The growing sun care market is rapidly growing and showing no signs of slowing down. Forecasters predict that by the end of 2028, the sunscreen market will have reached a whopping 14.7 billion US dollars in revenue.

Not only are people’s knowledge of skincare increasing, but also the global warming, total global sunshine hours, and skin cancer rates are all what drive consumers to invest more into taking the proper care of their skin.

That’s why when you offer sunscreen on your store, it shouldn’t just live its own life somewhere in the depths of your product offering. You should also educate your customers about the importance of suncare and why they need sun protection at all.

In short, it’s all about marketing sunscreen effectively! Luckily for you, in this article, we’ve compiled all the tips & tricks on selling and marketing sun care products. Shall we dive in?

Sunscreen 101: Health benefits and different types

Daily sunscreen use should be a no-brainer, right? At least I think so. After all, it helps us prevent sunburn, premature aging, and skin cancer in the age where global sunshine hours are growing yearly due to global warming.

But first, let’s explore different types of sunscreen so you can understand what’s best for your brand and your customers.

Did you know that there are two main types of sunscreen? Check out the difference between chemical and mineral sunscreen:

	Chemical sunscreen	Mineral sunscreen
Active ingredients	Chemical ingredients like avobenzone, oxybenzone, and octinoxate	Organic compounds like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide
Texture and coverage	Thinner texture, transparent coverage	Thicker, heavier texture, opaque in coverage but not see-through
How it works	Absorbs the sun rays and turns them into heat	Sits on top of your skin like a shield and reflects the UV rays from the sun
Efectiveness	~20 to 30 minutes from the moment of application	Immediate

To sum up, both types of sunscreen are indeed effective, but it all boils down to the small details and preference.

Don’t forget that depending on the product type you choose, you can also adjust your skincare marketing efforts. Maybe the unique selling point (USP) of your product will be the thin texture of chemical sunscreen? Or perhaps you want to cater toward the environmentally-conscious crowd with mineral sunscreen?

For that, you’ll need to put in the effort in understanding your existing audience and who you want to attract.

Who are you selling your sunscreen products to?

According to Statista’s data of 2024, 12% of Americans apply sunscreen daily, another 12% do it a few times per week, 13% apply it a few times per month, 29% — less often. But a staggering 33% never apply sunscreen.

What’s more, CDC statistics tell us that women of all ages use sunscreen much more actively than men (~30% of women and ~13% of men).

These insights are valuable to note down once you start working on your sunscreen line. You can cater your skincare marketing toward women as they use sunscreen more often, but remember, women’s sun care market will be harder to penetrate due to high competition. Men’s sunscreen market might be smaller, but for a reason – men use it less and you’ll have to put more effort in educating your customers.

Of course, your niche and audience are more detailed than that, but you should still keep the “big picture” in mind.

There are also other factors you should understand about your target audience: their age, location, lifestyle, and skin type. Once you acknowledge all the complexities of your customer, it will be easier to adjust your marketing strategy.

Crafting sunscreen branding that stands out

Can’t do great skincare marketing without great branding, am I right? Your branding and packaging will be the attention-grabber that makes casual window shoppers into real customers. Explore all your options! You’ll be surprised how many ways there are to stand out.

For example, you don’t have to settle for the classic lotion way we’re used to seeing sunscreen in. Check out this innovative sunscreen texture and packaging from Vacation Inc. who made their Classic Whip product look exactly like whipped cream. If you’re doing skincare dropshipping, have a look at what fun textures and packaging your white-label partner offers.

Source: Sol de Ibiza

If you own a sustainability-focused brand, Sol de Ibiza would be a good example for marketing sunscreen. This brand positions itself as natural sunscreen and their packaging shows for it — the natural lip balm is packaged in a cardboard tube, whereas their spreadable natural mineral sunscreen is in a metal jar which you can later reuse for something else.

A current trend in packaging I suggest you look at is sunscreen sticks! Lately people have been loving the convenience that sunscreen sticks offer — UV protection on the go. It’s especially useful if you’re out on town without the possibility to wash your hands to apply lotion-based sunscreen.

But to understand how your brand can stand out in the saturated sunscreen market, I’m offering you a couple of exercises to think about:

What pops into your mind when you hear the word sunscreen?
What is the furthest thing from sunscreen that you can imagine? (I bet this is how Vacation Inc. came up with their whipping cream sunscreen)
How can your existing branding help with developing branding for your sun care products?

Playing around with these concepts can tone your creative muscles while keeping your niche and existing branding in mind.

Sunscreen marketing inspiration and ideas to make you glow

Your customers are looking for more than just SPF — they (knowingly and unknowingly) are also searching for a sunscreen brand that aligns with their lifestyle and values.

In order for you to reach your ideal customer, you need to shout your brand messaging from the rooftops, hoping they’ll hear you. And by shouting, I mean crafting effective marketing strategies.

From traditional marketing channels to social media marketing, let’s have a look at what you can do to drive sales of your sunscreen products.

Digital marketing channels

As a somewhat seasoned marketer, I suggest you first develop and fine-tune these digital channels: your website and social media.

Your website is like a business card. It’s not enough if your customer has reached the homepage — you have to drive them in with its design, fast loading speed, and easy navigation (UX/UI).

Speaking of websites, I stumbled upon a skincare brand named Coola. The image above is what you see as you enter their website. All about the brand is clear in a moment — the Spoil Your Skin lets you know that they’ll take care of your skin, the branding is simple, and the menu bar only has two sections to choose from (Shop and Learn).

Your website can also work as a discovery tool for potential customers. You should definitely look into quality content marketing and SEO strategies to boost your website’s discoverability on search engines.

A sun care brand that’s nailed their social media strategy is the aforementioned Vacation Inc. They stay true to their brand which is characterized by nostalgic, retro-inspired visuals even on their socials. You can feel the branding throughout!

Another way you can thrive on social media can be through “natives” of social — the creators.

There are a lot of passionate skincare influencers and educators on social media that would love to test your product. And it doesn’t have to be expensive as you can approach smaller influencers and UGC creators who are more likely to test your product for free or at least a smaller cost than big influencers.

Traditional marketing channels

While digital channels often take the spotlight, traditional marketing tools are still powerful. Think digital screens, magazine ads, TV ads, posters, and even stickers. That sounds like a lot of investment, I know, but there are also more budget-friendly ways to enter the traditional marketing space.

Instead of using beaming digital screens to advertise your product, you could do this instead:

Print out a batch of stickers with your new product and distribute them near a beach,
Ask around your local coffee shops if they’d hang up a poster of your product for free (I know some of mine do!),
Encourage trials by giving out samples of your new product.

Seasonal activities

Timing is key when marketing sunscreen. Although you and I might agree that it’s important to apply sunscreen daily no matter the weather, the sales peak right before and during the summer months.

Being on top of your current and potential customers’ minds during this time is crucial. Check the calendar for local events in the UV-high season. Maybe you can give out your product samples near a festival site? Or during a sports event at a nearby beach? Be careful though, and see if you need any permits for this kind of activity.

To not let your sales drop too low during winter, spin the strategy on its head and market toward all the winter-sports enthusiasts. The sun at the peak of the mountain is especially strong so all skiers and snowboarders need quality sunblock!

Shining bright in the sunscreen market

The sunscreen industry continues to grow, so it’s especially important to stand out in the crowded market. Every aspect of your marketing approach matters when driving customer engagement and sales for your brand — understanding your audience, crafting quality branding, advertising, and even seasonal promotions.

That’s why leveraging all your possible tools is the best way to go. See my ideas and decide what fits best with your branding, values, financial resources, and go ahead!

For you to expand your existing product offering or start a new sunscreen brand, it’s essential you find great products you’ll be proud to sell and that your customers love. Look into private label skincare companies — they have some great options for all tastes!

With effective sun care marketing, you’ll not only protect your customers from the UV rays, but also build a loyal and returning customer base — rain or shine!

Marketing Sunscreen: Everything You Need to Know to Shine