Sunscreen for Men: What to Look For

Men need the same sunscreen as everyone else: broad-spectrum, SPF 30 or higher, worn every day. There is no biological reason a man's skin needs a different formula. What changes is texture and how you wear it, not the protection itself — around a beard, over a thinning scalp, or under a helmet on the commute.

Is there such a thing as men's sunscreen?

Not in any way that matters to your skin. A sunscreen labelled for men and one labelled for women are held to the same standard and measured the same way: SPF for UVB, a UVA rating for the ageing wavelengths, and broad-spectrum cover across both. The American Academy of Dermatology gives one recommendation to everyone: broad-spectrum, SPF 30 or higher, water-resistant, worn daily, with no separate advice by gender.

What the men's label usually signals is packaging and scent: a darker bottle, a sportier name, a cooling or woody fragrance. Sometimes the texture leans more matte, because the assumption is that men want less shine. That is a preference, not a requirement, and it is the only real variable worth paying attention to. The filters doing the work are the same chemistry regardless of who the tube was marketed to.

Why men need it at least as much

The case for men wearing sunscreen is, if anything, stronger than the marketing suggests. Melanoma falls harder on men, and mostly for reasons of habit rather than biology. The Skin Cancer Foundation reports that between the ages of 15 and 39, American men are 55 per cent more likely to die of melanoma than women the same age, and that men under 49 have a higher probability of developing melanoma than any other cancer.

The reasons given are behavioural. Men tend to come in for skin checks less often, and later. Melanoma frequently appears on the back or the scalp, places that are hard to see on yourself. And where many women already wear a daily moisturiser or base carrying some SPF, men often protect their skin only at the beach, if at all. None of that is fixed. A daily habit closes most of the gap, and the habit is the whole point.

What actually differs, and it is not the SPF

If the protection is the same, the practical differences come down to where a man's sun exposure lands and how the product has to sit to get worn at all.

Facial hair changes application, not requirement. Sunscreen still needs to reach the skin under a beard, so it takes a little working in with the fingertips rather than a surface swipe, and the cheeks, ears and neck above and around the beard are still fully exposed. A thinning hairline or a shaved head turns the scalp into one of the most sun-hit surfaces on the body, and it is routinely missed. The tops of the ears, the back of the neck over a collar, the forearms on a two-wheeler: these are the spots an Indian commute exposes most, and a helmet shades the crown while leaving all of them open.

Dose is the other honest variable, and it is the same for everyone. The AAD puts it at about a teaspoon for the face and neck alone. Most people, men included, wear a fraction of that, which is the single most common reason a sunscreen underperforms its number on the bottle.

How to choose one you will actually wear

The best sunscreen for a man is the one he will put on every morning, so the choice that matters is finish, not gender. Someone who dislikes shine wants a formula that dries down invisible; someone with drier skin, or a winter in the north, wants one that hydrates as it protects. Both are legitimate, and both protect equally when worn properly.

This is where finish is worth matching to preference. Artisun Aura is a gel that settles invisible, which suits anyone who wants no cast and no residue over a beard or on a bare scalp. Artisun Origin is a dewy milk that moisturises as it shields, which suits drier skin and colder months. Neither is a men's or women's product; they are two finishes, chosen for how you want your skin to feel.

Beyond finish, the same rules apply to any wearer. Match the protection to the weather you are actually in rather than the season on the calendar, which is the thinking behind our month-by-month weather guide. Read the UVA rating, not just the SPF, explained in what PA means. And wear enough, then wear it again after a couple of hours outdoors. Gender never enters the equation; exposure and habit are the whole of it.

Frequently asked questions

Do men need sunscreen?
Yes, at least as much as anyone. Men have higher melanoma mortality, largely because they protect and check their skin less. Broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher, worn daily, is the recommendation for everyone regardless of gender.

Is men's sunscreen different from women's?
Only in packaging, scent and sometimes finish. The protection is held to the same standard and works the same way. There is no biological reason a man's skin needs a different sunscreen from anyone else's.

What SPF should men use?
Broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher, with a strong UVA rating such as PA+++ or PA++++. The number does not change by gender. Wearing enough, and reapplying through the day outdoors, matters more than chasing a higher figure.

How do you wear sunscreen with a beard?
Work it into the skin under the beard with your fingertips rather than swiping it over the surface, so the filters reach the skin. Cover the cheeks, ears and neck around the beard as normal, since those areas stay fully exposed.

Do bald men need sunscreen on the scalp?
Yes. A shaved head or thinning hairline leaves the scalp among the most sun-exposed parts of the body, and it is a common site for melanoma in men. Wear sunscreen there, or a hat, whenever you are out in daylight.

Kanika Durga, Founder, Artisun · Last updated 27 September 2026

Sources: American Academy of Dermatology, "Sunscreen FAQs"; Skin Cancer Foundation, "Ask the Expert: Why Are More Men Dying of Skin Cancer?" (Jeremy A. Brauer, MD).