For more than a decade, I've been focused on sun protection and how to make it easier to apply. We've created products that keep you covered in all the daily exposed places: face, neck, arms, hands, and scalp.
The scalp is one of the most sun-exposed areas on your body, and it's also one of the most ignored. I get it, traditional sunscreens make your hair greasy, sprays are unpredictable, and who's going to work lotion into their part line and then try to style their hair? So the easiest thing to do is skip it entirely.
But here's what I've learned: skipping scalp protection isn't just about avoiding sunburn; it's about skin health. Your scalp is skin, and it deserves the same care you give your face.
Why Your Hair Isn't Enough
Here's a stat that stopped me in my tracks: approximately 13 percent of all skin cancers occur on the scalp.* That's a disproportionately high number for such a small percentage of your body's surface area. Your scalp is one of the body parts most consistently exposed to the sun, and hair alone doesn't provide adequate protection. This is especially true if you have thinning hair, a visible part line, or lighter-colored strands that let more UV through.
Source: Healthline, What You Need to Know About Skin Cancer on the Scalp
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The challenge is that traditional sunscreens weren't designed for this area. Nobody wants greasy roots or products weighing down their hair, so most people skip scalp protection entirely.
I learned just how vulnerable the scalp is through my daughter Emma. When she was little, I'd be so careful about protecting her face, arms, and legs, but her scalp would still end up pink and tender after a day outside, especially along her part line. Seeing her uncomfortable like that drove home how much this area needs consistent protection. That experience stayed with me when we were developing our powder formula. Your scalp shouldn't be an afterthought.
The Scalp Care Movement - And What's Missing
If you've noticed scalp serums, scalp scrubs, and scalp treatments showing up everywhere lately, you're not imagining it. Industry data* shows scalp treatments have grown over 200% between 2022 and 2025. People are finally treating their scalp like skin and using ingredients like niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides.
I love this shift. But here's what often gets left out of the conversation: sun protection. You can invest in all the scalp serums you want but if you're not protecting that skin from UV damage, you're missing a critical piece.
Why Powder Works Where Other Formats Don't
When I developed Brush On Block, I was focused on making sunscreen easy enough that people would use it. The format has to work with your life, not against it. Powder sunscreen solves the problems that make traditional sunscreens impractical for hair.
- No greasy residue: your hair stays styled and your hands stay clean.
- Precise application: our brush lets you target your part line, hairline, and any thinning areas without affecting the rest of your hair.
- Easy to reapply: sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours, and with powder, you actually can without starting your hair day over.
- Works with your routine: apply it after styling as your final step.
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Will Sunscreen Make My Hair Greasy?
Powder will not. There are no oils, no water, and no liquid carriers in a powder sunscreen, so there is nothing going into your hair that could weigh it down or leave your roots looking slick. You brush it along your part, it disappears, and your style stays where you left it.
That surprises people, and I understand why. If you have spent years avoiding sunscreen anywhere near your hairline because lotion turned your roots stringy and spray left a film on everything, the idea that you can protect your scalp and still like your hair an hour later takes a minute to believe.
The brush is what makes it work. It puts protection exactly where you need it, right along the part line and around the hairline, without touching the rest of your hair. No pouring, no rubbing in, no rinse required.
Powder adds no oil and no liquid, so your roots stay clean and your style stays put.
Since you’re not adding lotion or spray, there’s no reason to wash your hair sooner than you planned. That matters more than it sounds, because the whole reason scalp protection gets skipped is that people believe the cost is a ruined hair day. Take that cost away and the habit sticks.
Women’s Health named Brush On Block SPF 30 Translucent Mineral Powder Sunscreen its Best Scalp Sunscreen of 2025. Fifteen years in, that recognition still comes back to the same thing: a format people are willing to use on their hair is a format that ends up protecting their scalp.
The Reapplication Problem
Another stat that has stuck with me: only about 10% of people reapply sunscreen as often as they should. I understand why - reapplying lotion means greasy hands, stinging eyes, and, if we're talking about your scalp, completely messing up your hair.
But reapplication isn't optional; all sunscreen wears off with sweat and friction throughout the day. If you applied SPF at 9 AM and head out for lunch at noon, your protection has diminished significantly.
This is one of the reasons I committed to the powder format. Keep a brush in your work bag, diaper bag, golf bag, or desk drawer. No mirror required, no mess, no starting over on your hair or makeup routine. It’s the kind of protection that happens because it’s easy enough to do, and that has always been the goal.
Why Our Formula Does More Than Sun Protection
Your scalp is skin and it deals with oil, sweat, buildup, wind, and sun exposure just as intensely as your face, sometimes more. When we think about skin care for the scalp, UV protection is only the starting point.
Our SPF 30 mineral powder was designed to sit comfortably on skin and wear all day. Supporting balance, hydration, and resilience matters just as much as protection. The skincare ingredients in our formula reflect that goal:
- Niacinamide: a familiar face-care staple that helps regulate oil, support the skin barrier, and calm irritation. On the scalp, it helps keep things balanced and comfortable between washes.
- Hyaluronic Acid: known for drawing moisture into the skin, it helps counter dryness and flaking that can happen with sun, wind, and heat exposure.
- Vitamin C: an antioxidant that helps defend skin against environmental stressors, including free radicals generated by UV exposure.
These ingredients weren't added to follow a trend. They were added because sunscreen, especially one meant for daily use and reapplication, should work with your skin, not just sit on top of it.
The SPF you're applying to your scalp should feel as thoughtful and skin-supportive as the products you trust on your face.
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Making It Part of Your Routine
Here's how to make scalp protection stick:
- Keep it visible: store your mineral powder SPF brush next to your other styling products. If you see it, you'll use it.
- Make it your last step: after you've styled your hair, buff the powder along your part and around your hairline.
- Throw one in your bag: our brushes are portable and TSA-friendly. Keep one in your gym bag, golf bag, beach tote, diaper bag - wherever you'll need midday reapplication.
- Don't overthink it: you don't need to cover your entire head. Focus on exposed areas: part line, hairline, crown if you have thinning there.
And don't forget other overlooked spots - your lips and the tops of your ears are just as vulnerable. Our Sun Shine Protective Lip Oil gives you SPF 30 with a hint of color, and the Quick Stick SPF 40 is perfect for ears, cheekbones, and anywhere you need targeted coverage (ski slopes, anyone?).
Bald Heads, Thinning Hair, and Little Parts
Not every scalp needs the same approach, and the three that get asked about most are the three that get the least attention.
A Bald or Closely Shaved Head
A bare scalp is simply exposed skin, and it deserves the same routine you already give your face. Brush the powder liberally across the crown, the temples, and the back of the neck, and go back over anywhere you run your hand through during the day. Lotion is a hard sell here because most people end up wiping it off with a towel or a hat brim within the hour. Powder stays put, reapplies in about 60 seconds, and does not run into your eyes when you start to sweat. Add the Quick Stick SPF 40 for the tops of your ears, which burn faster than almost anywhere else and get missed almost every time.
A bare scalp is exposed skin. The brush covers the crown, temples, and neck in about 60 seconds.
Thinning Hair or a Widening Part
Focus on the exposed line rather than the whole head. Buff along the part first, then work outward a half inch on either side, then trace the hairline. If your part moves depending on how you style it, brush both sides. It takes seconds and it covers the skin that is getting the exposure.
A Child’s Part Line
Little heads burn along the part faster than anywhere else, and it is the spot parents notice only after the day is over. For younger children, an adult handles the scalp: hold the hair back with one hand, brush along the part with the other, and follow the hairline around. BOB KIDS SPF 30 is zinc oxide only with no titanium dioxide, water resistant for 80 minutes, and made in the USA. Older kids can start taking the brush over for their own touch-ups during the day, with an adult still handling the first application of the morning. A wide-brimmed hat does a lot of work here too, and you can find more on sun care for kids if you are building a family routine.
The Bottom Line
Your scalp has been quietly taking UV damage while you've been protecting everything else. The good news? It doesn't have to be complicated. A powder sunscreen with the right ingredients takes seconds to apply, won't mess with your hair, and gives your scalp the protection and care it's been missing.
Our reformulated SPF 30 mineral powder sunscreens include niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin C - the same ingredients you love in your skincare.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will powder sunscreen make my hair greasy?
No. Powder sunscreen contains no oils, no water, and no liquid carriers, so there is nothing to weigh hair down or leave a slick at the roots. The brush applies it directly along the part line and hairline without touching the rest of your hair, and your style stays put.
What is the best sunscreen for a bald or shaved head?
A mineral powder applied with a brush. On a bare scalp, lotion tends to come off on a hat brim or a towel within the hour, and spray is hard to aim. Powder covers the crown, temples, and neck in about 60 seconds, stays put through sweat, and reapplies without a mirror. Brush On Block SPF 30 Mineral Powder Sunscreen and SPF 50 Mineral Powder Sunscreen are both all-mineral formulas with no chemical UV filters, and both are water resistant for up to 80 minutes.
How do I protect my child’s scalp and hair part from the sun?
Hold the hair back and brush the powder along the part line, then trace the hairline and the tops of the ears. For younger children, an adult should apply it. Older children can take over touch-ups during the day once an adult has handled the morning application. BOB KIDS SPF 30 is made with zinc oxide only, contains no titanium dioxide, is water resistant for up to 80 minutes, and is made in the USA. Pair it with a wide-brimmed hat on long days outside.
How often should I reapply sunscreen on my scalp?
Reapply at least every two hours while you are outdoors, and sooner after swimming or heavy sweating. This is where powder sunscreen shines because reapplying takes about 60 seconds and doesn't require redoing your hair. Keep a brush in the bag you carry so it's always within reach when you need it.
Can I use powder sunscreen on styled or unwashed hair?
Yes. Powder sunscreen is designed to be the last step in your routine, applied after you've finished styling your hair. It works just as well on day-two hair as it does on freshly washed hair. Simply part your hair where you need coverage, buff the brush along the exposed skin, and carry on with your day.
