I’ve been sitting with this SPF for a long time.

Not just as a product, but as a question I kept coming back to: what does sunscreen look like when it’s built from the ground up with soil, skin and science in mind at the same time?

This is the Obvs SPF journey so far.

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Why I started formulating an SPF

SPF has always been the hardest category in skincare for me to ignore.

It sits right at the intersection of health, daily habit, and environmental impact. And yet so much of what exists on shelves still feels disconnected from skin biology and from the planet it ends up in.

I wanted to build a mineral sunscreen that behaved differently on skin. Something that supported barrier function, worked with sensitive and acne-prone skin, and didn’t rely on the usual heavy, occlusive feel that people tolerate rather than enjoy.

Obvs Skincare was already built for problem skin conditions like eczema, acne and reactive skin. SPF felt like the missing piece.

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Three years of formulating

This SPF has taken around three years of research, testing, failure, rebuilding, and starting again.

It became my first proper emulsion system, which meant learning fast and deeply about:

• natural preservative systems
• microbiome-friendly preservation
• stability under heat and time
• oil-to-water balancing
• texture that actually feels good on skin, not just “works on paper”

A lot of time went into understanding preservatives in a different way too. I’ve used probiotic-based preservation systems designed to support the skin microbiome, helping discourage unwanted bacteria while respecting the balance of the skin’s ecosystem. That shift alone changed how I think about formulation entirely.

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The testing process (and the 49 that turned into 50)

I sent the SPF to an Australian lab for in vitro SPF testing. They’re known globally for their expertise in sun protection validation, and I wanted the most robust data possible.

First result came back just under what I was aiming for.

SPF 49.

Close, but not enough for what I set out to achieve.

So I went back to the formula, adjusted the dispersion, refined the balance of the mineral filter system, and rebuilt it.

Second round: SPF 50.

That moment mattered. Not because of the number itself, but because it proved the system held under proper testing conditions.

Alongside that, I worked with Oxford Biosciences for stability and preservative challenge testing. The results came back strong. A full 12-month accelerated stability profile and successful preservative challenge testing, both passed cleanly.

The CPSR is now complete. The formulation is signed off. The technical side is done.

What’s left is launch logistics.

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The texture, the zinc, and the cast problem

This is a micronised zinc oxide system, non-nano, designed to sit at the intersection of safety, performance, and wearability.

The goal was always simple in theory and frustrating in execution: high protection without that heavy, chalky white layer that mineral SPF is known for.

It took a lot of iteration to get the balance right. Oil phase adjustments, dispersion work, particle behaviour studies, and more patience than I care to admit.

The final texture feels light on skin, blends down without sitting on top of it, and still performs under testing conditions.

Photo from an Obvs Tester who used our SPF50 ("yours") and a competitors SPF30 ("competitor").

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Packaging decisions that weren’t simple

The SPF comes in aluminium tubes. Fully recyclable, practical, and protective for the formula.

I tested biodegradable labels for months. They looked perfect at first. Then reality kicked in.

They disintegrated when exposed to water, impact, and real-life handling. That’s not acceptable for something that has legal labelling requirements and needs to survive bathrooms, beach bags, and everything in between.

So for now, the labels are plastic. They are recyclable, and I’d ask that they are peeled off before recycling the tube.

It’s not the final version I want.

Once I’ve paid down some of the costs from this development phase, I want to move towards laser-etched tubes so the branding sits directly on the aluminium. Cleaner, more permanent, more aligned with where Obvs is heading.

Right now, it’s a compromise. A practical one, not a philosophical one.

And I’d rather be honest about that than dress it up.

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Manufacturing and launch reality

The formulation is locked. The testing is complete. The paperwork is in place.

Now it comes down to two things:

Funding the final organic ingredient order
And physically making the first production batch

Once that’s in place, I’ll launch.

I’ll also be doing the filling and labelling myself for the first run. There will be a small army of friends and family roped in at some point, because that’s how small-batch reality works when you’re scaling from formulation bench to real-world production.

The formula itself will stay confidential. Only I, the testing labs, Soil Association, The Vegan Society, and the relevant cruelty-free certification bodies have full access to it.

That part stays protected.

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Launch timing

I am aiming to launch as soon as possible.

If the Soil Association haven’t responded within a week, I will proceed without the logo initially and add certification branding later once it is confirmed. The formulation itself will not change.

This is one of those moments where momentum matters more than perfection.

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Pricing and early access

The SPF will launch with an introductory price to make it accessible at the start.

There will also be an additional exclusive discount for Obvs VIPs who are subscribed to the newsletter.

That group has supported this journey from the beginning, and I want them to be first in line.

No gimmicks. Just a simple thank you in pricing.

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A note on the “imperfect” bits

The labels aren’t final.

They are functional, compliant, and recyclable, but not the polished version I want long term.

The product inside is the priority. Always has been.

I’d rather launch with honest labels and a strong formula than delay everything waiting for packaging perfection that would have slowed the whole thing down by months.

There’s a version of Obvs SPF in the future that looks more refined on the outside. This first version is about getting it into real hands.

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What comes next

I’ll be sharing more soon on:

• ingredient breakdowns in detail
• why micronised zinc behaves differently on skin
• preservative systems and microbiome-friendly formulation
• how mineral SPF interacts with acne-prone skin
• FAQs for application, layering, and wear

Because there’s a lot of misinformation in SPF, and I want this to be one of the clearest, most transparent launches I’ve done.

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Final word

This SPF has taken years, not because it was slow, but because I refused to rush something that sits on skin every single day.

It has been rebuilt more than once. Tested more than once. Questioned constantly.

It’s ready now in the way that matters.

Not polished.

Not perfect.

Just real, tested, and finally moving forward.

And I’ll launch it the moment everything aligned behind the scenes allows it.

 

And remember - It is what's inside that counts 😉

 

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