Before SPF 50: Ancient Burn Hacks & the OG Sun Care Rituals

Did Cleopatra Invent Clean Beauty?

Before influencer SPF hauls, clean zinc formulas, and our SunSafe® tick of trust, sun protection was already part of human history—from desert rituals to claymation advert campaigns.

Long before the science of UVA and UVB, ancient Egyptians were already blocking the burn with botanicals. Then, during the 90s the fight against sunburn turned national—with slogans like “Me No Fry” making their quirky debut in the first real public-facing SPF campaigns.

In this Under the UV spotlight, we head back to where it all began: from Cleopatra to cartoon posters—and how both moments shaped the SPF conversation we’re still having today.

 

The Desert Origins of Sun Protection

The ancient Egyptians didn’t have SPF 50. But they knew something modern sun lovers sometimes forget: the sun can hurt.

Living under intense desert sun, Egyptians turned to natural ingredients with protective properties—many of which are still found in clean skincare formulas today.

Their earliest burn-blockers included:

• Rice bran oil – rich in ferulic acid, a natural antioxidant with UV-absorbing effects
  
  
• Jasmine extract – now known to help fight oxidative stress from UV exposure
  
  
• Lupine oil – thought to help repair sun-stressed skin
  
  
• Clay and ochre pigments – acting as physical sun barriers, like early tinted zinc

 

• Famously: Charcoal and oils used as thick eyelines which also reduced the sun's glare.
  

It wasn’t about luxury. It was ritual. Survival. A culture of skin care that respected the power of the sun—and nature’s ability to soften its sting.

Throwback to the 90s: “Me No Fry” and the Eggs That Taught Us Sun Safety

In the memorable “Me No Fry” public health ad by NSW Health (circa 1991), a carton of eggs scurries away from a sinister, blazing sun, crooning “Me No Fry” to the unmistakable tune of Low Rider The genius of the spot rests in its witty personification: most eggs quickly don sunglasses, slop on sunscreen, don shirts and hats – all sun-protective gear – to avoid becoming scrambled under UV rays . One defiant egg, however, lounge-bakes without protection, turns bright red, and meets its fate – cracked into a sizzling frying pan.

This vividly humorous yet impactful imagery reinforced the “cover up” message, cementing the ad’s place in Aussie pop culture and spotlighting sunscreen’s central role in sun safety along with shirts and hats.

Me No Fry

Why "Me No Fry" Mattered

The “Me No Fry” campaign may sound cartoonish today, but it was the start of a bigger shift:

• Sunburn went from being an unavoidable nuisance to something preventable.
  
  
• SPF started to move out of the medical world and into public consciousness.
  
  
• Messaging around sun safety became simple, visual, and memorable—traits still used in SPF education today.
  
  

These early campaigns didn’t just warn us—they made sun safety memorable. “Me No Fry” wasn’t a throwaway slogan; it was a jingle that lodged itself in Aussie culture, turning the Me No Fry mindset into something you could hum. Ads like this didn’t just open the door—they kicked it wide open, making sunscreen, hats, and shirts part of our everyday language (and lunchbox singalongs). And, possibly the reason you're reading this blog with that song stuck in your head in this modern day. 😎

Transparency: Then vs. Now

It’s wild to think that for centuries, people protected their skin with zero lab data, just instinct and earth-grown ingredients.

By the 1940s, governments were investing in basic SPF—but transparency was limited, and products weren’t labelled, regulated, or rigorously tested the way they are today.

Today, you deserve more:

• To know what’s in your SPF
  
  
• To understand how it works
  
  
• And to trust that it protects you, your family, and the planet
  
  

That’s why The Sunscreen List™ exists—to bridge ancient instinct, 1990's lessons, and modern science into one trusted, transparent platform.

 

 

➕ The Future Is Skin-Smart

 

The future of SPF is clean, kind, and inclusive.

It’s baby-safe, reef-safe, and won’t compromise your skin barrier or your values.

It’s not about tanning. It’s about thriving- Under the UV and beyond.