Sunscreen for Men - the basics.

I often get asked for a men’s sunscreen. But are sunscreens for men very different from those for women?

From a performance POV, No!

Which means: Men can use products with the same SPF specs as women. Men need as much blue light protection as women. Men need products to be as water resistant as women. Also, men need products to be as non irritant as women – a just shaven face can be a very sensitive zone, though men are more likely to put up with it in silence.

So, what IS the difference?

The most obvious difference is usually in the packaging and the perfume, but the most important and valuable difference is the use case scenario. Which would be that, men are less likely to be comfortable with a white cast, less likely to remove sunscreen with makeup removers, more likely to use deep cleansing face washes and be more prone to sweating with outdoor activities/ workouts. And are  likely to use sunscreen once a daily, however this is common to both women and men.

So, a sunscreen meant specifically for men typically needs to target conveniences, since performance remains similar for products meant for women and men. Buildable sunscreen as a concept may simplify things for men, who may find the one product for all uses more practical.

An important aspect here – is what men’s sunscreens typically should not contain. Nanoparticles, typically titanium nano particles have been associated with hair loss in men, so these are ideally avoided, as are agents that cause endocrine disruption, another mechanism that may be related to hair loss. While this is new research which needs more validation, it makes sense to avoid these, given that other, likely safer, options are available.

While we may be able to address some of the above discussed convenience factors in terms of formulation excellence, the fact still remains that sunscreens take time to get used to. But, considering how important they are in preventing pigmentation and skin aging for our skin types, we may well take the effort to get comfortable with a sunscreen in our skin care routine.