Get Sunshine Ready With SPF Essentials

With summer fast approaching, NUDESTIX’s versatile range of SPF products, all recommended by The Skin Cancer Foundation, ensure your skin is protected from harmful UV rays while providing a beautiful sun-kissed glow. We chatted with Dr. Ally Frankel, co-founder of NUDESTIX, for more info on the importance of sun safety. —Noa Nichol

With summer approaching, why is sun safety so crucial for our skin, and how does NUDESTIX aim to address this through its product line?

Sun safety is so important in the summer, but also all year round. The sun emits ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which includes UVA and UVB rays. UVA rays penetrate deep into the skin, causing aging and wrinkles, while UVB rays cause sunburn and can damage the DNA in skin cells. Prolonged and unprotected exposure to UV radiation significantly increases the risk of developing skin cancer, including melanoma, which is the most serious type.

At NUDESTIX, we have created a line of SPF products that are clean, vegan, reef-safe, and protect against the sun’s harmful UV rays. Our SPF products are formulated with 100% mineral non-nano zinc oxide, protect against broad-spectrum UVA/UVB, reduce the visible signs of aging and are recommended for daily use by the Skin Cancer Foundation. They are also extremely easy to use and can be applied anytime on-the-go. Practicing daily suncare has never been easier.

This year we launched our newest innovation, Nudescreen Blush Tint SPF 30. We wanted to offer our customers a versatile 3-in-1 solution for eyes, lips, and cheeks, delivering an effortless pop of color combined with essential SPF protection. It was important for us to create a product that can be easily taken with you on the go and reapplied throughout the day to ensure protection from harmful UVs. 

Can you explain the significance of The Skin Cancer Foundation’s recommendation for NUDESTIX’s SPF products? What does this endorsement mean for your customers?

All of our SPF products are recommended for daily use by the Skin Cancer Foundation, meaning they have undergone a rigorous review process and meet the specific criteria set by the Skin Cancer Foundation (SCF) for effective sun protection. This is a huge achievement for our products, as The Skin Cancer Foundation is such a well-respected organization dedicated to the prevention of skin cancer through education and research. Having their endorsement sets our SPF products apart from other competitors in the market and reassures our customers that they are getting products that are safe and reliable to ensure they are staying protected from the sun’s harmful rays, and minimizing the effects of sun damage.  

NUDESTIX offers a variety of SPF products, such as the Nudescreen Blush Tint and Nudescreen Daily Mineral Veil. How do these products combine sun protection with beauty benefits?

Products such as the Nudescreen Blush Tint, and the Nudescreen Daily Mineral Veil will ensure your skin stays shielded from harmful UV rays while giving you the perfect sun-kissed glow. 

Nudescreen Daily Mineral Veil SPF 30, is the perfect first step in your makeup application, as a lightweight, hydrating, oil-free moisturizer with a nude finish. Due to this product being a mineral sunscreen, this product defends against the sun’s broad spectrum UVA and UVB rays, as well as blue light! It serves as the ideal canvas for your makeup while keeping your skin nourished and protected. 

Followed by Nudescreen Blush Tint SPF 30, which works as a 3-in-1 product for eyes, lips, and cheeks, to give you an effortless pop of color along with mineral SPF protection. This blush completes any look, while providing UVA and UVB defense and even comes in a pocket-portable package for easy touch-ups on the go, which is extremely important to ensure you are fully protected throughout the day. 

The Nudescreen Lip Primer is designed to provide broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection. Why is it important to protect our lips from the sun, and how does this product achieve that?

The skin on our lips is much thinner and more delicate than the skin on other parts of our body, making it more susceptible to damage from UV rays. Nudescreen Lip Primer SPF 30 multi-tasks as a light & hydrating naturally tinted lip base and primer that can be worn under any lip color to protect against broad-spectrum UVA/UVB, and reduce the visible signs of lip aging. I love this product because it makes applying SPF to the lips as simple as reapplying your lip tint! The lips are one of the most common areas to be affected by skin cancer, so using a product like this, and reapplying it throughout the day, will reduce your risk of skin cancer alongside helping you prevent the formation of fine lines and wrinkles. 

This product actually inspired our latest launch, Nudescreen Blush Tint SPF 30. We aimed to offer our customers a versatile 3-in-1 solution for eyes, lips, and cheeks, delivering an effortless pop of color combined with essential SPF protection. I also love to apply this product, especially in ‘sunkissed’ over the bridge of my nose for the perfect summer glow. Having a product like this is amazing, so we can continue to reapply sunscreen as makeup throughout the day in areas that are not often sufficiently protected, such as the nose, cheeks and eyelids. 

Tell us more about the limited-time Pick-A-Palette SPF offer. What inspired this promotion, and how does it benefit consumers looking to stay protected and stylish this summer?

Pick-A-Palette SPF, is a limited-time offer where customers can select their own custom palette of SPF essentials, including the Nudescreen Daily Mineral Veil, Nudescreen Blush Tint, and Nudescreen Lip Primer, for just $75 (a $118 value). We wanted to provide our customers with an easy and affordable way to ensure they are stocked up on their favorite NUDESTIX SPF products and be protected for the summer months. 

In your opinion, what are the most common misconceptions about sun protection, and how does NUDESTIX help to educate and inform users about effective sun safety practices?

I think the most common misconception about sun protection is that it only needs to be applied once during the day. However, SPF should be applied generally in the morning and then reapplied every two hours throughout the day, especially after swimming or sweating. All of NUDESTIX’s Nudescreen SPF products, have been designed to easily take with you on the go, allowing for easy application throughout the day to ensure sun protection. Especially our Nudescreen Blush Tint, as it doubles as applying makeup. 

Another common misconception is the difference between chemical sunscreen and mineral sunscreen. All of our SPF products are 100% reef-safe mineral sunscreens in a clean formula with 15% non-nano zinc oxide that contains no chemical sunscreen ingredients. Mineral sunscreen is made up of zinc oxide and titanium and sits on the surface of the skin, acting as a physical barrier to reflect and scatter UV rays. Mineral sunscreen is suitable for sensitive skin types, as it sits on the skin’s surface and doesn’t penetrate deeply, causing irritation to those with sensitive skin. Mineral sunscreen with non nano zinc, is also considered more environmentally friendly as it does not harm marine ecosystems by being absorbed by or bleaching marine life. 

Chemical sunscreen ingredients absorb UV radiation, convert it into heat, and then release it from the skin. This sunscreen typically needs about 20 minutes after application to become effective. It can also sometimes cause irritation or allergic reactions, particularly in sensitive skin. Some chemical sunscreens aren’t considered clean as some ingredients, such as oxybenzone and octinoxate, have been shown to harm marine ecosystems, particularly coral reefs.

As someone deeply involved in skincare, what daily sun safety routine would you recommend for individuals with different skin types and lifestyles, using NUDESTIX products?

I would recommend choosing a broad-spectrum sunscreen, which will protect against both UVA and UVB rays with an SPF of at least 30, such as our Nudescreen Daily Mineral Veil SPF 30. I also recommend applying sunscreen every two hours, especially after swimming, sweating or toweling off, to ensure your skin is protected throughout the day. As someone who is very sensitive to chemical sunscreen, I always recommend mineral sunscreen as they are less likely to cause allergic or irritant contact dermatitis compared to chemical sunscreens. This makes them an excellent choice for people with sensitive skin, including those with conditions like eczema or rosacea.

Final, personal question: what’s your daily SPF routine?

I have just finished medical school and am now completing my residency, where I have very limited time to get ready in the morning, which is why I love that all of our products are multi-use. 

My daily SPF routine consists of first using the Nudescreen Daily Mineral Veil SPF 30 in the shade cool or nude. This formula makes for the perfect first step in your makeup application as a lightweight, hydrating, oil-free moisturizer with a nude finish. As someone who gets irritant contact dermatitis when using chemical sunscreens, we decided to create this product to be a 100% reef-safe mineral sunscreen with a clean formula. The second part of my SPF routine consists of applying Nudescreen Blush Tint SPF 30 to my cheeks, lips and eyes in my favorite shade Pink Sunrise. I love that this blush protects from daily UV damage while imparting healthy-looking fresh face color. Outside of our SPF products, I tend to gel my brows and then get myself out the door.