SPF is a product category Australian brands are renowned for on the international stage – little surprise given the extreme health risks of antipodean sun exposure and the rise of “A-Beauty” hype.
One market pioneer is Ultra Violette, founded by Rebecca Jefferd and Ava Chandler-Matthews in 2019. The pair’s “skinscreens” fall into the premium beauty category, offering suncare products that people actually want to wear daily. “We were really clear from day one about creating a ‘skinscreen’, so skincare plus sunscreen,” Jefferd tells Broadsheet.
The Melbourne label quickly gained a loyal local following for its elevated SPFs, which are packed with ingredients that closely resemble those found on the labels of your favourite serums and moisturisers.
The brand now offers a suite of products that cater to different skin types and SPF preferences, including face, body, lip and make-up formulations. But the core message always comes back to keeping things simple, Jefferd says. “We’re trying to lend you a hand in the morning and get you out the door, get you protected as easily as possible.
“There’s no demonising of ingredients or types [of SPF] here. Just pick one that you actually like wearing.”
A signature cheekiness helps to keep this message alive. Vi – the brand persona – is a best friend or doting big sister of sorts. She wants to make sure you’re looking after yourself. And she has plenty of tips to share about applying (and reapplying) sun protection. But she also cares about the science.
“There’s plenty of myths and misinformation out there. We’re a science-led brand that’s focused on speaking to our customers without being condescending or patronising,” Jefferd says of the Vi brand voice. “Sun protection is our love language.”
Ultra Violette celebrated its fifth anniversary earlier this year, marking the occasion with a $15 million partnership with Aria Growth Partners. The capital raise has spurred on the brand’s international expansion, particularly into North America with stock now available in Sephora Canada. The US is next on the list.
But conquering the global beauty market isn’t easy. Navigating regulations in different territories is one of the brand’s biggest challenges, Jefferd says. “We’re currently in 28 countries. We create bespoke products for each market – we’re at around three versions of each of our formulations to meet global requirements.” Since sunscreen is seen as a therapeutic good in many countries, products are subject to strict guidelines around formula, as well as marketing and media presence.
All of Ultra Violette’s products are manufactured in Australia, and Melbourne is still the beating heart of the business, Jefferd says. The growing team works from a three-storey townhouse-turned-office in Cremorne with views over the MCG.
“Our product team is one of the biggest teams in the business, and it’s still a function that Ava and I personally spend most of our time in. We’re product developers at heart. We have a matrix of every idea of SPF you could possibly have, and we’re working through making sure every single need can be met.”
While Ultra Violette’s future involves plenty more new product development – the team is currently tackling the question of what suncare looks like for acne-prone skin – there’s also an appetite for keeping the current stable of products up-to-date. For example, the bestselling Queen Screen has recently been reformulated and re-released. There’s the same silky serum-like texture and soft rose scent as before, but it’s been souped-up with even more skin-loving ingredients, including vitamins C, B5, E and F.
“I feel like we’re in the primary school years as a business at the moment. We’re still learning to do a few things independently, we’re still finding our feet,” Jefferd says. “We’re really just getting going, and I’ve never felt more excited.”
This article first appeared in Domain Review, in partnership with Broadsheet.
See our guide to Aussie brands making face and body SPF here.
