Sun Safe and Skin Loving: Building a Suncare Brand with Intention with Stephanie DiPisa, Solara Suncare
How One Mom Turned a Sunscreen Problem into a Wellness-Driven Skincare Brand
If you’ve ever struggled to find a sunscreen that feels good on your skin, protects effectively, and aligns with your values around clean beauty, you’re not alone, and Stephanie DiPisa is living proof that necessity really is the mother of invention.
In this episode of The Wild Party Podcast, we sat down with Stephanie, founder of Solara Suncare, a mineral-based skincare brand that’s rewriting the rules of sun protection. What started as a mom’s quest to help her children with skin allergies has turned into a line of award-winning, dermatologist-approved SPF products now found in major retailers like Target, Nordstrom, Whole Foods, and Blue Mercury.
And the best part? Stephanie had zero background in beauty when she launched her company in her 40s.
From Sunburned Kids to a Mission-Driven Brand
The spark for Solara Suncare came during a family vacation, when Stephanie’s son broke out in a severe rash from a popular chemical spray sunscreen. After deep research and conversations with dermatologists and other moms, she discovered that many families were facing the same challenge, especially those with sensitive skin or autoimmune issues.
At the time, zinc oxide sunscreens were thick, pasty, and unpleasant. Stephanie set out to change that, building a better product from the ground up, starting with her kitchen table, a lot of determination, and the help of a trusted cosmetic chemist.
The Healing Power of Ingredients
Stephanie’s personal diagnosis with Lyme disease added a new layer to her mission. As she navigated her healing journey, she became hyper-aware of what she was putting on her skin. Solara Suncare soon evolved to reflect a more holistic, wellness-driven approach, focusing on ingredients that not only protect, but also nourish.
From adaptogens and superfruits to high-performance actives like zinc oxide and vitamin C, every Solara formula is built to heal, defend, and restore. And yes, it’s all cruelty-free, vegan, reef-friendly, and proudly Leaping Bunny and EWG VERIFIED™.
“If It Doesn’t Feel Good, You Won’t Use It”
One of the most striking things about Solara’s products, like their best-selling Fortune Teller tinted SPF, is the texture. It goes on smooth and weightless, with none of the stickiness or chalkiness many mineral sunscreens are known for.
As Stephanie explains, that sensory experience matters. “If it doesn’t feel good, you won’t use it, and if you don’t use it, it can’t protect you.”
She also introduced us to Good Karma, their dry body oil sunscreen, which smells like a Sicilian orange grove and feels more like a luxe moisturizer than SPF. It’s the first of its kind in the mineral sunscreen space.
Building a Brand, One Relationship at a Time
Stephanie’s background in PR and marketing gave her just enough of a foundation to know how important the right partnerships would be. While she launched online, it was her relationships, especially those formed at indie beauty trade shows, that opened the door to retail expansion. From Neiman Marcus to Target.com, each step came from intention, not impulse.
But, as she candidly shares, it hasn’t always been easy. “Social media makes it look effortless, but behind the scenes there are a lot of tough lessons, late nights, and moments of doubt,” Stephanie said. “The biggest lesson? Just because a retailer is big doesn’t mean it’s the right fit for your brand.”
Her advice to other founders? Start slow, focus on relationships, and listen to your customers.
Better Ingredients, Better Beauty
Solara Suncare is on a mission to make sunscreen part of your everyday skincare routine, not just a beach day afterthought. Their formulas protect against UVA/UVB, pollution, and blue light, while actively improving skin texture, tone, and clarity.
The Fortune Teller even includes two types of vitamin C and licorice root to help fade dark spots and hyperpigmentation over time. As someone who’s always been diligent with SPF but still ended up with sun damage, we can say this product is a game-changer.
Try It for Yourself
Stephanie is generously offering Wild Party Podcast listeners 20% off your first order at solarasuncare.com with the code WILDPARTY20.
