I started La Wai Paka with a clear mission: to create an all-natural, food-grade sunscreen that I could truly feel good about putting on skin and into the world.
I wanted to make something clean, effective, and honest—something that reflected my values. I care deeply about human health, environmental responsibility, and protecting the ocean and wildlife from unnecessary chemical pollution. I believed there had to be a better way, and I was determined to create it.
What shocked me was what I discovered next.
As I moved deeper into the process, I learned that no matter how natural, thoughtfully made, or effective a product may be, you cannot legally market it as a sunscreen unless it contains FDA-authorized UV filters that are regulated as drugs. That realization stopped me in my tracks. I had set out to create a truly healthy alternative, only to discover that the system does not leave room for someone to legally offer an all-natural sunscreen outside of that framework.
I believe most consumers would be stunned to learn this.
And the deeper I looked, the more disturbing the picture became—especially with aerosol sunscreen sprays. These products do not just stay on the person applying them. They drift into the air, into nearby eyes and mouths, into lungs, onto other people, and into the surrounding environment. They are used in public spaces, around children and families, yet many consumers have never stopped to consider that these products are regulated drugs being sprayed into shared air.
That is why my journey has become bigger than a product launch.
I am now releasing La Wai Paka as a natural cosmetic moisturizer and outdoor skin balm, while also telling the truth about why I had to pivot. I want consumers to understand what I discovered, ask bigger questions, and become part of a movement for transparency, education, and change.
This brand is no longer only about creating a product. It is about exposing a problem, starting a public conversation, gathering consumer stories, supporting research and development, and building the kind of awareness that can eventually force this industry to change.
I believe people deserve better. They deserve cleaner choices, fuller disclosure, and the right to know what they are bringing into their homes, onto their skin, and into the environment.
If this story shocks you, it should. And if it moves you, I hope you will stand with us.