Products

Why We Made Marine Screen

Written by OSEA Staff | Last Updated on: May 5, 2026.

You asked, we made it. Our most-requested product ever, Marine Screen Daily Mineral SPF 50, is here.

What took us so long? It’s one of our core values as a brand rooted in sustainability, that has been crafting clean, clinically tested skincare from the sea since 1996, to only create products that truly bring something innovative to the table. That’s a big reason why we’ve never had sunscreen—until now.

“We wanted to create this for our community, but with so many sunscreens out there, it had to truly stand apart,” says Melissa. “It had to bring something new to the category and something better to your skin.”

Mineral SPF You’ll Want to Wear

The concept might have started simply, but the mission went deeper. Most people know they should wear SPF daily. Most don’t. Our founder, Jenefer Palmer explains, “I’ve always loved mineral sunscreen, but the texture was too heavy, too goopy or too drying on my skin. It was incredibly important to create a sunscreen that met OSEA’s clean standards and felt beautiful enough to wear every day.”

We worked with our product development team to create exactly that. Marine Screen is the essential last step in your skincare routine. “Whether you’re running errands or working inside all day, Marine Screen is your daily defense for everyday living,” says Jenefer.

Formulating a Clean Sunscreen

Creating our first sunscreen was both an exciting milestone and one of the most complex formulas we’ve developed to date. It took many iterations to get the formula just right. Determined to make a mineral-based SPF, we opted for non-nano zinc oxide, a mineral filter that sits on the surface of the skin to help shield against UVA and UVB rays. Non-nano zinc oxide is thought to be less likely to cause skin irritation and is more suitable for sensitive skin types. The challenge was that zinc oxide, like all mineral filters, is naturally a white powder, and many formulas featuring it leave behind a thick not-so-fun white cast. Creating an all-mineral SPF that blends beautifully across skin tones is a known challenge. The question for us was how to create an elegant mineral SPF that was blendable with a natural finish—and one people would actually want to wear.

The answer came with the breakthrough discovery of an olive-derived silicone alternative to help deliver a lightweight, non-greasy texture that blends effortlessly into skin. “It smooths on more easily than I’d ever imagined a mineral sunscreen could,” notes Jenefer.

Mineral Protection Meets Marine-Enriched Sun Care

Our unique formula goes beyond sun protection to harness the power of the sea to provide nourishing skincare benefits. We formulated Marine Screen with our signature ingredient, Undaria seaweed, which is packed with amino acids, antioxidants and nutrients to mineralize skin. Next, we included hyaluronic acid, a humectant, to boost hydration for a softer, smoother complexion. The result is a lightweight, fragrance-free formula that delivers broad-spectrum SPF 50 protection with a hydrating, natural finish.

We conducted independent clinical and consumer-perception studies to evaluate the formula’s skin benefits:

The results speak to what we set out to create: a clean, lightweight mineral SPF designed for the sun you live in. “The best sunscreen is the one you’ll wear every day,” says Melissa.