How Ultraviolet Sunscreen Became a $15M Beauty Brand

Ultraviolet’s transformation of daily sunscreen

When Ava Matthews and Rebecca Jefferd left Mecca in early 2017, they knew sunscreen was stuck in low-cost mass channels. Both worn-out by heavy, chalky textures, they saw an opening: a premium daily sunscreen that felt like a glow serum or primer under makeup. They sketched brand names and budgets on Beck’s living room whiteboard, tested ideas with family and advisors, then made a clean break from their day jobs to focus full-time on Ultraviolet.

Two years of R&D to nail the formula

The duo spent nearly 24 months sampling, tweaking and critiquing every base formula from contract labs. They knew what a luxe moisturizer and a smooth primer felt like, so they grafted those textures onto UV filters. Packaging was equally hard: neon accents, custom nozzles and labels that would pop on flat lays. Every detail, from the lab report to the box print, was held against their high standards.

Betting $200K on 40,000 units

By mid-2019 they placed their first production order: 40,000 units for about $200K, with no distributor or website yet live. Facing a ticking expiry date, they insisted on two rounds of stock upfront. A seasoned founder almost fainted when Ava mentioned the volume, but six months later they were reordering for the first time.

Pre-launch buzz and a fast sell-through

Two months before go-live they snagged a magazine feature. Their manufacturer rushed a small batch of press samples. A waitlist grew to over 1,000 emails and Instagram followers before launch day. On DTC site launch, gifting to editors and influencers sparked earned media, reviews, flat-lays and a 10,000-member Facebook forum talking about glowy SPF.

Scaling with owned IP

Off-the-shelf formulas couldn’t keep pace. Ultraviolet built in-house capabilities, diving into raw materials, testing protocols and filter innovation. Their secret ingredients and process became a moat, hard for copycats to replicate and easy to adapt for new markets.

Global reach and customer focus

Australia’s small market drove a global mindset from day one. Partnering exclusively with Sephora unlocked entry to 28 countries. A customer-obsessed culture ensured tweaks based on feedback, whether a scent adjustment or a new spf level. In five years Ultraviolet sold over $15M worth of sunscreen and cemented a loyal fanbase.