by Megan Moyer, corporate marketing manager, as appeared in Inside Beauty for Drug Store News
The concept of Sun Responsibly — a platform to educate and inform
consumers of the need for daily sun protection all year round — originated in 2022. Gina Daley, MHCI, vice president, integrated health at L’Oréal Dermatological Beauty U.S., shared, “We have a forum where we convene retail leaders (both on the pharmacy side and on the merchant side) with board-certified dermatologists. And it was at one of those meetings where we got a call to action from a beauty leader at a regional retailer.” Daley said this leader acknowledged that while many of the participants in the room were competitors, they had an opportunity to set that aside and band together to drive awareness on the importance of daily sun protection. “That was inspiring to me that she was willing to make that plea. From there, we brought in the Skin Cancer Foundation and had an ongoing dialogue around the key barriers to daily sun safe habits and the misinformation we would need to overcome.”
Following extensive foundational research and messaging concept testing, they landed on “Sun Responsibly.” “The phrase leverages familiar PSA language with the ultimate ambition of turning ‘Sun Responsibly’ into the ‘Got Milk?’ of sun protection.” Daley said there is mounting misinformation regarding sunscreen and tanning trending online. “I think now more than ever, we need a campaign like this.”
Sun Responsibly is an unbranded campaign initially supported by Ulta Beauty, CVS Pharmacy, Walgreens, Meijer, Kinney Drugs and Hy-Vee. It launched at the American Academy of Dermatology’s Annual Meeting in 2025.
In 2026, they established National Sun Responsibly Day on May 18 to drive greater awareness. Daley said, “Establishing a national day represented a moment in time where we could rally the industry. And we were delighted with the amplification efforts. Five retailers amplified National Sun Responsibly Day. Amongst all who posted — brands, dermatologists, the Society of Dermatology Physician Assistants, the Skin Cancer Foundation, the Melanoma Research Alliance and many more — we’ve reached over 20 million consumers.”
Read more: Gold Bond attracts new customers to their brand and to the hand and body lotion category
The platform supports retailers however they choose to promote the campaign in store. There is a standards guide of criteria that should be considered for items on a Sun Responsibly display, and there are other collateral pieces available.
“Whether it’s a shelf blade, an endcap, whether it’s
online, we can provide the assets,” Daley said. The campaign uses thought-provoking imagery to support the message that sun protection is needed daily. “In the campaign as it exists right now, we have shown people in unexpected settings. One of our hero images is a woman in a long-sleeve sweater — not necessarily a time where one might think of wearing sunscreen.” Other images depict a construction worker, a child at a playground and a child in the snow. “We want to highlight all those everyday moments where sunscreen isn’t top of mind. It’s about driving those small, daily behavioral shifts and helping people see sun protection as a year-round habit.”
Daley said one of the biggest barriers to daily use is around formulation. “Many consumers skip sunscreen because they haven’t found one that they like to use. But with the approval of bemotrizinol, the first new sunscreen filter in the U.S. in 25 years — which is already widely available in Europe and Asia — that’s going to allow manufacturers to formulate new and different products.”
Another obstacle to overcome is messaging to grab the interest of the younger generation. “What we’ve learned over the course of the campaign is that the younger generations aren’t necessarily motivated by skin cancer risk.” The group turned to the Savannah College of Art and Design, SCAD. Daley said they asked SCAD to reimagine the campaign to reach this demographic. “With the reimagined campaign, perhaps it opens the door for even more players to get involved.”
Read more: Moonbow takes a holistic approach to skin care and wellbeing
Daley also asserts that it goes beyond sunscreen to UPF protected clothing, hats, and even sunless tanners. “Americans’ association between a tan and beauty is deeply ingrained in our culture, making it a challenging mindset to shift. Sunless tanning offers a perfect bridge, allowing consumers to ‘sun responsibly’ while still achieving their desired aesthetic. For retailers, this evolution represents a massive opportunity to capture growth not just in traditional sun care, but across adjacent beauty and skincare categories.”
While sun protection has largely lived in the sun care aisle, Daley said it also could be effective to place sunscreens near the pharmacy where, as the pharmacist dispenses hundreds of potentially photosensitizing medications per week, it would be within arm’s reach. Likewise, in grocery and mass retailers, she says, “The real magic lies in strategic cross-merchandising. Placing sun care next to beverage coolers, grilling staples, or even unexpected outdoor adjacencies — like dog leashes — reminds consumers who are planning to spend time outside to pick up sun protection products, encouraging impulse purchases.”
Daley hopes that the campaign becomes evergreen and that more individuals and companies get involved from all areas: dermatologists, pharmacists, pediatricians, advocacy groups, retailers, and suppliers. Interested partners can learn more and request assets by emailing SunResponsibly@loreal.com, with the newest designed by SCAD available in mid-July.
L’Oreal Dermatological Beauty offers multiple sun care items with SPF protection
Under their La Roche-Posay and CeraVe product lines, two of the latest and most innovative items are:
- Anthelios UVAir SPF 50 Serum Sunscreen from La Roche-Posay
Powered by Cell-Ox Shield Technology and UV Air Technology to create a powerful antioxidant complex to help protect skin from free radicals caused by UV rays in a serum-like formula which is infused with skincare benefits. It has an invisible finish that blends on all skin tones and its texture is light as air. Its clinical resilience is specifically tested to perform under extreme environmental stressors including high heat, humidity, and pollution while offering 16-hour continuous antioxidant and anti-pollution coverage to protect skin in real-world, urban conditions. - CeraVe Invisible Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 Face
A blendable mineral sunscreen that uses CeraVe’s new innovative Miner-ALL technology to deliver high-performance SPF 50+ and help minimize white cast for a more transparent finish. Suitable for all skin types while providing all-day hydration. The sunscreen is free from parabens, fragrance, dyes, and drying alcohols, is non-comedogenic, and is ophthalmologist tested and suitable for contact lens wearers.