My Summer Essentials: Why I Don't Compromise on a Single One
I did not set out to build a suncare brand. I set out to find one I could actually trust.
After years of reading ingredient labels, researching reef impact, and watching the clean beauty industry make promises it could not keep, I stopped looking for the right product and started building it. That is the origin of EthoSun, and it is also the lens through which I approach everything I put on my skin and bring into my summer.
I am deliberate. I do not do clutter. I do not compromise. And I especially do not do ingredients I cannot pronounce applied to skin that is going to spend the next three months in serious sun.
Here is what is in my summer rotation this year and exactly why each one earned its place.
1. Mineral SPF. Every. Single. Day.
This is not negotiable. Chemical filters absorb UV radiation by converting it to heat inside the skin. Mineral filters, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, sit on the skin's surface and physically deflect UV rays before they penetrate. For me, for the reef, and for anyone spending real time outdoors, mineral is the only answer.
What I look for: broad-spectrum protection, non-nano zinc oxide with ZERO oxybenzone, octinoxate, octocrylene or avobenzone – The Big 4 of skin carcinogens. If a sunscreen cannot clear that bar, it does not make the cut.
2. SPF Built for the Outdoors
There is a difference between sunscreen and sunscreen that actually holds up. If you are sweating, swimming, or spending real time outside, your everyday SPF is not enough. You need something formulated for movement, water, and duration.
I am building our sports formula specifically for this, serious staying power, and no excuses. This one goes everywhere with me, from the beach to a hike to a full day at an outdoor event.
3. A Face Stick That Does Not Quit
Reapplication is the step most people skip. A stick makes it effortless. No mess, no white cast, no disrupting your makeup or your flow. Another big leap for EthoSun- to use on a plane, on the water, and at any point in the day when I know my face has been in the sun longer than it should be.
This is the one I will covet more than every bag I own.
4. A Body Oil That Works With the Sun
Summer skin is its own category of care. After sun, after a swim, after a long day outdoors, skin needs real replenishment. Not fragrance. Not filler. Ingredients that actually nourish.
Body oil formulations should always have that in mind. It absorbs quickly, is not greasy, and supports skin that has been working hard all day in the elements.
5. A Lip Balm With SPF That I Actually Use
Lips are the most overlooked surface in sun protection. They have no melanin. They burn fast, and they show damage early. I am not interested in carrying a separate lip product that does not protect. Hydration and SPF in one clean formula is EthoSun’s next big move to the sports stick.
The Through Line
Every product in my bag lineup shares the same non-negotiables: reef-safe, mineral-based, clean ingredients, and actually effective. I did not build EthoSun for people who settle, nor will I settle on any other products. I built our line for people who are outside, fully alive, and paying attention to what they put on their bodies and leave behind in the water.
That is what summer essentials mean to me. Not a trend. Not a haul. A deliberate, curated set of products that work as hard as you do.
Stay Wild. Stay Rebellious. Your Power Is Your Cause.
Skin First. Planet Always.
Sarah Miller , CEO and Founder, EthoSun