Hannah Gay deep dives into the beauty brand making waves on the sunscreen scene.
Are you familiar with We Are Feel Good Inc.? If the catchy name doesn’t ring a bell, its colourful packaging and countless testimonials will.
The popular Australian made and owned beauty business has garnered a presence across the country in both beauty salon and retail stockists alike. And while it’s impression has been far-reaching, its the recommendations from friends that really got me on board.
The brand is best known for its extensive range of sun protection products. Sunscreen lotions are available in a range of consistencies, scents, tinted and untinted – all with SPF 50+, no less. Aftersun solutions are also available in the form of face and body moisturisers.
‘#spreadthefeelgood’ is the brand’s catch cry – applicable for its use of skin-loving ingredients, most notably kakadu plum (for relief from free radical damage), hyaluronic acid (for a boost of hydration), and aloe vera (to soothe sun-exposed skin). We Are Feel Good Inc. also partners with Precious Plastic – a collection and recycling program.
To learn more about the bones of the brand, I caught up with We Are Feel Good Inc. Co-Founder and Skin Cancer and Cosmetic Physician, Dr Scott McGregor:
Scott, I understand you have a background as a skin cancer and cosmetic physician. Can you please explain what this role entails? How does your knowledge in this area feed into your role with We Are Feel Good Inc.?
“My role as a Skin Cancer Physician involved skin cancer checks and managing skin cancers through surgery and other means. Of course, a huge part of that role is to educate people about sun damage and its risks and prevention. It became apparent to me that whilst most people wanted to wear sunscreen, it was generally not a pleasant experience. So, our mission was to create sunscreen that felt good to wear and performed in Australia’s harsh climate.
As a Cosmetic Physician, I was very aware that skin cancer is not the only concern with sun damage. Premature ageing of the skin is a real problem in our climate, and you need an understanding of how that happens to make a good sunscreen.
So, I think I was ideally placed with a combination of real world experience and scientific background, and a passion for skin protection.”
In what year was We Are Feel Good Inc. launched into the market?
“We launched our first product in December 2016, our Signature, Sensitive and Coconut Sunscreens. This was after a two-year period of product development, with many, many samples, and a lot of road testing!”
Why did you launch this brand? What was missing from the market?
“As I briefly mentioned above, we felt there was a real gap in the market at the time for a sunscreen that felt good to wear, as well as one that performed in a harsh climate. There is no point having a sunscreen that is amazing on paper, but doesn’t feel nice to wear, and you want to know that the sunscreen you are wearing has you covered for sun damage and skin cancers.
What is the ethos behind the brand?
“We strive to be a brand with integrity that people can trust. Our aim is, and always has been, to formulate products that are backed by science and provide maximum protection whilst feeling good on the skin. A brand that gives our customers confidence to live the life they love, knowing they are really protected from the damaging effects of the sun.”
I see the brand everywhere, from boutique retailers to beauty salons; it seems to receive rave reviews! What was the intention for the brand in terms of which stockists to partner with? Has this plan changed in the last 12+ months?
“Our stockists are a huge part of our brand, and always have been, which is why it’s imperative we align with stockists who have similar values to us to help us #spreadthefeelgood. Our sales team takes the time to review every account that applies to stock our brand to ensure they meet our requirements. We partner with stores who value well formulated products and understand the importance of protecting skin from the damaging effects of the sun. We also aim to partner with stockists who are passionate about living life outdoors!”
Describe the process of gaining TGA approval. What advice would you give to other beauty/cosmetic brands looking at undergoing the same process?
“The TGA is one of the strictest scientific regulators in the world. This is a good thing.
If you use a TGA registered product, then you know that all ingredients in the product are safe and effective to the best of current scientific knowledge. When developing new products, we are very mindful of all the latest scientific research; what really is effective and what is potentially harmful. My advice would be to get a very good cosmetic chemist and a product manager with real world experience in order to apply the science in a practical way. It is not easy!”
Sustainability appears to be a big deal to the brand, with widespread recycling drop off locations available. Why is this important to the brand?
“Our HQ is located in one of the most beautiful places in the world with pristine beaches and lush bushland, and we want to keep it that way. Our team are all lovers of the great outdoors, so we want to have as minimal impact on the environment as possible, which is why our recycling program is so important and has been since inception.
Because sunscreen is classified as a cosmetic or therapeutic good, our packaging must be glass, aluminium or ‘food-grade’ virgin plastic. Currently, by law, we cannot use recycled plastics as these could hold contaminants. So, we partnered with Precious Plastic to recycle our bottles and lids.
Our stockists are extremely supportive of this initiative, and we currently have over 120 stores signed up as a Bottle Collection Point. Once they receive enough empty We Are Feel Good Inc. bottles and lids from customers, they send them back to us to ensure they are clean and ready for recycling with Precious Plastic. As well as receiving empty bottles and lids back from stockists, we also receive them directly from our customers; we provide a pre-paid shipping label to ensure the process is as smooth and stress free as possible.
We are looking to expand our program and are always searching for new ways to be a more sustainable brand, whilst also adhering to strict packaging regulations of the TGA. Watch this space!”
What’s next for We Are Feel Good Inc.?
“We’re always working on something new here at We Are Feel Good Inc. HQ! We are expanding our SPF range and launching a new sunscreen lotion at the end of September. We’re also expanding our lip care range in November which we’re all excited about as the lips are often forgotten about when it comes to sun protection!
As well as this, we are continuing to expand into global markets which keeps our small but mighty team very busy!
Lastly, we’re looking at ways our brand can be more sustainable through our in-house recycling program and other initiatives, which we are aiming to put into place later next year.”
To stock, contact We Are Feel Good Inc. on 0488 422 844 or via their website.
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