Sunscreenr Sees Unprotected Skin. Sunscreenr shows you where you've missed a spot when applying sunscreen AND where sunscreen has worn off your skin even after sweating, swimming, or toweling off. 

Can You See Who Still Needs Sunscreen?  Mom did a great job with her kids but everybody needs protection.

Sunscreenr is a special viewer that changes the way you protect yourself from sun damage. We've taken technology used by scientists and made it easy to see where your skin is covered by sunscreen and where it's not. 

As Seen On

How do you know if you're protected? There are 1 Million cases of skin cancer per year in the US alone, but sunscreen can significantly reduce your chances of getting cancer. Unfortunately, most people only apply 25% to 50% of the sunscreen they should. That's where Sunscreenr comes in.

How To Use Sunscreenr. After applying sunscreen, look through Sunscreenr to see dark areas that are covered with sunscreen. See light areas that are not covered. The light areas are more vulnerable to sunburns, sunspots and other forms of sun damage.

 

Products and Pricing

All Sunscreenrs come with a micro USB charging cord and microfiber bag. The bag is for easy carrying and protection. It can also be used to clean the Sunscreenr lenses.

Shipping fees are $6 for US shipping and $16 for international shipping for one Sunscreenr. For international shipping, please note that you are responsible for duties, fees and taxes applicable to your region.

1. Review the Products & Pricing section above.  

2. Determine which product you want.

3. Look for the product in the upper right of this page under Perks.

4. Click on the product that you want.

5. Enter your payment information.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. We welcome your questions!

The Story

The idea of Sunscreenr was first born a few years ago after seeing a family member struggle with skin cancer. We came up with the idea of a simple device that would let anyone "see" if they had applied sunscreen properly, even after swimming, toweling off, playing outside all day, etc.

It took almost 2 years to build the right team who could turn the idea into reality. After several prototypes, we are now launching Sunscreenr to bring the idea to you.

Stencil was applied to her skin. Then sunscreen sprayed on her shoulder (plus a swipe of cream sunscreen on her cheek). Then removed the stencil.

Technology to see sunscreen. We humans are pretty amazing but actually our eyes are somewhat limited. Most of us see all the colors of the rainbow but that is just a tiny portion of the light that our Sun makes. UV rays coming from the Sun are invisible to us yet we know that those rays can do us serious damage which is why we wear sunscreen. We designed Sunscreenr specifically to show you the invisible - UV light.

Since sunscreen's job is to absorb UV light before it hits your skin it looks dark when you look at it through Sunscreenr. Unprotected skin appears light. Sunscreenr is made possible by the combination of several key components: a special filter that removes all light except the part of the spectrum that sunscreen absorbs, a completely custom lens made from special materials and a carefully selected sensor that can actually respond to UV light. We combined that hardware with our proprietary image processing algorithms to deliver an image to you that shows where sunscreen is on your skin.

For the geeky. Smartphones and digital cameras are designed to only capture visible light. In fact, they purposely filter-out the UV light that Sunscreenr uses to show you sunscreen. Here’s why:

• The image sensors in color digital cameras and smartphone cameras have a special filter (Bayer filter) that let's them "see" regular colors (red, green, blue) and that filter just about eliminates the ability of the sensor to respond to the UV spectrum. 
• Lenses in both regular cameras and smartphone cameras are made from materials and have antireflection coatings that actually block most of the UV spectrum. 
• The job of a camera lens is to capture and focus light. Lenses that are made to work for visible light (like in your smartphone) do not focus UV rays properly.

See Sunscreenr work. Demonstration of our prototype in action.

The Team

Founded by CEO David Cohen and Jon Meyer, who have a combined forty years of management, design, and product development experience, Voxelight’s mission is create innovative, technology-based products that use underexplored properties of light to create meaningful products for consumers. Voxelight is based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. 

The Timeline

Thanks to Our Partners & Supporters

Ginny Meyer, Lynne Yellin, Wolfgang Wagner, David Meyer, Kayla Krest, Gayle Krest, Lauren Krest,  Zoe Cohen, Andrew Meyer, Allan Cohen, Barbara Cohen, Hunter Pendleton, Joe Root and everyone who supported our Kickstarter campaign

Risks & Challenges

Our focus over the next 6 months is to get you the Sunscreenr(s) you ordered so that you can use them to be safer in the sun.

The working prototype was built with off-the-shelf components so its capabilities are limited and its cost was pretty high. By contrast, the Sunscreenr you will receive will have a completely custom camera and optics inside of a purpose-built rugged and functional shell. In the past we have completed similar product development projects for the defense, forensic and medical markets so we have a solid understanding of the challenges. Nevertheless, delays always happen. Parts get discontinued, governments put new restrictions on shipping lithium batteries, suppliers make errors or deliver late and then demand extra fees. 
We have built the production and fulfillment schedule conservatively using data from our suppliers. We have plans in place and have vendors ready to handle manufacturing at any scale.

We will be sending frequent updates to all of our backers to keep you informed of developments and progress. Although setbacks are inevitable, we are committed to getting Sunscreenr into your hands in a timely matter. We are committed to giving you a powerful new tool to protect yourself from sun damage. In a few short months you will be the first and only people on the planet to have this technology.

FAQs

What's special about Sunscreenr™?  Can't I just use my smartphone or digital camera?

Smartphones and digital cameras are designed to only capture visible light.  They purposely filter-out the spectrum of light used by Sunscreenr to "see" sunscreen.

For those those want to know the technicalities of why:

- The image sensors in color digital cameras and smartphone cameras have a special filter (Bayer filter) that let's them "see" regular colors (red, green, blue) and that filter just about eliminates the ability of the sensor to respond to the UV spectrum.

- Lens elements in regular cameras and smartphone cameras are made from materials that have antireflection coatings that actually block most of the UV spectrum.

- Camera lenses are designed to capture and focus light.  Lenses that are made to work for visible light (like in your smartphone) do not focus UV rays properly.

Isn't Sunscreenr™ just a fancy lens?

No.  Sunscreenr is made possible by the combination of several key components: a special filter that removes all light except the part of the spectrum that sunscreen absorbs, a completely custom lens made from special materials and a carefully selected sensor that can actually respond to UV light.  That hardware is combined with our proprietary image processing algorithms to deliver an image to you that shows where sunscreen is on your skin.  Protected areas appear dark and unprotected skin appears light.

Is Sunscreenr™ waterproof?  What about dust and dirt?

Sunscreenr™ is designed to an IP rating of 67 and will be tested to MIL STD 810g-516.6.  What does all of that mean? It means that no sand or dirt, even as fine as talcum powder can get into Sunscreenr.  It also means that Sunscreenr is not just splashproof but can withstand being underwater up to 3 feet for 30 min.  Sunscreenr is designed to handle your little one dropping it in the shallow end of the pool!  The MIL STD testing means that Sunscreenr passes the same ruggedness tests as the gear soldiers take into battle.  However, like any optical device care should be taken to prevent dirt, dust, and fingers from scratching the exterior lenses.  When not in use, Sunscreenr should be stored properly.

Can I use Sunscreenr™ with my eyeglasses or sunglasses on?

Yes, although some may find that the display inside of Sunscreenr appears sharper with glasses off.  It all depends on your eyes and what kind of prescription you have.  We have worked with an optical engineer and have consulted with several optometrists to make Sunscreenr as easy to use a possible for the broadest range of people.  If you use Sunscreenr with your sunglasses on you may find that the display looks slightly dimmer.

How long will the battery last?  How is it recharged?

Sunscreenr has been designed with a rechargable battery that should last for several days with normal usage.  An auto-off feature keeps the battery fresh in case you forget to turn it off.  Sunscreenr recharges using any micro USB charger (AC or car charger is fine).

Why the viewfinder instead of a screen?

Sunscreenr's viewfinder is designed to work on the brightest days, in the brightest places -- beaches, pools, ski slopes, etc. -- to let you see the images.  A regular screen can be very hard to see in bright sunlight and often appears washed-out.  An additional benefit of the viewfinder is that it allows us to more easily make Sunscreenr rugged and waterproof.

Will Sunscreenr™ work for people of all skin tones?

Yes! The contrast between unprotected skin and protected skin is less dramatic than for people of lighter skin color.  Unprotected areas will appear lighter and areas covered with sunscreen will still appear darker.  Sunscreenr's algorithms work to make this contrast as large as possible.

What if I get sunscreen all over Sunscreenr™?

No worries!  Wipe off the excess, wash Sunscreenr with soapy water then dry it off and you're good to go.

Does Sunscreenr™ see all types of sunscreen?

Any Broad Spectrum sunscreen (cream, spray or powder) that's at least SPF 15 will be visible through Sunscreenr™.

I hear that most people don't put on enough sunscreen.  Can Sunscreenr™ show me areas where my coverage is too thin?

Yes!  Areas of thin coverage will not appear as dark as areas that are well covered.

What if there's nobody around to check out my sunscreen coverage?

No worries!  Sunscreenr has been designed to be able to record and playback a short video.  Just hit the "record" button and point Sunscreenr at yourself (you can use a selfie stick, your hand or any standard camera tripod).  It will automatically record for 30 seconds and then stop.  To see your coverage, just hit the "play" button and look into the viewfinder.