Sun Care Inspired By Sicily (Win!)

Toronto’s Curù Skin makes clean sun care inspired by Sicily—a sunny island in the south of Italy. As we Canadians unapologetically savour every last minute of summer (rightfully so; it’s been a long year) products like Curù’s signature After Sun Facial Oil ($114), which repairs and hydrates sun-exposed skin and delivers a nourishing touch of the Mediterranean, are more appreciated than ever. We chatted with founder Melodie Padula about her beautiful brand, and are giving you a chance to win! —Noa Nichol

Hi Melodie! Please tell us a bit about yourself to start.

I’m Melodie, founder of Curù Skin, which offers clean sun care and is based in Toronto, Canada. I love being outdoors any chance I can get, whether it’s a walk with my two puppies Wilbur and Honey, a summer day by the sea or a moon lit roof-top dinner. I’ve had a passion for science and nature since I was a child and my curiosity continues to grow as research and technology develops. I struggled with acne since I was 12. After more than a decade of frustration from trying products and remedies that never worked, I decided to take a slow, gentle and natural approach to my healing. I was determined to develop my own personal product after gaining a deeper understanding of what was truly going on with my skin that never seemed to respond to the products that claimed to be the solution—for what felt like my entire life! I know that many can relate. It was after a particular summer visiting my family in Sicily when I uncovered the simplicity in healing I was searching for. It was incredible to learn how the fruits, plants and vegetables that were traditionally used as medicinal remedies by our Sicilian ancestors were still valued and depended on till this day. I experienced how many of the botanicals part of my family’s traditional lifestyle not only supported overall skin health but were also protective against the sun. This discovery heavily influenced my research and development, eventually leading me to create a formula that was not only soothing for my reactive skin but was also highly reparative for the damaging effects of daily sun exposure.

When and why did you launch Curù Skin? What products/services do you offer, and what makes your brand unique/what niche were you hoping to fill?

Curu skin launched April 2021 and the reason why it was so meaningful to bring our After Sun Facial Oil to the sun care market was because individuals with ranging skin concerns, like myself, were left under served for too long, especially when it came to clean after sun care we could not only trust but that would also deliver results. Our After Sun Facial Oil contains 14 high-quality active botanical ingredients that were carefully selected with the intention to repair and hydrate sun exposed skin while also gentle and effective for all skin types, tones and sensitivities. Our formula is light weight with a fresh, slightly smoky-green Mediterranean aroma and contains ancient reparative benefits from ingredients like Sicilian prickly pear, apricot, borage and wild immortelle. Unlike other sun-care products, our formula is free from fillers, toxins, artificial colours and fragrance and was designed with skin concerns at heart. Additionally, our ingredients have been studied and selected based on optimal season and origin for a maximized phytochemical profile. This means every drop delivers concentrated nutrients to the skin, specifically targeting damaging effects of the sun, replenishing what daily sun screen cannot protect. Through study of ancient Sicilian tradition and modern science, we combine sun and skin care due to the unique antioxidant, phytonutrient and fatty acid profiles offering skin barrier and moisture retention support, improving skin elasticity and easing visible signs of aging making it a simple addition to daily skin care rituals no matter the season.

What exactly is “clean” sun care? What makes some other mass-market sun care fall short?

Clean sun care is a category of sun care set apart by the rest offering products that are committed to formulating without ingredients known to have a negative impact on human health and the environment. This includes formulation free from endocrine disruptors, sulfates, mineral oil, drying alcohols, artificial colour and fragrance, nanoparticles, chemical filters that harm marine life and can also include packaging and practices that do not support a sustainable future. In addition to reducing the negative impact on our health and the environment, I think what sets clean sun care brands apart from other mass-market sun care is simplicity, transparency and intention behind ingredients and processes. This does not mean losing out on the quality, exclusivity or luxury you may search for in your skin care and science and technology in clean beauty formulation still plays a very exciting and vital role in the development of clean and effective sun care products.

What do people in the Mediterranean know about sun care that we perhaps don’t?

They know that sun care goes beyond sun protection. They anticipate the rich coloured, aromatic plants, fruits and vegetables that each season brings, abundant in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals and they use them with intention through diet and natural remedy, directly impacting healthy, strengthened skin and restoring what can’t be avoided by the sun.

As an expert, what are your top three tips when it comes to sun care?

It’s important to coexist with the sun in these three ways:

1. Protection: Overexposure to the sun is a serious health threat. Wear clean sun protection every day, no matter the season. Always generously apply and reapply with an SPF of at least 30 and be sure to avoid sun exposure ideally between 2-4pm when the sun’s rays are the strongest.
2. Nutrients: Eat well and stay hydrated. Make sure those you are with are drinking plenty of water as well. Don’t skip lunch! Make it nutritious and eat lots of antioxidant-rich fruit!
3. Replenishment: Even with sunscreen, oxidative damage can still occur (sun spots, collagen depletion, wrinkle formation.) Add an after sun care step to your routine to restore and strengthen what sunscreen cannot protect.

curuskin.com

Win! A $114 Curù Skin After Sun Facial Oil!

Congratulations Sonam S. of Brampton, ON, who will receive a $114 Curù Skin After Sun Facial Oil! Please note: if you are the winner, you will receive a DM (direct message) in Instagram directly from @vitadaily.ca. Please be wary of fake accounts, which often use similar handles with an extra or missing letter, number or symbol. We will never ask for a payment or for your credit card number, and we will never ask you to click through a link. If you are unsure whether you have been contacted, via Instagram, by us or a fake account, email us before responding.