Front Burner

The fight for better sunscreen, from AOC to skincare influencers

The meteoric rise of sunscreen as a skincare must-have and the fight for better SPF options in North America.
Young woman applies sunscreen to her shoulder.
Side view of young woman applying sunscreen on shoulders. (wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock)

Sharing your skincare routine, whether it's on DermTok or Instagram, is a hugely popular trend on social media. These days, there is one product that you'll hear talked about religiously: sunscreen. You'll find dermatologists and skincare influencers alike evangelizing about the importance of cancer- and wrinkle-preventing SPF.

But there's another reason why sunscreen is top of mind this summer — it's become a political issue in the United States, thanks to Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. She recently took to TikTok to talk about how few quality sunscreens are available in America, compared to Asia and Europe. And it's not just the U.S. — it's a problem that's also playing out here in Canada. 

Today we'll be talking about the rise of sunscreen as a skincare must-have and the fight for better SPF options with Julian Sass. He is a cosmetic research and development professional and a content creator focused on sunscreen in Montreal.

Looking for a transcript of the show? They're available here daily.

Listen on Google Podcasts

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Listen on Spotify