In the Light: Just Sun
“Ultimately, I was my first customer. I realized that if I was struggling to find a product that felt good and worked well, others must be too. I decided to create exactly what I needed for myself, with the hope that I could eventually share it with the rest of the world.”
In the Light: Just Sun
By Tanya, Founder of Just Sun Products Inc.
My relationship with the sun changed forever after I lost my father to melanoma.
What had once felt like a simple part of everyday life suddenly carried a different meaning. Protecting my family became deeply personal, and when I began looking for sun care products I felt comfortable using, I struggled to find what I was searching for. Most options were either filled with ingredients I wanted to avoid or left behind the thick, chalky finish so many people associate with mineral sunscreen.
In many ways, I was my first customer.
I started making sunscreen in my own kitchen because I wanted a healthier option for my family. What began as a personal search soon became something much bigger. I spent years testing formulas, researching ingredients, and refining every detail. Some of the earliest batches travelled with me to California, where I put them through long days under intense sun to see how they would perform.
Those early experiments eventually became Just Sun.
The name reflects what I wanted the brand to represent: simplicity, honesty, and products people could trust. My goal was to create mineral sun care that felt different from what was already available. I wanted it to feel luxurious on the skin while delivering the protection families depend on every day.
Developing the products was only part of the journey. Bringing them to market required patience and persistence. Mineral sunscreen is highly regulated, and it took more than two years to secure my first Health Canada license. There were moments when the process felt overwhelming, but each challenge reinforced why I started.
Today, Just Sun holds multiple Health Canada licenses and has grown far beyond my kitchen counter, but the reason behind the brand remains the same.
One of the greatest lessons I have learned is that building something worthwhile takes time. Looking back, I wish I had worried less about rushing and focused more on sustainability, both in business and in life. I have also learned the importance of community. Mentors, fellow entrepreneurs, and supportive networks helped me navigate challenges I could never have faced alone.
Even as the company grows, some of my favourite moments still happen at local markets, meeting customers face-to-face and hearing their stories. Those conversations remind me why I started.
My petite joy is simple: climbing into a freshly made bed with crisp, clean linens at the end of a long day. It is one of life's small luxuries, and one I never take for granted.
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Just Sun is a Canadian, woman-owned brand redefining botanical sun protection. The collection features all-natural textures that melt into the skin, offering a weightless glow. This is reflected in the Daily Defence Tinted Moisturizer, recipient of 1st place at the 2026 Ecocert Clean Beauty Awards. Just Sun believes sun protection should feel like a daily luxury, never a compromise.
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This issue features editorial stories, brand profiles, and curated finds from a selection of female led brands, brought together within the COCOLILY Market Spring experience.
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