Exclusive | I was fed up with ‘toxic’ sunscreens so I started making my own with a ‘hero ingredient’ — now Oprah’s a fan

It was supposed to be the trip of a lifetime.

Scott Russell had flown nearly 10,000 miles from New York to the remote Mentawai Islands in Indonesia, chasing perfect surf with a suitcase full of drugstore sunscreen in tow.

“He burned to a crisp on day one,” his wife, Marisa Russell, told The Post.

A local suncare secret salvaged the adventurous getaway — and inspired Meadow & Bark, a clean beauty brand that has attracted fans around the globe, including Oprah Winfrey.

A mom on a mission

Marisa, 53, had been thinking about sunscreen long before her husband’s burn.

“Initially, I was just looking for something that would actually stay on my kids,” said the mother of three from Long Beach, Long Island.

“We live at the beach and we’re a surf family,” she added, “so my kids would come home with red welts under their eyes no matter how much sunscreen I was applying on them throughout the day.”

In her quest for a solution, Marisa began researching the products on the market — and what she found ranged from disappointing to downright dangerous.

The sunscreen dilemma

Sunscreen is supposed to shield skin from harmful UV rays, preventing burns and premature aging and lowering the risk of skin cancer. But not all are created equal.

Of the 2,000-plus SPF products sold in the US, nearly 80% failed to meet the Environmental Working Group‘s (EWG) criteria for safety, health and effectiveness.

As Marisa searched for a sunscreen that would keep her family safe, she discovered that many chemical formulas contained ingredients that have been linked to potential health concerns, including endocrine disruption, reproductive harms and even cancer.

Soon, she found herself trapped in what she calls the “sunscreen dilemma.”

“If all this sunscreen is so bad for me, should I use it and get that kind of cancer, or do I risk it and not wear any sunscreen and get skin cancer?” Marisa recalls wondering. 

To her, mineral-based sunscreens seemed like a safer bet — they didn’t contain the potentially harmful ingredients found in many chemical products. But they came with a major drawback.

“There were hardly any mineral sunscreens on the market that were not going to leave you with a very bad white cast,” she said.

Inspiration from the islands

A lightbulb went off during her husband’s fateful surf trip in 2017.

A guide traveling with Scott, 51, in the Mentawai Islands saw his severe sunburn and gave him a locally made paste for his skin.

“Not only did it heal the burns from the first day, but he didn’t burn for the rest of the trip,” Marisa said.

Her husband purchased as much paste as he could before traveling home, where the rest of the Russell family began using it during their long days on the water under the beating sun.

When they started to run low, Marisa felt a pang of panic. But instead of turning back to the sunscreens of her past, she took to her kitchen, rolled up her sleeves and got to work.

The long road to clean sunscreen

It was 2019, and Marisa was attempting to recreate the tropical paste just from the ingredients list.

“I failed over and over again, but I was so driven by the pursuit to do this that I kept going. and I learned through trial and error,” she said, noting that she joined chemistry groups, took online classes and consulted with herbalists.

“It took almost 300 attempts before we sent our first prototype to a lab to test the SPF,” Marisa said. “I was relentless.”

Five years later, Meadow & Bark launched its first FDA-approved sunscreen, Mineral 45, one of the few also certified as safe for coral reefs.

The broad-spectrum product comes in zinc-based shimmer and sport options that are sweat- and water-resistant and can be applied to the face and the body.

“Out of all of the sunscreen ingredients on the market, zinc is the only one that will protect you really well against UVA aging and UVB burning rays,” Marisa said.

The ‘hero ingredient’

To avoid the dreaded white cast, Marisa uses what she calls Meadow & Bark’s “hero ingredient” — thanaka paste, made from the ground bark of trees native to Myanmar.

“It’s a beauty secret for the women who live there, since it brightens and lightens the skin and helps with hyperpigmentation and acne, but it’s also their sunscreen,” she explained.

“I put it in our formulas to cut the whiteness of the zinc, and it makes for a more pleasurable experience and glide,” Marisa said. “Plus, it’s just so good for the skin.”

Studies suggest that thanaka can help reduce inflammation, fight premature aging and prevent the growth of harmful bacteria on the skin. The ingredient has also been shown to protect humans from the sun’s harmful rays and even help soothe burns.

But it’s not all sunshine. Some thanaka products have been linked to elevated blood lead levels, which can be harmful, especially for children. And while often praised as safe for sensitive skin, some people may still experience allergic reactions.

Clean ingredients, cleaner conscious

For Marisa, what didn’t go into Meadow & Bark’s sunscreens was just as important as what did.

The company skips coconut oil, a common ingredient in other products that can clog pores and cause breakouts. Instead, its formulas feature ingredients like red raspberry seed oil, sea buckthorn, calendula and shea butter.

“These ingredients are really chosen for their nourishment and vitamin-packed qualities,” Marisa said.

Meadow & Bark’s suncare products are also silicone-free.

“Silicones, in our view, are filler-in products,” Marisa said. “They don’t have any nourishing value, and they’re bad for the environment.”

“We also do not use petroleum-based ingredients,” she continued. “They are not actually helping the skin’s natural defenses, and they can contain toxic ingredients that are linked to carcinogens.”

To maximize protection, Marisa recommends applying Mineral 45 at least 15 minutes before sun exposure — and reapplying every two hours, even if you’re on land.

“The sun is serious business, and it deserves you actually taking the time to protect your skin,” Marisa said. 

Meadow & Bark offers a range of clean skincare products beyond sunscreen. Its best-selling Facial Mist even snagged a spot on Oprah Daily’s Best of 2025 Picks, a list of must-have wellness and beauty items for the year ahead.

“Most people don’t realize you can get medical-grade results from plant-powered skincare — but that’s exactly what we deliver,” Marisa said.