Sun Protection Audience Research

Case Study

Published Q2 2023

Sun protection has become noticeably more popular, and sunscreen’s multitude of benefits leave researchers curious about what drives the recent rise in relevance and spend in the category. This is an exploration to better understand consumer behaviors in the sun care space.

Overview

In the last several years, sunscreen has become synonymous with beauty, health, and wellness. Incorporated into men and women’s daily skincare routines, packed in most parents’ diaper bags, and mentioned in nearly every makeup influencers’ “get ready with me” videos: sun protection has moved beyond its former status as an afterthought on a sunny day and developed into an everyday staple.

While skin cancer – which is best combated by sun protection such as sunscreen – is the most common cancer in the United States, sun care’s pervasiveness seems to go beyond that. In addition to its protective properties, sunscreen is lauded for its anti-aging benefits, its ability to help prevent pigmentation, its overall use as a cosmetic option, and so on; and any one of these reasons could be driving the industry today.

Are consumers mainly using sunscreen to protect themselves against harmful rays for fear of the health implications? Is it to shield their skin from wrinkles or blemishes? Is it simply to avoid painful burns and redness?

This research examines who is engaging in the category in order to shed light on why we’ve seen this evolution in the sunscreen space, and – ultimately – how consumers behave within it.

Insights

Insight 1: Sunscreen wearers are invested in selecting the best product to protect them from harmful rays.

People who wear face sunscreen (at least somewhat regularly) want a product that will effectively protect them against harmful rays, regardless of secondary motivations and individual behaviors. These consumers are extremely thoughtful in their purchases: they are highly aware of ingredients, primarily focused on quality over price, and bring a high degree of intentionality and consideration into their sunscreen purchases. 

Insight 2: There are five key segments within the face sunscreen market (Glow Getters, Health Optimizers, Protective Parents, Fresh Air Actives, and Easy-Going Sun Seekers).

Each of the five segments are motivated to protect their skin against harmful rays, but their individual behaviors, engagement, spend, beliefs, and overall use vary.

Glow Getters are invested in protecting their skin against the sun, occupying nearly half of the overall spend in the category. These consumers consider sun care to be skincare, which ultimately translates to self care. They are heavily influenced – with social media and YouTube serving as their top discovery channels – and are most interested in anti-aging, beautifying, clean products.

Health Optimizers are the next largest segment in size, but are only willing to pay a small premium for their face sunscreen products (especially in comparison to Glow Getters). Health Optimizers want to be safe, and sunscreen helps them achieve that goal. More than any other consumer group, Health Optimizers look for high SPF and broad-spectrum protection, because those are the key ingredients recommended by dermatologists and medical professionals alike.

Protective Parents tend to be more extrinsically motivated, as opposed to other segments who tend to be more intrinsically motivated, as they have their children to look after. Oftentimes in other categories, parents tend to skew more budget-oriented, but these consumers are willing to pay a premium to protect their kids.

Fresh Air Actives are outdoor enthusiasts who simply want a sunscreen that will protect them when they are engaging in their everyday activities. They are slightly higher spenders than Easy-Going Sun Seekers at product-level, but are overall just as disengaged from the category.

Easy-Going Sun Seekers are exactly what they seem: people who spend time basking in the sun, who want to be responsible, but do not give too much extra thought to their sun protection. These are certainly sunscreen users, but they are not researchers nor investors.

Insight 3: Consumers’ number one question while shopping for sunscreen is, will it protect me against skin cancer?

With a quarter of all consumers citing protection as their top question, this is indisputably the primary job of a sunscreen product. Following skin cancer protection, consumers consider price, sweat- and water- resistance, safety, anti-aging properties, and dermatologist recommendation at similar frequencies.

Despite the differentiation in their most frequently asked questions, skin cancer protection still remains the primary concern (as the predominant first question) across the market amongst each of the varied consumer groups. Regardless of other motivating factors, all consumers turn to sunscreen for skin cancer prevention.

DISCLAIMER: We base our research, recommendations, and forecasts on techniques, information and sources we believe to be reliable. We cannot guarantee future accuracy and results. The Langston Co. will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by a reader's reliance on our research.

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In order to conduct unbiased and objective research, this study was privately funded by The Langston Co. We did not receive endorsement or financial support of any kind from any third party.

Thanks for taking time to read our research. With questions, comments, or suggestions about this study, please contact us at contact@thelangstonco.com.