Our Story
Why We Made Military-Grade, Reef Safe Biodegradable Waterproof Sunscreen Lotion
Melissa's upbringing in the Midwest was much like a scene straight out of Tom Sawyer. She was outdoors every day, usually riding her bike with her friends down to Duck Creek, a tributary off the Mississippi River. They'd be gone all day riding, catching crawdads and bullheads, and playing in the woods around the train tracks.
As an adult, Melissa carried on her love of the outdoors after relocating to the San Diego area with her husband, Lonnie, who was in the Navy. They quickly fell in love with everything the area had to offer. San Diego is unique because it's one of the only places in the U.S. that allows you to go from the beach to the mountains and then the desert all in the same day.
Then one day their puppy, Bodie, began licking the top of Lonnie's head obsessively. So much so that it made them take notice and schedule an appointment with a dermatologist. The diagnosis turned out to be Basal Cell Carcinoma.
From that point on, it was no longer an option to skip sunscreen. Melissa works in the health and fitness industry, and so recognized the importance of preventative care. But even so, she always had a hard time finding sunscreen that still felt comfortable once you began sweating.
Bodie finding the cancer on Lonnie's head gave Melissa the idea to make a sunscreen for active people that move and sweat. As conservationists, It was important that the product be a mineral formula vs. chemical because it needed to be ocean safe for the coral as well as safe for the person wearing it. And that is how the concept for KOVR All Natural Sunscreen was born.
KOVR was founded after spending countless hours working, training, and playing under the sun. KOVR Sunscreen wasn't built for one profession - it was built to provide dependable protection for anyone who spends their day outdoors. Whether you're on the job site, on the trail, at the beach, or coaching from the sidelines, KOVR is made to perform. 