We started La Wai Paka with a clear mission: to create an all-natural, food-grade sunscreen that we could truly feel good about putting on skin and into the world.
We wanted to make something clean, effective, and honest—something that reflected our values. We care deeply about human health, environmental responsibility, and protecting the ocean and wildlife from unnecessary chemical pollution. We believed there had to be a better way, and we were determined to create it.
What shocked us was what we discovered next.
As we moved deeper into the process, we 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 us in our tracks. We 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.
We believe most consumers would be stunned to learn this.
And the deeper we 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 this journey has become bigger than a product launch.
We are now releasing La Wai Paka as a natural cosmetic moisturizer and outdoor skin balm, while also telling the truth about why we had to pivot. We want consumers to understand what we 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.
We 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, we hope you will stand with us.