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Parents looking to protect their children as they play outside rush to buy their solar buddies. A sales surge this year that no one predicted.Ìý

2026 hasn’t just felt hotter, it has been hotter, and the records prove it. The UK broke its all-time June heat record. Spain and Portugal flirted with 44°C. Barcelona hit a temperature it hasn’t seen in over a century. France, Germany and Ireland all logged new highs. Britain didn’t just have a hot day, it had more days above 34°C than any year on record.

What’s different this time is how early it started. The heat arrived in May, not July, catching people, schools and infrastructure off guard months before peak summer usually begins.

For anyone spending time outdoors this year, that earlier, more intense sun exposure matters more than the headline heat. Strong sun in May behaves differently to strong sun in August, lower awareness, less habitual protection, and skin that hasn’t built up any seasonal resilience. The lesson isn’t that it was hot. It’s that the old calendar for when to start taking sun seriously no longer holds.

For the inventors of the Ìýchild-friendly SPF applicator, it has been the busiest year yet, with no signs of slowing. Since appearing on Dragons’ Den, where Deborah Meaden and Peter Jones CBE backed the brand with £80,000 for 20%, Solar Buddies has grown into a global name in sun safety, now stocked in over 3,000 Target stores across the US and available through Boots in the UK.

A UK partnership with Nivea put the applicator in front of the DACH market, and demand followed fast, with growth now well into triple digits and still climbing. Canada has shown strong trade interest, and the US remains the brand’s biggest market. For parents everywhere trying to keep children protected in unpredictable heat, it’s a product a lot of mums are very grateful for.

Founders Kelli Aspland, Head of Growth, and Laura Waters, Head of Finance and Operations, recently delivered a keynote speech at the UN in Geneva as interest in the founders and brand continues to gather speed.

Solar Buddies is making sunscreen easy, mess-free and child-friendlyÌý

The sun protection hack every parent needs: Designed with children in mind, Solar Buddies is the world’s first refillable sunscreen applicator created to make sun protection simple, mess-free and stress-free for families. Unlike traditional bottles, it has been specifically developed so children can apply sunscreen themselves with ease, encouraging independence while ensuring even coverage. Its refillable design also allows parents to use a sunscreen of their choice, making it a more flexible and sustainable option. By combining practicality with child-friendly design, Solar Buddies is transforming everyday sun care into a quick, fuss-free routine.

While originally created for children, Solar Buddies has quickly gained a wider following, with many adults embracing it for its ease and convenience.ÌýFrom sensory needs to sports clubs for kids, whether it’s golf or baseball, it’s proving to be the household choice globally.

— Make sun protection simple, fun and mess-free with the Solar Buddies Single Applicator, the world’s first child-friendly, refillable sunscreen applicator. Specially designed with little hands in mind, it helps children apply sunscreen independently while ensuring smooth, even coverage.
No more sticky hands, messy spills or wasted sunscreen, just an easy and eco-friendly way to keep your kids sun safe every day. Perfect for school bags, holidays and family adventures, the Single Solar Buddie is a must-have for building healthy, lifelong sun safety habits.

— Get started with stress-free, family sun safety with the Solar Buddies Duo Starter Bundle. This handy sun protection starter pack includes everything you need to keep your loved ones safe, organised and ready for sunshine-filled adventures.
Featuring two Solar Buddies refillable sunscreen applicators, this bundle makes applying SPF easy, mess-free and eco-friendly, perfect for kids, parents, schools and holidays. Whether it’s the park, the playground or a family holiday, the Duo Starter Bundle is the must-have kit for staying sun smart and protected every day.

Ìý — The Solar Buddies Quad Applicator Set makes sun protection easy, fun and mess-free for the whole family. Featuring four of the world’s first child-friendly, refillable sunscreen applicators, this set is perfect for families, schools or sharing with friends.

Specially designed with little hands in mind, each Solar Buddie applicator allows kids to apply sunscreen independently with smooth, even coverage, without sticky hands, spills or waste.
Ideal for family holidays, school trips and outdoor adventures, the Quad Applicator Set is the smart, eco-friendly choice for kids’ sun safety.