Sunny potential: Supergoop! aims to strengthen position in Australia and Middle East

In 2017, the brand expanded into SEA via beauty retailer Sephora. This marked the brand’s first entry into Asian market.

According to founder Holly Thaggard, Supergoop! is now one of the top-performing skin care brands within Sephora’s offerings.

Previously, the brand told CosmeticsDesign-Asia​ that the COVID-19 pandemic had increased consumer interest in skin care, which helped to boost awareness of sun protection.

On the back of this momentum, the company expanded into China with the launch of a store on Tmall Global in 2020.

Most recently, it made its debut in Europe and is planning for further expansion in the Middle East and Australia.

“​Just a few months ago, we entered Sephora stores in the EU. We have significant plans for expansion to the Middle East and Australia for the rest of the year,” ​said Thaggard.

In addition, the brand is also available in markets such as China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Japan, South Korea and the UAE, through retailers.

Launched in 2007, Supergoop! has created more than 40 sun care products to date. The products are based on the company philosophy of developing sun care that are “clean, innovative, feel-good, and dermatologically tested and approved”.

“​If a product does not check all the boxes, we simply won’t release it. We are always dreaming up new ways to wear SPF, and working on new and exciting products — often years before they go to market. I will just say that we will continue to bring sun care to places where it’s never gone before,” ​said Thaggard.

She added that consumer needs vary globally and even across Asia, with factors like skin type, skin tone, day-to-day activities, and surrounding environments playing a part.

“But generally speaking, we find that Asian consumers want SPF protection that works well on sensitive skin, lighter skin tones, and something that’s good for hot, humid climate. People in bigger cities want full-spectrum protection from pollution too, which is why our products go the extra mile to delivering on that.”​

For instance, the brand’s best-seller, Unseen Sunscreen SPF40, is formulated with red algae to protect the skin from damage caused by blue light, frankincense to calm irritated skin, and meadowfoam seed complex to improve hydration and skin texture.

Lack of awareness​

The lack of awareness on sun protection products has led many consumers to settle for less, Thaggard said. She stressed that it was important for consumers to understand that sunscreens could do much more than just as a shield against UV rays.

“A lot of consumers make sacrifices when it comes to SPF because they don’t know or think that they should be asking for more benefits. We believe that sunscreens can do it all — beyond UV protection, there are many ingredients that can be added to nourish the skin.”​

On the bright side, more people are catching onto the importance of sun protection, as the brand has noticed a continuous shift in trend from reactive to proactive skin care.

“Instead of asking, ‘What can I do to repair damage?’, consumers are increasingly seeking solutions to the question of ‘What can I do to prevent damage before it even starts?'​

“Our mission has always been to change the way the world thinks about sunscreen, and we take that very literally. So, we won’t stop until we are able to say, ‘mission accomplished’!” ​said Thaggard.