Today, some of the products we trust to protect us can end up doing the very thing they claim to guard against. That contradiction was the catalyst for Britt James, founder of Sol Sista Collective, to start her own sun protection brand, after she had a reaction to a sunscreen and found herself frustrated by the zinc products available to women who spend their lives in the ocean.
Which raises an obvious question – do you know what’s in the product you’re putting on your skin every day?
We sat down with Britt to chat more about the importance of understanding what you’re applying to your skin and why she built Sol Sista specifically for women. Check out that conversation below:
Why’s it so important to understand what’s in your zinc or sunscreen?
Britt: I think it’s important to be informed about what we use every day, not just what we put on our skin, but what we consume and bring into our homes. We are not interested in creating fear around ingredients or suggesting there is only one right choice. We simply encourage people to read the label, understand the active sunscreen filter and choose a product they feel confident using correctly and consistently. The best sunscreen is ultimately one you will apply properly and keep reapplying.
Do you think, as a population and as surfers, we are becoming more conscious about what we put into and on our bodies?
Britt: Absolutely. People are asking better questions and paying closer attention to ingredients, sourcing, performance and how a product feels to use. Surfers are especially conscious because sunscreen is something we rely on so often.
Why did you land on this specific formulation for Butta Block?
Britt: We wanted to bring together serious sun protection and a beauty experience. Butta Block is a non-nano zinc oxide SPF 50+ balm with four-hour water resistance, created for active days outside. But we put just as much thought into the buttery texture, the way it settles on the skin and the tints. Rather than feeling like traditional surf zinc, the shades are designed to look skin-like and give a flexible, natural glowy finish. It is durable enough for the ocean, but beautiful enough to become part of your everyday routine.
What is the basis for the four-hour water or sweat-resistance claim? Has it been tested?
Britt: Yes. The four-hour water-resistance claim is supported by formal water-resistance testing. We are careful to call it water resistant rather than waterproof unless that specific wording is supported by testing (which in Australia it’s not). Four-hour water resistance also does not mean apply once and forget about it. The label directions still matter.
If someone cannot read half the words on a sunscreen label, what should they look for?
Britt: Start with the essentials: the SPF rating, broad-spectrum protection, the active sunscreen ingredient, and the directions for use. In Australia, you can also look for the AUST L number, which shows that a therapeutic sunscreen is listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods.
What was not working for you about the zinc products that already existed?
Britt: The products I had tried felt very utilitarian. They were often thick, sticky, heavily coloured and packaged in tins, which could be messy to apply with your fingers and easy to transfer onto wetsuits, clothes and everything else. I wanted the protection and staying power associated with surf zinc, but in a product that felt considered for women: a buttery texture, wearable tints, beautiful packaging and a much easier application experience. I could see a gap between traditional surf zinc and the beauty products women already enjoyed using.
Why a tinted balm and brush rather than a traditional stick or spray?
Britt: It was a very deliberate design choice. The solid balm stick format is portable, durable and gives you control over where and how much you apply. The brush was created to make application cleaner and easier, particularly when you are on the go and do not want zinc all over your hands, clothes or wetsuit. The tints were equally important – we wanted them to work with the skin rather than sit on it like a block of traditional coloured surf zinc. Together, the balm and brush turn application into more of a beauty ritual without losing the performance needed for life outside.
What emerges from Britt’s answers isn’t a pitch. It’s a practical worldview: know what you’re using, use it properly, wear it every day, and don’t settle for products that weren’t designed with you in mind.