Sun care benefits tipped to be essential in beauty

Speaking at the recent in-cosmetics Korea event, analyst from the firm Kunal Mahajan noted that sun care ingredients will become the fastest growing ingredient group among personal care ingredients in the period up ahead.

This is due to two key factors: the increasing demand for multifunctional benefits from skin care products, and the rising consumer awareness of the benefits of daily sun care application, regardless of weather conditions.

Particularly, consumers are increasingly turning to products that can offer additional sun care functionality because of rising understanding of the role this can have in preventative anti-ageing efforts, making it a trend that should be relevant to consumers from every age group.

Sun care in Asia​

The global market for sun care is projected to reach USD 11.1 billion by 2020, according to Global Industry Analysts, and Asia is one region taking a place at the forefront of this category.

Skin care and sun care together accounted for nearly half of the cosmetics market share in the APAC region in 2014, according to a recent market report from APAC Market​ that examined the industry in six countries.

The trend is being driven in part by the rising interest in male grooming across the region, according to the firm’s analysts, with men constituting 19% of the Asia-Pacific cosmetics market.

Various demands, one trend​

Within Asia, there are various regional demands that are all contributing to this rise in sun care use.

In Japan, for example, consumer demand for sun care protection is driven by the rising consumer awareness of the health benefits of applying sunscreen being particularly important for the country’s ageing population.

“While many opt to protect themselves from the sun by using parasols, sun hats and even protective clothing such as long-sleeved tops in summer, there is growing awareness that sun protection can offer more effective protection​,” notes market research firm Euromonitor International.

In India, by contrast, sun protection is driven by the social importance still placed on pale skin, and increasingly by active lifestyles.

“The use of sun care products when participating in outdoor activities, such as travelling, sports, hiking or jogging, is on the rise,”​ explains Euromonitor.