Holly Thaggard

Kids can’t wear sunscreen at school without a doctor’s note in half of U.S. states.

In 2005, Holly Thaggard’s friend was diagnosed with melanoma at age 29.

That’s how she found out that sun damage isn’t about beach days.

It’s daily, invisible exposure. And it starts in childhood.

Thaggard realized the sunscreen category was dominated by outdated formulas that were greasy, smelly, and loaded with questionable ingredients like oxybenzone.

Natural options were better, but felt worse.

So she created Supergoop!

Her goal wasn’t just to sell SPF.

It was to make it a daily habit, like brushing your teeth.

She started with schools.

She designed a curriculum and offered classroom-friendly SPF pumps, but hit a wall.

Sunscreen was classified as an over-the-counter drug, banned in public schools in 49 states without a doctor’s note.

So she pivoted.

First to private schools. Then to country clubs. Then to children’s boutiques in NYC and LA.

Eventually, a Sephora buyer discovered Supergoop! and invited her to pitch.

She launched in 2011.

While most brands fought for summer shelf space, Thaggard insisted on a 12-month launch.

Her mission was daily use, not seasonal sales.

She built SPF into everything: primers, setting sprays, eyeshadows, lip balms, body oils, mousse.

The products looked good, felt good, and worked.

She eliminated the stickiness, smell, and white cast that made traditional sunscreen unappealing.

Supergoop! became one of the fastest-growing brands in beauty.

Its bestsellers (Unseen Sunscreen, Glowscreen, and PLAY) turned SPF into a beauty essential.

In 2021, Thaggard sold a majority stake to Blackstone in a deal valuing the company between $600M and $700M.

Supergoop! reached $250M in annual sales and expanded into 20 markets, including China and Europe.

She stayed on as Chairwoman.

In 2024, she named Lisa Sequino, former co-founder of JLo Beauty, as CEO.

And in 2025, she exited governance entirely and stepped into a strategic advisor role.

She’s also spent the past decade working on policy.

Today, more than a dozen U.S. states have changed their laws.

She also launched “Ounce by Ounce,” a giveback program that delivers SPF to classrooms across America.

Thaggard has received numerous awards, including Allure’s “Best of Beauty” (7 years running), CEW Beauty Awards, TIME’s Best Inventions, and TIME’s 100 Most Influential Companies list.