Sunsei Challenges Traditional Sunscreen Market with New Sheer, Plant-Based Mineral Line

Formulated with non-nano zinc oxide and nourishing plant oils, the brand swaps complex synthetic UV additives for radical ingredient clarity and no white cast

CHICAGO, Sept. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Sunscreen shouldn't require a chemistry degree. Yet somehow, an everyday product meant to protect our skin has become exactly that: long ingredient lists, synthetic UV filters, misleading labels and mineral formulas that can leave you looking like a ghost.

Sunsei thinks that's ridiculous.

The new plant-based mineral sun care brand is taking a decidedly different approach: 17 thoughtfully selected ingredients you can pronounce. 100% mineral-active sun protection. No synthetic chemical UV filters. And no white cast.

At the center of Sunsei is non-nano zinc oxide, paired with plant-derived, paraben-free ingredients, including sweet almond oil, green tea extract, and shea butter. 

For Sunsei's founders, challenging the status quo is personal.

After a melanoma diagnosis made daily sunscreen non-negotiable, founding team member Mika Stambaugh started paying much closer attention to what she applied to her skin. She found herself choosing between products packed with ingredients she didn't recognize and mineral sunscreens that were thick, chalky and difficult to wear. 

She wanted better. So she joined the team to create the sunscreen she couldn't find.

"After my melanoma diagnosis, sunscreen became something I had to wear every single day," said Stambaugh. "I couldn't understand why that meant choosing between ingredients I didn't recognize and a beauty product I didn't want to have to put on my skin every day and multiple times a day. I wanted something simple that I could feel good about putting on my skin—and that still made me feel pretty on a boat or walking the golf course."

The American Cancer Society projects 234,680 new cases of melanoma in the U.S. in 2026, underscoring the importance of making sun protection part of an everyday routine.

Sunsei's debut collection includes Sunsei SPF 30 ($32) for everyday wear and Sunsei SPF 45 ($32) for extended sun exposure. Both deliver broad-spectrum mineral protection without a white cast.

"We looked at the sunscreen aisle and thought, why are we all just accepting this?" said John Tinsley, founder of Sunsei. "We stripped it back to what matters. We're not interested in doing sunscreen the way it's always been done."

Sunsei is available now exclusively at sunseisunscreen.com. 

SOURCE Sunsei Sunscreen