Consumers are demanding more from sunscreen – are you prepared?

For today’s increasingly knowledgeable consumers, simply preventing sunburns is no longer the only priority when deciding which sunscreen to purchase. With growing awareness of the effects of all forms of ultraviolet (UV), high-energy visible (HEV), and infrared (IR) radiation on the skin, concerned shoppers are seeking out world class products that offer them complete protection against these risks. Furthermore, consumers are interested in products that are tailored to specific needs and preferences – such as age or gender. In this new environment, manufacturers need to be prepared with a formulation and product positioning strategy that can cater to this new reality – or else risk being left behind in the marketplace.

Sun protection awareness has raised consumer sophistication
The medical and wellness community has done an excellent job of educating consumers about the dangers of UV radiation from the sun, and the importance for sunscreen. But SPF is no longer the only consideration for many consumers. Preventing the aging effects of UV rays – such as coarse skin, enlarged pores, deteriorated skin tone, laxity, unsightly blotches, brown spots, sallowness, fine lines and wrinkles – proves to be an equally strong motivator. This trend has been reflected in the growing popularity of broad spectrum production against UVA and UVB radiation.

Not only for the outdoors
While sun protection is predominantly designed for outdoors usage, air-conditioned or dehumidified indoor environments are also known to dry the skin and decrease its suppleness. Harsh fluorescent lighting even produces invisible UV rays and infra-red radiation that can further damage our skin’s delicate natural balance. And the closer or longer we sit next to a man-made light, the more serious the exposure and the more severe the problems our skin is likely to suffer as a result. Sophisticated consumers are demanding products that not only protect from the sun, but from these indoor environments as well.

Meeting the needs of sensitive groups
Beyond mainstream sun care products, several target groups require special attention because their ultra-sensitive skin and weaker immune systems leave them especially vulnerable to solar rays. Specific examples include baby, youngsters and the elderly. Innovative UV filters and age-specific formulations with needs-focused ingredients (e.g. UV protection for children’s/junior sunscreens) have proved to be big sellers amongst consumers in each segment, and the future market potential for these formulations is promising.

Ensuring you have the right strategy and partner
Given the growing sophistication of consumers, and the increasing segmentation of sun care products – developing formulations that can succeed in today’s marketplace is no easy task. Meeting buyers’ demands for products that deliver both outdoor and indoor production, and offering customized solutions for a range of ages and genders, requires the right technical expertise. To ensure you can achieve this – it is always wise to work closely with knowledgeable sun care ingredient suppliers ingredient like BASF to co-develop formulations for new or optimized products. Developing ingredients that are highly moisturized, smooth yet lightly textured, and mild and caring remain the ideals that BASF strives for when perfecting UV filters targeted at today’s sophisticated consumers. These innovative solutions deliver the performance that consumers expect, and support our customers’ long term success.

Interested in learning more? Contact us so we can share our insight and expertise in developing solutions for the sunscreen industry.