Meet Kimber Tremblay | Skin Biologist & Founder of SUNBAKED SPF

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kimber Tremblay and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kimber, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking

“No risk, no reward.” It’s a common, cliche quote, but not everyone is courageous enough to apply this mentality to their careers.

I self-funded my own start-up. Betting on myself by essentially investing my savings into something I had never done before was the ultimate risk as an entrepreneur. Prior to taking this leap of faith, I had been a rule follower, stable and secure in corporate jobs. However, I knew for me to be entirely fulfilled, passionate and productive every day, I had to create something from the ground up. I knew it was possible, because I had been successfully selling and marketing pharmaceuticals for other companies for almost a decade. I believed that if I created a product and a brand that I sincerely believed in, that could solve a real problem, and ultimately help a lot of people, the reward would be well worth the risk.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?

SUNBAKED SPF is proudly a female-owned, Miami-based sunscreen brand. Inspired by my studies of skin cancer, I set out to create a sunscreen people would want to wear. The average consumer is educated, and becoming more conscientious of what they put on and in their body – this applies to everything from food to beauty products. Because chemical sunscreens are controversial (some of the active ingredients have been tied to hormone disruptors, etc), I opted to develop a mineral sunscreen.

In Miami, most people recognize that they should be wearing sunscreen every day to defend against the sun’s harmful rays and to prevent skin cancer. So why aren’t most people wearing sunscreen daily? In talking to friends, family, patients and strangers, I found that most people don’t like the thick, white texture of sunscreen. As a result, I wanted to create a luxurious sunscreen that feels like your favorite skincare. A sunscreen that would go beyond UV protection, to actually improve your skin with skincare qualities. By adding hyaluronic acid, squalene, and other ingredients, I was able to achieve this and include an “anti-aging” claim.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’ve been a Miami resident for almost 8 years. Since I recently moved to Sunset Harbor, I’d show my guest around my new neighborhood. The morning would start with pastries at True Loaf Bakery, a yoga class at Modo Yoga, or boxing at Gotham. Visitors love a beach day at Soho House, although I’d definitely be hiding from the sun under my beach umbrella! We’d catch sunset at Lido at the Standard Hotel, followed by dinner at Barcelonetta. Maybe after dinner drinks at Bay Club. I love the neighborhood’s warmth, abundant mopeds and charming cafes. As a Jersey-native, I feel like I get to enjoy 365 days of summer. 

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The Dermatology Department at the University of Miami Medical School, specifically the Skin Biology & Dermatological Sciences program gave me the knowledge and the confidence to create SUNBAKED SPF.

It was daunting going back to school while working full-time in pharmaceuticals. Most of the other students were studying full-time, and were much more clinical than me (MD’s or pursuing MD’s). I think I was the only student with an “industry” background. Initially, I did not know how I was going to apply my new degree to my career, but I knew I was extremely passionate about skin.

My world-class professors at UM dedicated themselves to teaching us everything there was to know about the epidermis. Thanks to them, I gained an education on skin cancer and melanoma, and became fascinated in the #1 most common cancer. SUNBAKED SPF was my solution to the curriculum’s biggest question – How can we reduce the risk and incidence of skin cancer?

Website: https://sunbakedspf.com

Instagram: @sunbakedspf

Other: TikTok: @sunbakedspfclub

Image Credits
Soho House events