Tell me about Preen Screen™ SPF50! What need were you trying to meet?
Preen Screen™ SPF50 is solving that problem when you’re desperate for a midday coffee and you haven’t reapplied since you left home in the morning. You know you need to top up but you end up not doing it because it’s such a pain in the ass and you cbf.
Preen Screen™ is an ultra-light mist, that sets and refreshes your makeup, packed full of ingredients to hydrate, brighten and tone the skin. Plus, it’s quick and easy to apply. Plus plus, it uses the latest low-irritant UV filters, giving you SPF50, UVA & UVB protection.
When did you first start working on Preen Screen™?
It was in the original brand brief from 2017 (laughs). We’ve gone through hundreds of iterations of this formula and we weren’t happy to launch any of them. It’s such a tricky one to get right, and although there have been others launching in the market, we didn’t feel like these hit the mark…in the nicest possible way. We’re so happy if someone’s found their perfect SPF whether it’s ours or not, but yeah, we hadn’t found our perfect reapplication mist till we made it. Cliché but true!
What features of Preen Screen™ were important to get right for you?
Preen Screen™ tackles a lot of common issues when it comes to spray SPFs. Instead of making your eyeliner or mascara smudge, it refreshes and sets it. All the ingredients were really considered too. We wanted to minimise the sensitivity and stinging that can often come from a mist, especially around the eyes. We added green tea and aloe, with the most exciting one being Bisabolol. It’s derived from chamomile so it’s ultra-soothing and calming. It’s going to be the next big thing in skincare.
In terms of finish, sprays can often be quite oily but Preen really hits that fresh skin look.
The packaging was super important too. We were looking for that goldilocks of mist bottles where it wasn’t so fine that you had to spray it a million times, but also not so strong that it messed with your makeup.
I think one of the things that really sets Preen apart though is that most SPF sprays use the American approved UV filters and actives which are cheaper and honestly just not as good. We invested significantly in Tinosorb S, Uvinal A Plus and Uvinal T 150. They’re a lot more modern and more effective, so you can use less of them in a formula making it less sensitising. They’re also 8 to 10 times more expensive, but these UV filters a huge part of why Preen is so good.
Was there a particular element you went back and forth over?
Fragrance! The team was really split down the middle on this one. There’s a passionate minority of consumers who really don’t like it and we hear you! Promise. However, to create a product like this you need alcohol to help it dry down quickly, not disturb your makeup and evenly distribute the UV filters, so we figured this product potentially isn’t going to be for those who have ultra-sensitive skin anyway. We ended up giving Preen a soft aloe scent to make the experience of using the product more pleasurable.
How do you recommend people use it?
It was primarily formulated as a top-up spray for throughout the day, but it can be used as your primary SPF if you’re applying enough.
We recommend you use it every two hours, in an ‘x’ and ‘t’ shape, after applying your favourite SKINSCREEN™ in the morning.
As a brand it’s really important to us that we lead the way in terms of more rigorous SPF testing. We worked with a lab to conduct additional tests to see what happens in an everyday situation when really using this as a reapplication mist. They had participants apply a full application of SKINSCREEN™, wait two hours, then go in with a ½ dose of Preen Screen™ and the results came back with an even higher SPF rating. Yeah, Preen isn’t just a pretty bottle, she’s a bloody hard worker and we can’t wait for you to all try it!
What’s next?!
Our lightest SPF ever is on its way! Stay tuned.
