Sunscreen Is Only Getting Better

Vitamin C–infused sun protection, highlighter-like SPF, and what to get if you miss Bain de Soleil.

- KATHLEEN HOU

Excuse me! You with the sunscreen tube? I’m looking to speak with the new head of the water slide commission? The president of lazy river leisure yachting? The beach ball inflation analyst? Welcome to the world of Vacation, where the out-of-office reply is always turned on, the fruit garnishes for poolside drinks are always pre-prepped, and most importantly, the “leisure-enhancing” sunscreen is easily blendable and more fun to apply.

“The Office crossed with Jimmy Buffett’s brand world” is how Vacation cofounder Marty Bell once described the brand, which combines dermatologist- approved SPF with ’80s beach club and margarita-loving dad vibes. Its products include Classic Whip (a sunscreen mousse whose packaging is meant to resemble a can of Reddi-wip); SPF 30 Baby Oil (a glossy sunscreen oil that winks to the memory of a front lawn lie-out); and Classic Lotion, with notes of swimsuit Lycra and coconut, which Vacation calls the “world’s best-smelling sunscreen.”

One of the brand’s goals is to make wearing SPF feel like less of a chore. “We want a ‘candy store’ of wild, fun sunscreen products to exist in the sunscreen aisle,” says cofounder Lach Hall. The environmentally friendly offerings are all SPF 30 and above, reef-safe, and paraben-free, and the spray and mist sunscreens are aerosol-free (from $18; vacation.inc). If you miss Bain de Soleil, the ’80s beauty mainstay that featured South of France marketing and an iconic scent (beloved by Michael Kors), then Vacation could be a good substitute.

SCI-FI SUNSCREEN