A Q&A with Univar Solutions

Just ahead of the Sunscreen Symposium, Happi connected with Claudia Barba, technical services manager, beauty and personal care, Univar Solutions to discuss some of the issues impacting the suncare market.


Happi: How would you characterize the current sun care season? According to Circana, mass market sales of sun care products rose 5.7% last year. Do you suspect 2023 sales to be better or worse and why?

Univar Solutions: The market for sun care products is expanding quickly as people are becoming progressively aware of the need for protecting their skin from harmful UV rays. The use of these products continues to rise, and we believe it will continue to grow in the following years.


Happi: What finished product trends are driving growth? What solutions does Univar Solutions offer formulators of these products?

Univar Solutions: Consumers are looking for different textures that offer protection for different applications. Sunification of skin and hair represent a big trend for UV protection claims in skin care, color cosmetics, and hair care. At Univar Solutions, we are constantly developing different textures for every kind of application, such as hair, skin, scalp and color cosmetics.


Happi: “Clean” formulas are popular. Although open to interpretation, some suggest that “clean” refers to using as few raw materials as possible in a formula. Does Univar Solutions have any solutions in the sun care space to help formulators use fewer materials? If so, explain.

Univar Solutions: Sunscreen is becoming more a part of our daily lives. It is essential to select the ingredients with care in order to avoid certain elements that could be harmful to our body or the environment.

There is no common definition for what ingredients are considered “clean.” By selecting only the essential ingredients in your formula and communicating about their functionality, we are contributing by helping consumers better understand what products and ingredients are available.


Happi: What regulatory issues are impacting sun care 2023 and how is Univar Solutions helping formulators overcome these obstacles?

Univar Solutions: Compared to other countries, in the United States, we have a smaller number of UV filters authorized to be used in sunscreens. The list of generally recognized as safe and effective filters (GRASE) is continually reviewed by the Federal Drug Administration for over-the-counter sunscreen products.

Working together with our experts enables us to innovate and formulate sun care solutions that deliver on consumers safety and sensorial expectations. At Univar Solutions, we closely work with dsm-firmenich. Besides providing an extensive portfolio of UVA and UVB filters and skin care actives to support UV protection, they have a dedicated team of regulatory experts that help ensure a clear understanding of safety requirements.


Happi: What new products has Univar Solutions launched this year? What will be the focus for 2024 and why?

Univar Solutions: At Univar Solutions, we are constantly developing different textures using mineral and organic filters, as well as formulating hybrid formulas (combining both types of filters). For this year’s sunscreen symposium event, we are launching different types of textures, including primers, creams, sticks, and light and fluffy creams.

We are facing and staying on top of trends and different challenges for the future. For example, Univar Solutions is focused on providing specific sun care products for specific skin types and skin tones. Sunscreens can sometimes be seen by the consumer as greasy or as pore-blocking products, and consumers that have oily skin are afraid about developing acne or other skin issues while using sunscreen products.

We are seeing a need or demand for multi-functional SPF products combining sun protection with beauty benefits such as moisturizing SPF products or being able to use a sunscreen product after makeup application.

Sun protective scalp formulations are also growing as an essential part in hair care. We have seen the development of mists and sprays that can help to protect the scalp without adding a heavy formula to your hair.

Finally, cost is becoming an important part of our formulation guidelines. As sunscreens are becoming part of our daily routine, sunscreen products should be accessible for each consumer.