Lianna Albrizio, Assistant Editor06.12.23
With dermatologists drilling daily sunscreen use into the heads of consumers, it may just be the next big accessory in a beauty enthusiast’s skincare routine. More than just protecting against sunburn and skin cancer down the road, premature skin aging is the ick factor most youthful skin-obsessed consumers want like extra pounds this summer.
However, there are others who simply don’t value the health of their skin nearly as much. In fact, a recent survey by the American Academy of Dermatology inclusive of more than 1,000 US adults revealed that many Generation Zers, aged 18-25, are unaware of the risks associated with overexposure to the sun and believe tanning myths. According to the survey, 71% of Gen Z adults are unfamiliar with the risks associated with sunburn, with 40% being unaware of tanning risks and 59% believing tanning myths, such as tanning is healthy, and a base tan will prevent sunburn.
Whatever their beliefs, dermatologists have stressed the only safe tan comes from a bottle and to wear SPF every day— rain or shine.
Bubble Introduces Plus One and Solar Mate
This month, Gen Z-centric skincare brand Bubble entered the sun care category with two new products – Mineral SPF 40 sunscreens, Plus One and Solar Mate. They were three years in the making with over 100 iterations.
Bubble’s new sunscreen launches come on the heels of the brand’s introduction of acne spot treatments, Knock Out and Fade Away, this past spring.
Plus One, distinguished by its lime-green packaging, is a tinted daily sunscreen with broad spectrum 40. The universal tint protects and perfects while blurring blemishes and smoothing out uneven skin tone. Easily blendable, Plus One will not leave a white cast or residue behind. Apart from keeping skin protected from harmful UVA and UVB rays, skin’s appearance will improve over time, reducing hyperpigmentation, redness and oil, according to the brand.
Solar Mate Invisible Mineral Daily Sunscreen Broad Spectrum 40, distinguished by its lemon yellow packaging, is a fast-absorbing sunscreen and noncomedogenic.
“I have always used mineral sunscreen religiously, as it is formulated with much safer ingredients and actually forms a barrier on the skin, but the best products always left a white cast on me and were so hard to remove," said Bubble Founder Shai Eisenman. "That's why we worked tirelessly to create these two beautifully formulated mineral sunscreens -- all for under $20. If used daily, mineral sunscreen can protect your skin from the harmful effects of UV light damage. We really wanted to create a high quality, accessible and affordable sunscreen as an option for everyone while educating our consumers on the importance of every day application of sunscreen.”
“I have always used mineral sunscreen religiously, as it is formulated with much safer ingredients and actually forms a barrier on the skin, but the best products always left a white cast on me and were so hard to remove," said Bubble Founder Shai Eisenman. "That's why we worked tirelessly to create these two beautifully formulated mineral sunscreens -- all for under $20. If used daily, mineral sunscreen can protect your skin from the harmful effects of UV light damage. We really wanted to create a high quality, accessible and affordable sunscreen as an option for everyone while educating our consumers on the importance of every day application of sunscreen.”
Dr. Michael Gowen, a board-certified dermatologist and Mohs surgeon who joined the Bubble team one year ago, discussed the importance of everyday SPF use with Jessaline Orlansky, head of product and packaging development at Bubble Skincare on the brand’s Instagram live Thursday following the launch. He called sunscreen an “absolute necessity” in young people’s skin care regimen and voiced his preference of physical sunscreens over chemical ones.
“Physical sunscreens create a barrier on the epidermis, the top layer of the skin, and essentially reflect the UV rays that are coming from the sun off of your skin, so they don't penetrate down and cause DNA damage to our keratinocytes or melanocytes, which can then go on to create a skin cancer,” he said. “Additionally, what they do is they prevent the sun from causing radiation damage, which leads to premature aging or pigmentation issues. The mechanism of a physical sunscreen is very simple it's usually a metal like zinc oxide, which is in both bubble products, and it just flicks the rays right off the skin back into the atmosphere."
Bubble attributes its entry into sun care to its community of 6,000 consumers, who voice their say into what they want in a product, influencing everything from packaging to the brand’s whip-smart moniker.
According to Grand View Research, the sunscreen market is projected to reach $14.7 billion by 2028, with the mineral sunscreen sector projected at $1.6 billion by 2031.
Bubble’s decision to develop two mineral-based SPFs aligns with the brand's mission of creating skincare suitable for sensitive and acne-prone skin.
Solar Mate and Plus One retail for $19, and will be available in over 9,000 Ulta, Walmart and CVS stores by July and hellobubble.com.