As science and skincare come together, sun protection products have become part of our everyday health and beauty routine. The industry is growing, and according to Grand View Research, the global sun care cosmetics market size was estimated at USD 10,191.7 million in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 19,514.2 million by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 7.3% from 2025 to 2033. Rising concerns about the detrimental effects of sunrays and improved awareness regarding skin cancer are the major factors driving the market growth and innovation.
What was once a daily application before spending the day on the beach is evolving into an all-year-round skincare category that is multi-functional and targets hydration, anti-ageing, and makeup. Consequently, these changing consumer habits are reshaping a very competitive landscape for beauty and dermatology brands.
The Importance Of SPF: Why SPF Is Non-Negotiable
Celebrity Cosmetic Dermatologist, Dr Simon Ourian, tells me that wearing sunscreen is one of the best ways to protect your skin’s youthful look as it helps delay the appearance of aging signs like dark spots, dehydration, and sagginess. “A SPF in your morning routine is non-negotiable for me. I believe that healthy skin is beautiful skin,” he says over Zoom.
Hydration is also key, as explained by Dr Uliana Gout, who tells me over email that all too often we reach out for a cocktail in the sun, followed by espresso shots, and the pattern goes on as we party in the sun. Skin becomes dehydrated and dull, whilst fine lines take hold and pores dilate. She explains to me that a simple remedy is to drink 2 liters of water or juices (ideally the green ones) daily, as the basis of essential skin hydration and glow.
Understanding SPF Ratings. What Do They Really Mean?
There is often confusion over SPF ratings, which can lead to misplaced consumer confidence. Dr. Dev Patel, founder of CellDerma, suggests over email, that we should always choose broad-spectrum protection, a type of sunscreen that will guard you against both UVA (UVA rays permeate deeper into the skin, contributing to premature ageing, wrinkles, and long-term DNA damage) and UVB rays (UVB rays cause sunburn and redness, damaging the outer layers of the skin).
SPF ratings are often misunderstood. Patel tells me that SPF 25 blocks about 96% of UVB rays; SPF 30 about 96–97%; SPF 50 about 98%. “In reality, once you exceed SPF 15 (which blocks 93%), the incremental increase in UVB protection becomes minimal,” he says
Patel is also an advocate of mineral-based sunscreens, which physically block rays rather than absorb them. Some consumers avoid them due to a common misconception that they leave a white cast behind, but advances in formulation are making these products lighter, more transparent, and suitable for everyday wear. “What truly matters more is how frequently the product is applied, how it performs on skin, and the quality and breadth of the protection provided,” he says.
Multi-purpose Formulations: One-Step, Multiple Benefits
As customers expect more from their skincare and seek products that address multiple concerns, we are witnessing a rise in multi-tasking offerings that blend sun protection with hydration, anti-aging, and even vitamin D optimization.
HELIOCARE 360° Advanced Gel Body SPF50+, for example, is a body sunscreen that prevents and repairs sun damage and enhances the functionality of vitamin D in the skin. The fast-absorbing formula is also resistant to water and safe for children aged 2 years and above.
Dubbed the ‘everything day cream’, the Skin Diary’s Age Defence Moisturizing Day Cream is another multi-tasker that protects your skin from the sun and against cellular ageing. Co-founded by Dr Clare Kiely, Professor Chris Griffiths, Dr Tamara Griffiths and Dr Richard Barlow in 2023, the range provides statistically significant protection against UV-induced epigenetic activity, restoring youthful skin function by helping prevent cellular senescence, inflammation and the breakdown of collagen and fibrillin. This multifunctional approach aligns with recent consumer demands, as it translates into products that deliver with fewer steps.
Bondi Sands’ Sunny range follows the same principle, integrating UVA/UVB defense, hydration, and anti-aging into lightweight formulations. All the products in their sun care range also feature Vitamin E and Australian Hibiscus to nurture the skin and keep it hydrated while protected from the sun. All are broad-spectrum, providing both UVA and UVB protection. The Sunny products have been developed for everyday use and include an SPF 50 Face Serum, an SPF Face Lotion and an SPF 50 Face Mist, which combine UV protection with anti-ageing, hydration, and even blue light defense.
A further example of a sunscreen with added benefits is the fashion-collaboration product Narcyss x Chimi SPF 50+, which blends sun care with luxury skincare aesthetics in a formula that helps promote a more even and radiant complexion while fortifying the skin’s natural barrier.
Tinted SPF Products: Where Protection Meets Cosmetics
Tinted sunscreens are bridging the gap between beauty and sun care, offering coverage in numerous shades, skincare benefits, and high SPF in one product. Ultra-light, invisible sunscreens with universal tinting are amongst some of the most effective innovative products in the sector, catering to all skin tones and types without compromising on sun protection.
Naked Sundays’ innovative formulas, for instance, incorporate Australian sunscreen innovation to create effective skincare and makeup-based SPF. The range includes bronzing drops, serums, lip oils and mist-like sprays. Their philosophy focuses on “topping up” your SPF, as sunscreens only last 60 minutes when you are outdoors. Founder Samantha Brett emphasizes layering SPF over makeup, with formulas like their Beauty Screen Mineral Tints providing SPF50 protection in a sheer, wearable finish. She tells me over email that by putting makeup, sun-care and skincare in one easy-to-use product, her morning routine takes a few minutes, while she gets the same high-quality makeup look, with a bonus of SPF50. “At Naked Sundays,” she says, “we emphasize layering and reapplying SPF throughout the day, even over makeup. However, our SPF50 Beauty Screen Mineral Tints are SPF50, and they’re sheer enough so you can actually wear the full amount without looking too cakey; but if you don’t like a full coverage, it’s best to layer your SPF”.
Merit is another global beauty player entering this category. This year, they launched The Uniform Tinted Mineral SPF 50, their first-ever SPF product. The plant-based mineral SPF is designed for everyday wear and is available in 15 shades, from light to medium, offering sheer, buildable coverage with a natural, skin-like finish. Unlike chemical sunscreens, which absorb UV rays and convert them into heat, The Uniform is a mineral sunscreen that reflects UV rays, forming a protective barrier against potential skin damage.
AllSkin Med’s Mineral Fluid SPF 50, available in beige and bronze, brings dermatologist-grade protection to tinted formats. This high-level, broad-spectrum protection against daylight (UV, visible light and infrared-A) is combined with natural-looking foundation coverage using 100% mineral filters.
In addition, for a universally tinted sunscreen, PCA Skin offers a water-resistant SPF 45 formula (lasting 80 minutes) that provides sheer protection with an antioxidant boost. It can be used alone or layered under makeup.
Self-Tanning: A Strong Alternative
As sun safety awareness grows, we are seeing a rise in self-tanning products being positioned as viable alternatives to direct sun exposure. Sienna’s Gradual Organic Self-Tan Rose Mist is a gentle facial mist that provides a natural-looking, buildable glow. Infused with Rose Water, Hyaluronic Acid, and Niacinamide, this product hydrates while bronzing and is suitable for use on sensitive skin.
For a different application method, Dr Dennis Gross’ Alpha Beta Glow Pads for Face & Body are an all-in-one self-tanning pad that delivers a natural-looking tan in just two hours, with zero sun exposure and no UV risk. The pads exfoliate and brighten from the first application, and are infused with Vitamin E and Phospholipids. The quick-drying tan fades naturally over the course of a week—or can be reapplied 2–3 times a week for a buildable, long-lasting glow.
If you are looking for a serum that delivers light coverage, ILIA’s Super Serum Skin Tint, SPF 30, simplifies your routine by combining your makeup, skincare, and SPF into one simple step. The light formula is available in 17 different shades. These products cater to consumers who are committed to tanning but wish to avoid UV exposure entirely.
Lip Care And Sun Protection
An area that is often overlooked, the lips, is now becoming more prominent. As part of their sun shield range, for instance, Paul & Joe offers a luxurious Protecting Lipstick Refill & Case, a moisturizing lipstick with built-in SPF, infused with jojoba oil, cationic hyaluronic acid, and “happy clover” for protected lips. Rehab also provides an SPF 15 Lip Oil that is non-sticky and peach-tinted, delivering high-shine and hydration. The glossy formula enhances your natural lip color while providing SPF 15 protection for everyday wear. This trend aligns with customers who are looking for complete sun protection.
Smart SPF: UV Detection Patches
The latest technology and innovation provide a visual cue to remind you when it’s time to apply sunscreen. Sun Patches in the form of stickers serve as a reminder for reapplying sun protection, ensuring you shield your skin from harmful UV rays. The pads change color to indicate when reapplication is needed. Engineered for controlled release of ingredients through the skin, the transdermal patches are specifically formulated to penetrate this barrier but gradually release the ingredients over a predetermined period. Ingredients include Hydrocolloid, which forms a protective barrier shielding the area from external factors like dirt and moisture, and UV Powder, which is embedded in the patch. This allows the patch to react to UV exposure and change color, indicating when to use sunscreen.
Hair Protection From The Sun
Hair care brands are also incorporating UV defense into repair and styling products: summer can be harsh on your hair but using the correct products can prevent it from getting damaged. Fudge Professional’s Bond Builder Repair Shampoo and Conditioner, for example, restore the entire hair. As their brand ambassador, Jonathan Andrew, explains, “split ends don’t just stop at the tip. It’s like pulling a piece of string apart—it keeps splitting up the shaft, leaving your hair thinner and more damaged. That’s why regular trims help, but between cuts, you need the right repair system.”
There are also sprays that can be applied to protect the hair in the sunshine, including K18’s Heatbounce, a conditioning heat protector devised for guarding from the heat of styling tools as well as from the sunshine; Hairburst, a multi-tasking, lightweight elixir that thickens, lifts, and looks after while stimulating hair growth at the root without weighing hair down (it also shields the hair from heat styling and environmental aggressors); and Bjorn Axen’s Heat Styling Protection, a heat and UV spray that nourishes the hair while ensuring protection.
For humid climates, the OSMO Guardian Angel is a great solution that will reduce frizz whilst protecting your hair by ensuring it maintains optimum hydration. This concern is also addressed by Rehab, which has just launched its Sunshine Spritz collection with an advanced formula that hydrates and nourishes while shielding strands from UV exposure and frizz-inducing humidity. The range is scented with their tropical Sunshine Spritz fragrance –a blend of magnolia, coconut, sandalwood, and sea salt.
Post-Sun Recovery: Repair And Rejuvenation
Looking after your skin after it has been exposed to the sun is as essential as preventing sun damage. Facialist and founder of Fab Skincare and Fab Salons, Laura Porter, tells me over email that after a period of sun exposure, there are some steps that we should take to ensure optimum skin. To boost radiance, she suggests prioritizing a gentle but deep double cleanse routine to rebalance the skin, massaging the skin to stimulate lymphatic drainage, using polyhydroxy acids (PHAs) instead of AHAs, as they exfoliate and hydrate in one step, applying a barrier repair serum nightly to restore the skin’s essential lipids, and using vitamin C products which brighten and support collagen production. This is also confirmed by Dr Gout, who advises that upon returning home, we get onto our retinoids, antioxidants, exfoliants and depigmenters within a week or so. “But please get a consultation so the ingredients, percentages, and pH are all tailored to you and your needs!” says Dr Gout. “We always see our clients post summer holidays to reset their skincare routine for the next season: Autumn,” she says.
The Future Of SPF
As sun protection moves from being a seasonal product to becoming part of our daily routine, we are witnessing a growing industry driven by consumer demands. From alternatives to traditional foundations to detection patches, the sun care category is repositioning itself in the marketplace, reflecting our changing beauty and health concerns.