PHOTO COURTESY OF KOKUA SUN CARE
It was somewhere between scuba diving and triathlon training that Tatyana Cerullo first had the idea for Kōkua Sun Care (kokuasuncare.com), a Hawaiian line of natural sunscreens and skincare that would stand up to an active lifestyle while nourishing the skin. Around the same time, her husband Robin found himself dissatisfied with the chemical sunscreens he used while sailing to Hawai‘i from South Africa. The two realized there was a need for a truly natural sunscreen made with local Hawaiian ingredients. “As nature lovers and environmentalists, we wanted our product to be natural and nontoxic to people and nature, and we wanted to use nourishing local superfoods for the skin that also would support local agriculture,” says Tatyana. Kōkua specially crafted their suncare to withstand water and sweating under the Hawaiian sun. The zinc sunscreens include a natural tree resin that feels lightweight and allows the skin to breathe yet tenaciously clings. This keeps the zinc shield in place for uninterrupted defense. Kōkua’s popular tinted SPF 30 daily moisturizer offers a smoothing effect and enough coverage for everyday outdoor activities. Meanwhile, the SPF 50 remains a bestseller for its rare effectiveness among natural sunscreens for harsh UV conditions. Rounding out the favorites, the innovative After Sun Serum blends aloe, kukui and macadamia nut oils, Hawaiian sandalwood, vitamin C and hyaluronic acid to drench parched skin with deep hydration and repair. “We are a favorite in the illustrious Hawai‘i swim, triathlon, surf and paddling communities because Kōkua Sun Care does not run into or sting your eyes,” she says. “One day, a potential customer called us from Florida and asked us, ‘Is this the Hawai‘i sunscreen I have heard of that doesn’t sting your eyes?’ and we said, ‘Why yes, it is!’”
Photography by:
