We should wear sunscreen. We know. Our dermatologists remind us every time we finally stop by for that essential checkup. Plus, many beauty articles get around to dropping the hint about damaging sun rays. Yet who hasn’t had some less-than-fun-in-the-sun experiences with sunscreen-greasy, turns our skin white, feels heavy- and/or stumble on the pronunciation of at least one of the ingredients. Time for a clean start this summer, because MDSolarSciences has a collection of natural, ultra-smooth, mineral SPF formulas that are also reef-safe and cruelty-free as well as follow the safety standards set forth by the Environmental Working Group (EWG). That covers all the bases. Fairfield Living magazine was lucky enough to grab a moment with its CEO, Renee Plato to ask a few questions.
Q: Why don’t people wear sunscreen?
Renee: “One of the top reasons many people don’t wear sunscreen is that they don’t like the way it feels. Most SPF formulas just don’t feel good. They can be goopy, greasy, sticky, leave a white cast or sting eyes. MDSolarSciences products are especially formulated to feel amazing on, while being highly effective. We pride ourselves in having some of the best feeling, clean and natural SPF formulas on the market. Our formulas have a heritage of leveraging science to ensure every product provides healthy protection, helps repair the skin and prevents from future environmental damage such as sun or blue light. Another reason many people don’t wear sunscreen is they believe they’re getting SPF protection in their makeup or daily moisturizers. This may be the case, but unless you’re wearing a 30 SPF or greater, you may not be getting the level of protection you need on a daily basis. The sun and environmental factors are more severe than even ten years ago. That has had a significant impact on the health of our skin, the body’s largest organ. We need to continually educate consumers on the importance of SPF as a daily habit - not only for adults, but also children.”
Q: How is MDSolarSciences different?
Renee: “MDSolarSciences is doctor developed by Robert J. Friedman, M.D., a leading dermatological oncologist, and clinical professor at the NYU School of Medicine. Our formulas are first and foremost science backed and clean; free of any toxic ingredients that are harmful to skin and alter endocrine functions, which can happen with most chemical-based sunscreens that use oxybenzone or octinoxate. Our products live at the intersection of “clean” and “clinical”, a phrase we’ve coined as “cleanical”. Unlike many cosmetic SPF brands, we’re dedicated to true skin wellness through the creation of luxurious, clean products that feel wonderful on the skin, are safe for all skin types and the environment - no harsh chemicals. It’s what’s not in our formulas that makes us special. MDSolarSciences is vegan and gluten, paraben and fragrance free, won’t clog pores and is free from any nanos and oils.
At the heart of MDSolarSciences is another unique point of difference; Our proprietary ProVention-R™ technology, a unique combination of cutting-edge antioxidants, calming and repair complexes with key ingredients such as peptides, naturally derived CoQ10, green tea, pomegranate, aloe, seaweed, vitamin E and more. These complexes deliver unique and relevant anti-aging and reparative benefits that, over time, will improve the quality of your skin. Not your average SPF skincare. We are proud to be Environmental Working Group top rated, a reference in our industry, and all of our SPF formulas are backed by the American Skin Cancer foundation.”
Q: What does reef-safe and cruelty-free mean?
Renee: “Common sunscreen ingredients, such as oxybenzone, octinoxate or aminobenzoic acid, are actually known to irritate skin and cause harm to ocean life by accelerating coral bleaching - essentially killing coral reefs. We never formulate with these ingredients. Our formulas have always been safe for people of all ages and for the environment. All consumer products need to be far more aware of the impact being made to the environment. Something as intrinsic to sea as sunscreen/SPF should have this as an underlying mission. Our products are also cruelty-free, which means that there is no animal testing anywhere in our supply chain.”
Q: What’s the latest news?
Renee: “This year, we launched a hydrating lip balm with SPF, a perfect balance of hydration – avocado oil – sheer coverage with a lovely hint of tint. We are always listening to our customers and developing formulas that work for them and go that extra mile to deliver protection and restorative complexes. Over the next several months we will be expanding our distribution to additional omnichannel and natural retailers. We see a lot of room in the market for skin-wellness products that feel great to wear and deliver true results.”
By Diane Sembrot
As featured in Fairfield Living Magazine, July/August 2020 Edition
Photography credits: Tomira Wilcox
