SWOX Sunscreen 2024 Preview

Retail Buyers Guide: Sunscreen 2024 Retail Buyer’s Guide
Brand: Swox
Interviewee: Maximilian Jagsch, CEO

Please tell us about your innovations for 2024?
SWOX expanded the product range to include skin care and regenerative after sun products. Hemp seed oil and organic aloe vera are just a few of the high-grade natural ingredients included in the SWOX skincare line. The new products offer deep nourishment and antioxidant protection that perfectly complements SWOX sun protection. The SWOX Sunscreen Lotion has received a formula update according to the latest scientific and environmental research. By introducing a line of skin care and after sun products to complement its range of sunscreens, SWOX now offers a comprehensive daily regimen of sun protection and skincare products for athletes.

Any exciting marketing campaigns coming up for your product line?
Our team of top action sports athletes is the core of the SWOX brand. We regularly let team members take over our Instagram channel. They get to share their day, prep meals, go riding, explain their favorite exercises and of course their favorite products with the community. On top of that SWOX has long and ongoing collaborations with various international partners. In 2024 those partners include for example BMW, EVOC, MAN, O’Neill, Pure Surfcamps, INTERSPORT or Saalbach Tourism. For those and other partners we create products, which combine our and their DNA and equally represent the brands along the way.

How is your product relevant for the boardsports industry? Do you specifically target action sports clients?
Those who partake in action sports set the gold standard for skin protection in every aspect. When we talk sun protection for athletes in 2024, it comes down to the long-lasting functionality, quality and very much the sustainability of a product. For over 14 years SWOX doesn’t just appeal to those who partake in actions sports, SWOX is made for action sports. With an international team of pro-surfers, snowboarders and kitesurfers we put the product to use every single day in the most challenging conditions. SWOX sun protection exceeds the standards by the European Cosmetic and Perfumery Association (Colipa) for the label of “very water resistant”. The formulation is non-greasy, long- lasting, paraben and perfume free, reef-safe as well as dermatologically approved. SWOX sunscreen does not burn in your eyes – again, also because it doesn’t end up there, but instead stays where it’s most needed: on your forehead and your cheeks. SWOX products combine modern UV filters and natural, non-allergenic ingredients to offer the best protection for action sports athletes. Jordy Smith mentions another good key point: “It helps me to be able to stay vitalized and surf longer and surf harder. Not only on that day, but also the days to follow and the weeks to follow. I don’t just want to be able to surf for a few years, I want to be able to surf my entire life. If I want to be able to surf my entire life, I need to protect my skin.”

What other benefits, apart from sun protection, does your product offer?
Aside from best-in-class sun protection, the SWOX mission includes to offer natural and sustainable products. In our product category sustainability doesn’t end with recycled or recyclable packaging, which we of course use. We even exhaust this strategy into the smallest parts, such as using new and more sustainable stone paper labels on our lotions for example. For eco-friendly sunscreen, it’s really all about the ingredients. When you buy SWOX skin care, you can be sure to buy a product that uses the most sustainable yet high performance ingredients available. On top of our focus on sustainability in regards to packaging and ingredients, we also source our products locally here in Europe, in order to avoid long supply chains. At SWOX, our mission is to keep our eco-standard as high as the latest scientific research. We work hard to improve our products’ sustainability, not only to keep these standards up, but to be part of the movement that pushes them even higher.

Why should retailers stock your brand & your latest collection?
By stocking SWOX, retailers stock the best sports performance skin care on the market, backed up by an international community of action sports athletes and skin care experts, such as model and surfer Charlotte van Berkum, pro-surfer Jordy Smith or Marlon Lipke amongst many others. SWOX is also well able to answer the increasing demand for mineral sunscreen. This new trend is worrisome for dermatologists and skin care experts, because regular mineral sticks and lotions do a great job protecting consumers from harmful UVB rays, but unfortunately not enough from UVA rays. UVA rays reach a deeper layer of the skin, called the dermis. They attack the elastic connective skin tissue and lead to premature skin aging, characterized by pigment spots and wrinkles. In high doses, they can also lead to sunburn and allergies. There is also evidence that they can contribute to the formation of skin cancer. For surfers and other action sports athletes, who need high performance yet sustainable sun protection, SWOX offers two types of products: A vegan and organic mineral filter-only option and a highly protective reef-safe sunscreen which combines UVA und UVB filters with zinc and titanium. The Mineral Stick and Mineral Lotion SPF 50 both contain mineral filters only, are reef- safe, organic and vegan. The classic SWOX Zinc White SPF 50 and Zinc Beige SPF 50 are meant for the highest activity levels and sun intensity.

What POS are you helping retailers out with?
For brick-and-mortar-retailers we offer different Wood-Display solutions to stock and display our range. Additionally, we offer a wide array of posters and prompt service for texts and product information in multiple languages.

Please take us through two of the key products in your line.
SWOX Mineral Stick: The SWOX Mineral Line is a new addition to the SWOX portfolio and offers gentle, reliable protection for sensitive skin. All products are hypoallergenic and especially suitable for kids. SWOX mineral sunscreens use only the physical UV filter titanium dioxide. Additions such as natural argan oil, soya oil and vitamin E provide rich nourishment for the skin. Naturally, the Mineral Line is also free from microplastics, nanoparticles and perfume. The products are labeled ‘reef-safe’ and they are very water-resistant. The SWOX Mineral Stick SPF50 is especially useful for small, highly exposed patches of skin, such as the face, ears, neck and tops of the feet. It also makes it easy to apply without getting product on your hands. AFTER SUN Aloe Gel: With the introduction of the new after sun Aloe Vera Line, the SWOX product palette comes full circle. The After Sun Aloe Gel is a classic and refreshing after sun skincare product, yet works equally well as a daily moisturizer. This ultra-hydrating, non-sticky formula provides the ultimate fix for element-stressed skin. The Hyaluronic Acid hydrates skin and helps it appear plumper and smoother, whilst reducing fine lines – you can almost hear your cells sigh with relief!

Key Products:

SWOX Zinc Beige:
Extreme water-resistant mineral zinc oxide combined with effective titanium dioxide filters to provide reliable protection from UVA and UVB rays. Additional skin protection from the hydrating antioxidant vitamin E and the skin-conditioning agent panthenol. Dermatologically approved for very sensitive skin (hypoallergenic). No perfumes or parabens. Long lasting, non-greasy, reef-safe, tinted formula. Tube made of 49% biobased plastic.

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SWOX Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50:
The lightweight & reef-safe high protection sun lotion formula combines modern photostable UVA & UVB filters and mineral titanium dioxide for reliable protection of face and body. Enriched with antioxidant vitamin E and moisturizing shea butter. Smooth, fast-absorbing texture without greasy or white residue. Suitable for sensitive skin. Free from microplastics, nanoparticles and fragrances. Packaged in 100% recycled plastic (except pump).

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SWOX Hydro Repair Cream:
The SWOX Hydro Repair Cream has a light texture, absorbs quickly and deeply locks in lasting hydration. It’s the perfect day or night cream and provides fast relief for stressed skin after long outdoor sessions. In addition to aloe vera, the vitamin D booster ECTOIN ® protects the skin from premature aging from UV radiation as well as cell damage from blue light.

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