind of products that can be continuously used and naturally integrated into daily life.
Hubei Mingya New Material Technology Co., Ltd.
