Like most brilliant ideas, Sun Juju was born out of necessity. Founder, Ella Liascos’s necessity for non-greasy, reef safe sunscreen kind on skin and planet.
Serious about the brand’s promise to preserve our precious oceans, Ella has spent the last two years investing the time and resources into truly, plastic free infinitely recyclable packaging.
Did you know post-consumer plastic packaging is still single use, and only 9% of the world’s plastic is actually recyclable? This opposed to 75% of all aluminium ever created still in use today. Hence why we need to do a little bit more than ‘break up with the cup’ and make use of colour coded bins. Real change begins far beyond this with the people and products we choose to challenge and importantly, support. So, for us, it’s no summer without Sun Juju.
In honour of the brand’s upcoming Spring 21 launch, we sat with Ella to learn ‘why sunscreen?’, SPF 30+ versus 50+ and the dreamiest holiday playlist.
M+E: Of all the beauty products to apply your wonderful values and aesthetic to, why sunscreen?
EL: I’m from WA and live in Byron Bay, two sunny coastal places where sunscreen is a daily ritual. In my efforts to make more sustainable and low-waste choices, one of the things I’d been looking for (but couldn’t find anywhere) was a plastic-free sunscreen that was both reef safe and didn’t feel greasy to wear.
To be considered truly reef safe I believe a sunscreen should be plastic-free. Micro-plastics are a major threat to the reefs. 11.1 billion plastic items are entangled in corals currently and 89% of corals containing plastic show visual signs of disease. The ocean is an important place to protect because it absorbs 50 times more CO2 than the atmosphere and helps regulate our climate.
M+E: What are you most proud of, of the product you have created?
EL: The fact it’s a product I truly love and that’s much lighter on the earth than what’s currently available. Also, that it will contribute to supporting the Climate Foundation’s marine permaculture project.
M+E: How long has Sun JuJu been in the making – how many years/months of research were invested into the regenerative side of the business?
EL: Two years now, it feels like an eternity!
“SPF50 offers a slightly better UVA protection which are the rays that get you even in winter and cause long term skin damage.”
M+E: How often should we be applying sunscreen, in your opinion … and even through winter?
EL: Everyday! It’s the number one way to keep the skin looking fresh … aside from antioxidants.
M+E: You have elected 50 SPF. What are your thoughts on 30+ sunscreens – a common choice for those typically wanting to avoid the typically thicker 50+ consistency?
EL: In terms of consistency SPF30 and SPF50 aren’t dissimilar. They also have equal protection from UVB rays. However, SPF50 offers a slightly better UVA protection which are the rays that get you even in winter and cause long term skin damage.
M+E: If you could escape on a holiday anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would it be and what is the first thing you’d pack?
EL: I’d head straight to the Mediterranean and pack a camera to capture it all. Gosh I miss it over there!
M+E: Your ultimate holiday playlist/artist/album?
EL: ‘hinterland sunset’ or ‘mondo mondo’ playlist on Sun Juju Radio (Spotify).
M+E: If you could walk in the shoes of any man or woman (past or present) for a day, who would it be?
EL: David Attenborough. He seems to have had such a colourful life, so connected to nature and has seen the whole world.
