Skincare brand makes waves

A chance conversation in a Devon surf shop has triggered the launch of a new skincare product that could become essential kit for environmentally-conscious consumers.

Topsham-based Coraline Skincare is gearing up to release a reef-safe*, organic, vegan sunscreen – crafted not in a lab by a faceless corporation, but by hand, with purpose, and a powerful story behind it.

The business was founded by Kevin and Liz Troy, a husband-and-wife team based in Topsham. The brand is named after their daughter, Coraline, who has Down’s syndrome and ultra-sensitive skin.

Creating natural products that are kind to both skin and the planet isn’t just a business model –  it’s a personal mission.

“When Glenn Harris at Surfed Out in Braunton told me his customers were asking for a reef-safe* sunscreen, it clicked instantly,” says Kevin, Coraline Skincare’s founder and in-house formulator.

“It’s exactly what our community’s been asking for too, something gentle, effective, and planet-friendly.”

What followed was a flurry of research, formulation, and investment in new equipment to create a sunscreen that lives up to Coraline Skincare’s uncompromising standards: organic, vegan, natural, and genuinely reef-safe.

“I’m still tweaking the final blend and will be submitting it for regulatory approval as soon as it’s just right. I’m very close,” Kevin says.

The new sunscreen was launched via a Crowdfunder campaign, which raised  more than £5,000 in pledges.

But that is just one part of a bigger plan.

Funds raised will also support the launch of a new treatment room at the back of Coraline’s Topsham store.

The room, designed for bespoke holistic facials, reiki and massage, will be tailored specifically for sensitive skin and is scheduled to open in early June. The Crowdfunder will also help finance a new line of organic candles made from sustainably sourced Myrica wax from the Andes.

“We’ve been blown away by the community’s support,” says Liz, co-founder of Coraline Skincare.

“From family and friends to local surfers and first-time customers, people have really rallied behind what we’re doing. It’s given us the belief to keep going, it’s a proof of concept for Coraline Skincare’s business model: thoughtful formulation, environmental responsibility, and genuine connection with customers.

While reef-safe sunscreens are beginning to gain ground in the wider skincare market, Coraline Skincare’s small-batch, founder-led approach is cutting through the noise. With a growing customer base, increasing visibility, and early stage investment from their community, the business is well-positioned to scale.

And if the sunscreen takes off, it could signal a new chapter, not just for Coraline Skincare, but for the wider wave of purpose-led indie skincare brands rising up across the UK.

As Kevin puts it: “This all started because of Coraline and now we’re building something that might help thousands of people with sensitive skin, and protect our oceans at the same time. That’s the kind of business we want to be.”

* Reef-safe sunscreen refers to products that do not contain certain chemicals known to harm coral reefs and marine life. These products are formulated to minimise environmental damage, especially in ocean ecosystems where sunscreen can wash off swimmers and snorkelers.