Beauty News NYC’s Q&A with Arielle Moody, Founder of Mama Sol, discusses her inspiration behind the minimalist SPF brand, the evolving future of sun protection, her advice on simplifying skincare routines, and what’s next for Mama Sol.
What was the inspiration behind Mama Sol?
When I was five months pregnant with my first son, I started researching ingredients to avoid during pregnancy and nursing. I was shocked by how long the list was, and one category kept coming up over and over again: sunscreen.
Since sunscreen was something I wore every single day, I realized how important it was to find something I loved and felt comfortable using daily. Every mineral sunscreen I tried felt thick, chalky, left a white cast, or made me smell like coconuts. After spending more than 15 years in the beauty industry, I knew there had to be a better way, so I hired a chemist and created one myself.
Can you tell us about the philosophy behind Mama Sol?
At Mama Sol, we believe the best sunscreen is the one you’ll actually wear.
As a minimalist skincare brand, every formula is thoughtfully designed to simplify your routine by combining luxurious skincare with high-performance, 100% mineral sun protection. We create products that are effective, elegant, and enjoyable to use because daily SPF shouldn’t feel like a chore.
We also believe healthy skin and beautiful skin go hand in hand, so every product is formulated to protect while helping skin look and feel its best—all in fewer, smarter steps.
How have consumer attitudes toward SPF evolved?
Consumers are becoming much more educated about the importance of daily sun protection. SPF is no longer viewed as something reserved for beach days—it’s becoming an everyday skincare essential.
At the same time, people are expecting more from their sunscreen. They want formulas that blend beautifully, work well under makeup, provide skincare benefits, and fit seamlessly into their routines.
I believe multitasking is the future of beauty, and consumers no longer want products that do just one thing. They want formulas that simplify their routines while delivering multiple benefits without compromising performance. That’s exactly where we believe the future of SPF is headed.
What do you prioritize when developing new products for the Mama Sol collection?
Every product starts with three questions: Will people actually want to use this every day? Do they really need it? Does it make their life easier?
As a minimalist brand, we believe every product should earn its place in your routine. From there, we focus on creating multitasking formulas that solve multiple needs at once.
We spend an incredible amount of time perfecting the texture, finish, and overall experience because we believe sunscreen should feel as luxurious as your favorite skincare. We also prioritize gentle, skin-loving ingredients, broad-spectrum 100% mineral protection, and thoughtful innovation so every product simplifies your routine rather than adding another step.
Which Mama Sol product would you recommend to someone discovering the brand for the first time, and why?
Facebrella SPF 30 is the perfect introduction to the brand because it embodies everything Mama Sol stands for. It’s a 3-in-1 daily moisturizer, primer, and 100% mineral sunscreen that feels like luxury skincare rather than traditional SPF.
It leaves no visible white cast, layers beautifully under makeup, and serves as the foundation of our daily sun protection ritual.
Although our customers absolutely love our new Facebrella Tints SPF 45, I always recommend applying them over Facebrella SPF 30. Most people naturally apply less tinted product because they don’t want their makeup to look too heavy, which means they may not be applying enough to achieve the full SPF protection the product was tested to provide.
By layering Facebrella Tints over Facebrella SPF 30, you get the best of both worlds: beautiful, natural-looking coverage with the confidence of a dedicated sunscreen base underneath. Once people experience how luxurious and effortless daily mineral sunscreen can be, they’re usually hooked.
What has been one of the most rewarding moments since launching Mama Sol?
Seeing Mama Sol launch at Bloomingdale’s, appear on the TODAY Show, and debut on QVC has been incredibly rewarding, and I’m so proud of what our team has accomplished in such a short period of time.
But honestly, what excites me most isn’t any one milestone—it’s inspiring other people to go after their dreams.
One of the most rewarding parts of this journey has been having other entrepreneurs reach out to ask questions, seek advice, or simply use me as a sounding board. If my experience can give someone else the confidence to take the leap, that’s incredibly fulfilling.
Just as importantly, I love showing my kids that women can build successful businesses while also being present, engaged moms. I want them to grow up knowing they don’t have to choose between pursuing a career they’re passionate about and being there for the people they love.
If my sons grow up respecting strong, hardworking women, and believing that moms can chase big dreams too, that will always be one of my greatest accomplishments.
How do you define beauty, wellness, and self-care today?
To me, beauty, wellness, and self-care are all connected.
I don’t think self-care has to mean spending an entire day at the spa or adding more to your already busy schedule. Instead, it’s about finding small moments throughout the day to take care of yourself.
That’s actually one of the reasons we added a subtle hint of lavender essential oil to our formulas. I wanted applying sunscreen to feel less like another item on your to-do list and more like a small wellness ritual. Simply taking a deep breath while applying it can be a reminder to slow down for a moment.
As moms especially, we’re constantly taking care of everyone else, so it’s important to find little moments throughout the day to care for ourselves, too. Sometimes self-care isn’t about finding an extra hour in your day—it’s about making the routines you’re already doing a little more meaningful.
What’s next for Mama Sol?
We’re incredibly excited about what’s ahead. We have a new product launching soon that we’re confident will round out the Mama Sol collection and make daily sun protection even easier.
Like everything we create, it’s designed with our minimalist philosophy in mind: multitasking, luxurious, and something people will actually look forward to using every day.
We’re also excited to continue expanding our retail and spa partnerships. This year we’ll be attending several incredible industry events as we introduce Mama Sol to more luxury retailers, resorts, and wellness destinations.
Our goal has always been simple: to make it easier for people to discover products they’ll genuinely love and wear every single day. The future of beauty is simpler, smarter, and more intentional, and we’re excited to continue leading that conversation through thoughtful innovation in sun care.
Learn more about Mama Sol by clicking HERE.
