Why Gulf consumers skip sunscreen, and what formulators can do about it
The UV is high and regular sunscreen use is low. Survey data from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, read alongside search demand in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, point to texture, breakouts and cost as barriers a sunscreen formulator can remove.
By CSL Consumer insight and sun care teams, Cosmetic Science Lab · Reviewed by Dr. Premalatha, Ph.D., Life Science, Regulatory Consultant
Quick answer
- Almost half of Kuwaiti non-users said sunscreen was not important. The other barriers, a greasy feel, pimples, cost and chemical worries, are formulation problems [1].
- Saudi searchers name texture before they buy: the Arabic query for "sunscreen for oily skin" draws about 1,400 searches a month (Ahrefs, October 2026).
- A 2027 Gulf brief should specify feel, skin-tone range, heat and sweat conditions, filter system, and the SPF method and lab before the first batch.
Take-home message for formulators
- Treat greasy feel and breakouts as the primary design targets
- Measure white cast on a skin-tone panel, not by eye
- Prove sweat resistance with a named test, not a claim
Take-home message for brand owners
- Awareness campaigns alone will not move the other half of non-users
- Agree the SPF method and lab before the first batch
- Commission your own consumer research to weight the barriers
01High UV, low regular use
Kuwait's summer highs reach 48 °C and its UV index can hit 10, yet only 27% of surveyed adults used sunscreen regularly [1]. In Saudi Arabia, a national survey of 11,491 adults found that just 9.9% applied it consistently during extended outdoor activity [2]. For a founder, that looks like an awareness problem. The surveys also point to something a formulator can act on.
Exhibit 1
Regular sunscreen use in Gulf surveys
| Study | Sample | Regular use | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kuwait, adults [1] | 723 | 27% | 36.2% sometimes; 36.8% never |
| Saudi Arabia, national [2] | 11,491 | 9.9% | Consistent use in extended outdoor activity |
| Saudi Arabia, Jazan [3] | 452 | 12.83% | "Always"; 39.16% never (photoageing survey) |
| Saudi Arabia, Aseer [4] | 400 | 16.0% | Regular; 74.0% any use |
Definitions of "use" differ between studies, samples skew young and female, and several were online. The Kuwait study reports barriers most fully [1]. We found no representative peer-reviewed survey of UAE adults, so the UAE view rests on search demand.
02What Kuwaiti non-users say
Almost half of non-users said sunscreen was not important, so awareness still matters. The other barriers they reported were an oily or greasy texture, pimples, high cost and concern about harmful chemicals [1]. Among users, 84.2% applied sunscreen in the morning only, which matters for reapplication and for any product meant to last a working day [1].
03What search demand adds
| Market | Query | Monthly searches | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia | واقي شمس (sunscreen) | ~25,000 | Generic demand |
| Saudi Arabia | واقي شمس للبشرة الدهنية (for oily skin) | ~1,400 | Texture concern |
| UAE | sunscreen | ~5,600 | Generic demand |
| UAE | tinted sunscreen | ~1,500 | Finish interest |
| UAE | sunscreen for oily skin | ~600 | Texture concern |
| UAE | mineral sunscreen | ~600 | Filter interest |
Ahrefs Keywords Explorer, monthly volume estimates, checked 13 October 2026. Estimates, not measured consumption.
The Saudi oily-skin query is about 6% of generic volume, but it names a texture problem before any purchase, echoing the Kuwaiti barrier [1]. In the UAE, oily-skin and tinted queries together outweigh mineral, which points to finish and feel ahead of filter type. Both readings are CSL analysis: search shows what people look for, not why they skip sunscreen.
04Five barriers, five formulation levers
These are CSL working hypotheses. Each barrier maps to a lever the formulator controls, and each lever has a test that proves it.
| Barrier | Evidence | Formulation lever | Proof test |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greasy feel | Reported in Kuwait [1]; oily-skin queries | Light, low-oil base; film former chosen for dry-down | Sensory panel on gloss and tack |
| Breakouts | Pimples reported in Kuwait [1] | Lighter emollients; avoid known acne triggers | Dermatologist-assessed in-use panel |
| White cast | CSL hypothesis; ~81% of the Kuwaiti sample were skin types III–IV | Filter particle size, coating, iron oxide tints | Skin-lightness measurement across tones |
| Sweat and heat | CSL hypothesis; 84.2% apply in the morning only [1] | Water-resistant film former balanced against feel | Water-resistance protocol; in-use panel |
| Chemicals and cost | Reported in Kuwait [1] | Filter system choice; clear naming; cost per use | Concept test; cost-in-use comparison |
Oil-free film formers keep a face light but can weaken sweat resistance. Inorganic filters such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide answer "chemical" worries but can leave a white cast, which matters when about 81% of the Kuwaiti sample reported skin types III and IV. A higher filter load supports a higher SPF claim but usually costs skin feel. Iron oxide tints help on both cast and visible-light protection.
05Claims and SPF testing
A Gulf launch also needs an SPF number that survives scrutiny. In 2025, the Australian consumer group CHOICE reported that 16 of 20 sunscreens labelled SPF 50 or 50+ did not meet their claims in its tests [5]. Australia's regulator, the TGA, later said it had significant concerns about the reliability of SPF testing by one laboratory, Princeton Consumer Research [6]. The lesson is to agree the method and audit the lab before the first batch.
Whether Saudi (SFDA) and UAE authorities accept the newer ISO in vitro SPF methods is not yet confirmed, so this article makes no regulatory claim for the GCC. For the filter rules by market, see our UV filter guide.
06What a 2027 Gulf sunscreen brief should specify
| Element | What to define |
|---|---|
| Feel target | Words a panel can score, such as low gloss and low tack at a set time |
| Skin tones | The range to blend into, with a measured white-cast limit |
| Heat scenario | Sweat and water conditions, with a named water-resistance test |
| Filter system | Chosen for the claim and for consumer perception |
| SPF method and lab | Agreed and audited before the first batch |
None of these asks a consumer to be persuaded to care; they remove reasons not to use the product. The surveys cannot say how much each barrier contributes to non-use, which needs your own consumer research. Our sun care development team builds briefs like this with GCC registration in mind.
07Questions readers ask
Why do Gulf consumers skip sunscreen?
In Kuwait, 27% of adults used it regularly. Almost half of non-users said it was not important; others cited a greasy feel, pimples, cost and worries about harmful chemicals.
Can a sunscreen be light and sweat-resistant?
Usually only with a trade-off between film former and feel, which should be proven by a water-resistance test rather than assumed.
Why do some sunscreens leave a white cast?
Inorganic filters such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide scatter visible light, which shows more on medium and darker skin. Formulators manage it through particle size, coating and iron oxide tints, then measure skin lightness on a skin-tone panel.
Which sunscreen texture suits hot, humid weather?
The Kuwaiti barriers suggest people want a light, non-greasy feel. Fluids, light lotions and gels with a measured dry-down are worth testing against sweat resistance; Gulf texture-preference data still needs consumer research.
Planning a sun care launch for the Gulf?
We turn consumer barriers into a testable brief: feel targets, skin-tone panels, sweat-resistance protocols and an agreed SPF method.
08References
- Almutairi R, Allafi A. Sunscreen use among adults in Kuwait (survey, n = 723). JAAD International, 2025; 23: 38–44. doi:10.1016/j.jdin.2025.05.021
- Aleisa A, et al. National survey of sun-protection practices in Saudi Arabia (n = 11,491). Healthcare, 2025; 13(23): 3078. MDPI
- Assiri A, Hamzi SA, Hamzi YA, et al. Knowledge, attitude, reception and preventive practices towards skin photoaging in Jazan, Saudi Arabia. Cureus, 2024; 16(3): e55710. doi:10.7759/cureus.55710
- Bahashwan E. Sunscreen use survey, Aseer region, Saudi Arabia (n = 400). Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal, 2024; 32(5): 102019. doi:10.1016/j.jsps.2024.102019
- CHOICE. 16 of 20 sunscreens didn't meet SPF claims in CHOICE test. Media release, June 2025. CHOICE
- Therapeutic Goods Administration (Australia). Sunscreens using the same base formulation as Ultra Violette Lean Screen SPF 50+. TGA
Update log
- Published by Cosmetic Science Lab
Survey figures come from the cited studies; search volumes are Ahrefs estimates. Barrier-to-lever mappings are CSL working hypotheses, not study findings.
