As someone with fair skin and red hair, Natalie Jones has always applied copious amounts of sunscreen to her face and body but it wasn’t until she was on a dive trip to Hawaii that she learned about the impact the sunscreen she was wearing was having on the ocean.
On her return to New Zealand, Natalie started working on creating a plastic-free sunscreen with simple ingredients that would be safe for skin and the ocean. In her research, she also learned that many people have sensitive skins and allergies and therefore can’t wear conventional sunscreens, so it was important to her to include simple, yet effective ingredients in her sunscreen that would be suitable for all skin types.
Today, Natalie is the founder and CEO of the wāhine-led social enterprise, Seasick Sunscreen Co.
Natalie, where did you grow up? What were you doing before you developed Seasick Sunscreen?
I’m a redheaded outdoor enthusiast and sun worshipper. I grew up near the beach, studied Zoology before travelling around the world for three years (living in Canada, Scotland and Laos) before heading home to New Zealand. I ended up living on Stewart Island before settling in Wellington where I worked as a conservation programme manager for the last 4 years.
Was Seasick Sunscreen your first venture into entrepreneurship? If not, what was your first?
Hmmmm, I mean does selling homemade lemonade on the side of the road count? Seriously though, looking back on it I dabbled in entrepreneurship from a young age. My earliest venture was doing pretend quotes for my Dad’s benchtop business, then I made and sold homemade fudge at the odd market day and in early 2019 I had the idea for a natural sunscreen. Not long after, Seasick Sunscreen Co was born!
Why sunscreen?
Believe it or not, I did NOT grow up dreaming of making and selling sunscreen! It is my passion for the problem that led me to create my own natural, plastic free sunscreen. The problem is that conventional sunscreen sucks, for your body and the environment! It’s greasy, runs and stings your eyes in the water; it is packaged in plastic which is difficult if not impossible to recycle and, most sunscreens are made with a long list of nasty chemicals that are toxic to marine life.
What makes Seasick Sunscreen unique to the market?
Seasick Sunscreen is:
- Made with non-nano zinc (our only active ingredient and is the safest UV filter for our bodies and the environment)
- Plastic free
- Made in Aotearoa NZ
- Cruelty free – not tested on animals
- Wāhine-led
- Supportive of ocean conservation. We donate 2% of our revenue to local conservation initiatives such as Love Rimurimu who are building a seaweed nursery in order to regenerate our underwater forests which provides vital habitat for marine life.
What makes some sunscreens safer than others – on people’s skin and on the environment?
#1 Plastic-free
Plastic pollution is choking our oceans. That’s why Seasick Sunscreen is plastic-free. Online orders will be shipped in a FSC-certified cardboard mailer and even our sunscreen labels are made of paper!
#2 Zero Water
Conventional sunscreens contain up to 70% water! That means you need to use lots to protect your skin. Our formula contains zero water meaning a little goes a really long way – 2-3 times further when applied correctly.
#3 Mineral versus chemical sunscreens
Chemical sunscreens (usually liquid ones in plastic bottles) are commonly made with a long list of chemical UV filters, fragrances and preservatives. These ingredients often cause skin irritations.
Chemical UV filters have also been linked to coral bleaching and in large quantities (seen at popular swimming or snorkelling spots) these chemicals can be harmful to marine life!
Is Seasick Sunscreen a side business? Do you work elsewhere whilst you’re growing this business?
I left my job in December 2021 to work on Seasick Sunscreen and to study a Masters which I will complete in February 2022. After that, I’ll be full-time on Seasick Sunscreen for the first time ever!
Earlier this year I was lucky enough to be one of 10 businesses selected to take part in the Kōkiri Māori Business Accelerator. This intensive 12-week programme gave me the tools and confidence needed to take my business from a ‘side-gig’ (which is what so many startups call themselves) to the next step. This meant upscaling production from my kitchen at home to a commercial manufacturer in Auckland. I’m also looking to grow my team in the near future as it is currently just me doing all the mahi!
From idea to creation, how long did it take you to research, plan, create, market and start selling your first batch of your sunscreen?
I received great advice from a friend to study the Lean Startup Model right when I first had the idea for Seasick Sunscreen. It taught me to get an MVP (Minimal Viable Product) out into the market as quickly as I could as the most important thing early on is to get out there talking to people and getting customer feedback. This meant that I had just two months to develop my first formula, design, build a website, etc. I was working full-time at my conservation job so that meant many late nights and working all weekend but I managed to pull everything together with the help of my amazing family and friends and in just eight weeks, I was at my very first market day.
A lot more research and development has gone into my product and business since then. The formula has improved, it’s fully SPF certified, my branding has been improved and we launched our new and improved Daily Face and Body Vegan Sunscreen this month!
Seasick Sunscreen is an unusual name. Tell us how that came about.
Haha! Choosing a name for the business was honestly one of the hardest parts. I was banging my head against the wall, unable to think of a name that felt right to me when a family member suggested Seasick Sunscreen. ‘Your business is about stopping the sea from getting sick right?’ he said…and it just stuck! When I am at market days, I hear people walking past and chuckling at the name or becoming so curious that they come over to ask me what it is about. Whitianga is a really special place to me as I believe that is where my special affinity for the ocean began. So it just feels right than in a way the name comes from there too.
Was there a singular moment or event that drove your passion for the environment?
Ko au te taiao ko te taiao ko au – I am nature and nature is me. I inherited my passion for the environment from my ancestors. One of my strongest memories as a child is of being dragged along to community working bees where my family would help plant trees. I used to run around in the forest and make forts mostly but I do remember planting a tree and my uncle saying I needed to come back one day and see how tall it had grown. Funnily enough I ended up planting trees for a living so I guess that was a pretty important moment for me.
What’s your single biggest concern about the environment?
Warming sea temperatures as a result of climate change is my biggest concern about the environment. Our incredible oceans act as a carbon sink, but the huge quantity of carbon dioxide us humans have been pumping into the atmosphere is more than our oceans can handle. As a result of excess carbon, the temperature of the ocean is rising which poses many threats to marine life and ecosystems. For more info, visit this site.
Greenhouse gas emissions caused when plastic bottles are produced may just be a small drop in the sea but I truly believe that every little decision we make has an impact and it’s the millions of little decisions coming together that drives positive change. That is what Seasick Sunscreen is all about – making that decision easy for people to make.
You’re currently studying at Uni. What are you doing there and what do you plan to do with your qualification?
I am studying my Masters of Indigenous Studies at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington. I’m bringing together my experience managing conservation volunteers and commitment to kaitiakitanga in order to research people’s perspectives toward novel technologies for controlling invasive wasps.
Invasive wasps are a huge threat to our taonga species (native biodiversity) and my research aims to further the discussion around social and cultural acceptability of some of the novel control tools that are being developed.
What advice can you give women who want to start their own businesses?
Networking has been my absolute favourite part of running my business and the support I receive from the people around me is what drives me when things are tough! I am surrounded by the most amazing, powerful women who inspire me every single day. Shout out to just a few of these amazing wāhine who have played a bit part in my story:
Amy, Indigenous Business Coaching , Kat, Octacle (eco and body conscious wetsuit lubricant), Saara, Kōkiri (igniting Māori business success)
Seasick Sunscreen can be purchased from Natalie’s online store.