The Island Cosmetics on making sunscreen a simple everyday beauty gesture

Started in 2020, with the Co.Lab.Ora lab in France, Sarra Vencatachellum went on a mission to develop a make-up product with high sunscreen, finding the best of both worlds. A powerful foundation with a robust SPF50. The task was easier said than done. After three and half years of development, the brand was finally launched in June 2024. 

The brand began with the observation that more than 3 million skin cancers are diagnosed worldwide each year, mainly caused by UV exposure. 65% to 95% of cutaneous melanomas are caused by UV radiation, and 99% of wrinkles are caused by sun exposure. Also, 59% of women are aware of the need to protect themselves from the sun, but only 30% do so.

Sarra used to put a dab of SPF in her hand and mix it with her foundation. The mix was more or less effective, depending on the SPF or the foundation. Dermatologists recommend waiting 30 minutes for the SPF to rest and be absorbed by the skin before applying any skincare or colour product on top. Unimaginable!

Developed with the expertise of two French laboratories specialising in the formulation of natural sun creams and natural make-up, the range was challenging to develop due to the required colour palette and the high SPF, while ensuring sensoriality. Sunscreen ingredients can create a natural white cast and sometimes even a grey one on the foundation. Sarra also wanted to ensure high hydration power and long-lasting effects. 

Foundations tend to melt under the sun naturally. 

Sarra worked with a lab specialising in suncare formulation to work on an SPF base, with a factor of 50, that would be used to develop the different shades of the foundation. 

A personal journey

Born of Tunisian parents and raised in Tunisia, Sarra told her parents at the age of 6, that she was going to create a project at the age of 40 to leave a positive impact on humanity.

After more than 20 years in the luxury hotel industry, promoting French hotels around the world, Sarra Venca decided to set up her own business with the launch of The Island Cosmetics following a very particular and personal motivation. She tells us about it

in her own words: ‘People often say that make-up is superficial, but in my case, it's been a form of therapy. So it was only natural that I wanted to create a make-up brand to help other women like me to gain self-confidence and take care of themselves by having a product that combines beauty and solar protection’.

I suffered an emotional shock following a severe event in my life, which caused me to gain over 35kg. This weight gain made me lose all my self-confidence. So I looked for a way to turn people's gaze from my body to my face. What saved me was make-up. The more make-up I wore, the more compliments I got and the more my self-confidence came back.” explains Sarra.

The DNA of The Island Cosmetics

Sarra is now based in La Réunion, an island in the Indian Ocean that is an overseas department and region of France. Developing a brand and especially a formula developed in La Réunion using ingredients derived from the island's biomass was essential for her, too.

The brand is patented with a Cosmos Natural-certified formula—a clean formula with no chemical preservatives, guaranteeing 100% sensoriality. SPF UVA/UVB tests are carried out following European in vivo and in vitro standards to guarantee the most transparent results possible. The brand is committed to validating all its claims through scientific testing, namely the product's water resistance and moisturising effect.

The formula is housed in eco-design packaging, using a glass container for primary packaging and FSC paper for secondary packaging, demonstrating The Island Cosmetics' sustainable commitment.

A Global Market

Sarra developed the brand with her own funds until she received a grant from French Tech - / BPI for Innovative Project. She also borrowed 150,000 euros, and after a VivaTech that validated her project with great names like L’Oréal or Pierre Fabre, she received the support of Business Angels at 300,000 euros. She is also the winner of the French governmental start-up program “ France 2030,” which funders 50% of projects up to 200000 euros and business support in France and abroad through Business France. The brand also raised money for Ulule while in development.

Available in 7 pharmacies in La Réunion and online. The brand is already available in the US through a concept store in New York, and it wants to develop further in the US and Asian markets. “The segment is hard to find since it is considered a hybrid product - SPF / foundation. A shade selector application has been created for the website to limit the error margin. 

The brand has been available since May 2024 and is fast expanding.