How many times have you been deeply disappointed by the way your sunscreen feels, smells, looks or sits on your skin? We’re betting it’s far too many to count. Sunscreen formulas have barely changed in decades; they’re often too oily, difficult to apply, and not to mention that sickly SPF scent that just doesn’t seem to go away. The truth is, to this day, they simply aren't good enough.

So, we felt it was time to reimagine everything about sunscreen. With customers at the heart of everything we do, it was important for us to build this product with them from the very beginning. After analysing data from our skin assessments and surveying 300+ customers to better understand their unique needs and pain points, we discovered that many aren’t applying enough sunscreen because the ones available in the market didn't offer a solution they were satisfied with, from texture to thickness–– even when they know just how damaging the sun can be for their skin.

"9 in 10 aren’t reapplying sunscreen throughout the day
because it’s inconvenient on-the-go"

First and foremost, we learned that the majority of surveyed users (9 in 10 to be exact) aren’t reapplying sunscreen throughout the day because it’s inconvenient on-the-go (let’s be honest, squeezy bottles get messy really fast). On top of that, re-applying sunscreen over makeup is such a pain (who wants to smear cream on top of a carefully done up face?). It’s simply easier not to re-apply.

Inconvenience aside, we found that some of the biggest pain points have to do with formulations. Most are tired of thick sunscreens that leave a sticky or oily residue and easily clog pores, while 70% prefer an SPF that doesn’t leave a ghostly white cast.

The Importance of a Clean Sunscreen

Unsurprisingly, we also found that 60% are worried about the toxic ingredients in the sunscreens and are looking for a clean solution. As one of the most important steps in your daily skincare routine, sunscreens ought to be toxins-free. Thus, reimagining the sunscreen would mean not only creating something protective, effective and efficient, it would also have to be 100% clean and safe.

This led us to dig deeper into sunscreen ingredients available on the market today. While they’re designed to protect your skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays, we uncovered that many are actually doing more harm than good: according to a 2020 report by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) – which assessed more than 1,300 SPF products – 75% of sunscreens don’t offer adequate protection and contain concerning ingredients. 

"75% of sunscreens don’t offer adequate protection and
contain concerning ingredients"

On top of that, the EWG report suggests you can absorb up to six potentially harmful ingredients from a single application of sunscreen, which can still be detected in your system up to 3 weeks later. A lot of these ingredients are also not properly tested for safety.

Needless to say, the sunscreen industry has seen its fair share of ingredient controversies. Additionally, due to strict standards on ingredients and protective factors that vary from country to country, sunscreen products often have to make trade-offs between ingredients, texture, and protection levels. 

Your Dream Sunscreen in the Making

So, in line with our Clean Beauty ++ philosophy, we set out to create a Clean Beauty++ sunscreen that wouldn’t compromise on texture, efficacy, protection or ingredients. After months of research and development, and taking all our valuable customer feedback into account, we created the ultimate dream sunscreen, Sunny Side Up. Designed with a user-friendly mist spray that allows you to easily re-apply on-the-go, its formula is so lightweight it glides over makeup and won’t break you out or leave you with a greasy shine. A broad spectrum sunscreen with SPF30, it has all the protection you need, whether you’re spending time outdoors in the Sun, or if you’re regularly exposed to blue light working indoors on your digital devices.