Rethinking Sunscreen as Consumers Question What ‘Reef-Safe’ Really Means

Plant-powered skincare brand Meadow and Bark notes that sun care is evolving as consumers look beyond SPF alone, seeking products that support long-term skin health while minimizing environmental impact. That perspective is shaped by the brand’s origins: ocean air, sun‑drenched afternoons, and a family’s deep connection to life by the water. Inspired by this lifestyle, founders Marisa Russell and her husband, Scott Russell, began exploring what people put on their skin every day. What started as a personal need and years of curiosity has since evolved into an artisanal skincare line grounded in sustainability and thoughtful formulation.

Marisa spent more than two decades in digital media and content, working with major companies. Yet life in a beach community with her husband and three children eventually sparked a different kind of creative pursuit. The family spent long days outdoors, and Marisa grew increasingly frustrated with the performance of the existing sunscreens she came across.

“I started getting really frustrated with the fact that the sunscreen was sliding off my kids every time they went in the water,” she recalls. “They would come home with these red welts under their eyes, and I just kept thinking there had to be something better.”

An unexpected moment of discovery came during one of Scott’s surf trips to the Mentawai Islands in Indonesia. After experiencing harsh burns on the first day despite high-SPF products, he was offered a homegrown paste by a local guide. The mixture was made from simple ingredients such as coconut oil, cocoa powder, sunflower oil, zinc, and thanaka tree bark. 

“Once he used that, not only did he not burn for the rest of the trip, but he also healed his previous burns,” Marisa recalls. “He brought it home, and the kids loved it. They actually wanted to use it, which is not something most parents hear when it comes to sunscreen.”

Curiosity quickly turned into experimentation as Marisa began sourcing natural ingredients and testing formulations in her own kitchen, determined to find a personal solution. But that quickly expanded into a deeper exploration of skincare ingredients across the beauty industry. “I started researching the ingredients in the products I was already using. It was shocking to see how much filler and how many questionable additives were included in everyday skincare,” she says.

Out of that investigation emerged Meadow and Bark, a company built around careful ingredient selection and a guiding philosophy that anything applied to the skin should be pure enough to eat. “Our skin is our largest organ, and it can absorb the things we put on it,” Marisa says. “Consumers deserve to know exactly what they’re using.”

Today, the brand operates across two complementary product lines. According to Marisa, Meadow and Bark’s mineral-based sunscreens are crafted from earth and plant-derived ingredients. The formulation is designed to align with the needs of surfers, beachgoers, and environmentally conscious consumers. Meadow and Bark aims to take an ocean-conscious approach to formulation, choosing to leave out ingredients that have raised concerns for marine ecosystems, like oxybenzone, avobenzone, octocrylene, and octinoxate, and aligning with ingredient standards set in places like the U.S. Virgin Islands and Palau.

The sun care collection includes face-and-body sunscreen, compact sunscreen sticks, sun-protection moisturizers, and stay-put zinc pastes. Alongside the sun care products is a premium skincare line designed around skin longevity. These formulas are designed to defend and restore the skin barrier and feature concentrated botanical ingredients that are packaged in ultraviolet-protective glass, aimed at preserving potency. The brand’s proprietary Phyto-Lumen Complex and other nutrient-dense components aim to support healthy skin over time.

“Our goal is to create natural skincare with thoughtfully developed formulations,” Marisa says. “We take the help of innovative ingredient developers around the world with an aim to deliver effective results without unnecessary additives.”

She highlights that many ingredients are obtained through ethical supply chains, including partnerships that support women-run cooperatives. Shea butter used in the formulations, for example, is sourced from a women’s cooperative in Africa through FairTale GHANA, which helps support education for local families. 

“We produce in small batches and work with partners who appreciate the craftsmanship and care behind what we make,” she says. That ethos has enabled Meadow and Bark to gain recognition, earning the spot for the top pick on Oprah Daily’s “Best Face Mists to Hydrate and Support the Skin Barrier” for its Multi-Molecular Hyaluronic Face Mist and securing a feature in the New York Post highlighting standout skincare discoveries.

As Meadow and Bark prepares for its next chapter, the company plans to expand into Europe within the next year, bringing its approach to plant-based sun care and skincare to a broader international audience. At its core, Marisa’s goal remains the same: creating products people can trust. 

“We want to help people care for their skin in the most honest and thoughtful way possible,” she says. “If we can protect both our bodies and the environments we love at the same time, that’s the future we’re working toward.”

This article is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. If you are seeking medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, please consult a medical professional or healthcare provider.