Australian made zinc since 1995
Born in the water. Since 1995.
Sun Zapper started on the Australian coast as a surf brand with one job: make zinc for surfers and life in the water. Thirty years on, we're still Australian made and owned, still zinc first, and still in the water.
- 1995 Born on the Aussie coast
- 30 Years of zinc
- 50+ Countries around the world
- 100% Australian made and owned
Why we exist
We ridewithzinc oxide.
We didn't set out to make just another sunscreen. Australia gets some of the strongest UV on the planet, and we wanted zinc made for surfers and life in the water, not just for lying by the pool.
The answer was zinc oxide, a mineral that sits on top of your skin. It's been at the heart of everything we make since 1995, from the colour zinc stick to our Pure Zinc creams.
The Sun Zapper crew
30 years in the water
A legacy built on the beach.
From a surf brand on the Australian coast to zinc sticks in beach bags around the world. Here's how we got here.
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1995
Born on the Aussie coast
Sun Zapper starts life as a surf brand on the Australian coast, making zinc for surfers and life in the water. Australian made and owned from day one.
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Early 2000s
The colour zinc stick
Bright zinc stripes become a beach-day staple. The Sun Zapper colour zinc stick finds its way into board bags, school bags and family beach kits right across Australia.
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2010s
Going global
Sun Zapper heads beyond Australia. Today our zinc ships to more than 50 countries, including here in the UK.
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2020s
The Extreme range
The Extreme Zinc Stick lands: a bigger stick with thick, visible coverage in 11 colours, from skin tones to brights.
Alongside it sits Pure Zinc, our 25% non-nano zinc oxide creams that rub in clear, for faces, bodies and kids over 6 months.
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2025
30 years young
Sun Zapper turns 30. Three decades on, we're still Australian made and owned, still zinc first, and still testing it where it matters: in the water.
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Today
Made for UK water too
See our surf sunscreenFrom Cornish beach breaks to the North Sea, UK surf schools use our zinc, and more than 47,000 customers have joined the Zapper crew.
What we stand for
Zinc first. Always.
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01
Zinc first
Zinc oxide is a mineral UV filter that sits on top of your skin. It's at the heart of everything we make, from our colour zinc sticks to 25% non-nano Pure Zinc.
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02
Made in Australia
Australian made and owned since 1995, in a country where sunscreen is regulated as a medicine and the sun doesn't do half measures.
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03
Born in the water
We started as a surf brand, and it shows. Our zinc sticks are 4 hours water resistant, and our team riders still put them to the test.
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04
Kind to skin
Nano-particle free and not tested on animals. Pure Zinc is fragrance free, paraben free and vegan, and our range suits children over 6 months.
The small print, in big letters
- Australian made and owned
- Nano-particle free
- Not tested on animals
- Vegan Pure Zinc range
- For children over 6 months
- SPF 50 and 50+ broad spectrum
Water resistance: zinc sticks 4 hours, Pure Zinc creams 80 minutes. Reapply after swimming, towelling or sweating, and at least every 2 hours.
Team Sun Zapper
Tested by the crew.
Surfers, bodyboarders and ocean lovers who spend more time in the water than out of it, and wear our zinc while they do.
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Team riderJai Taylor
Surfer · Australia
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Ossian Mackenzie
Team rider · Australia
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Niko Richards
Big-wave bodyboarder · Tahiti
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Warren Keelan
Ocean photographer · NSW South Coast
In the water with
Our surf school crew.
From Perranporth to Cromer and over to Jersey, surf schools use our zinc to keep instructors and students protected in the water.
- Discovery Surf School
- King Surf
- Glide Surf Cromer, Norfolk
- Jersey Surf School Jersey, Channel Islands
- Quiksilver Surf School
- Stoked Surf School Perranporth, Cornwall
- The North Devon Surf School North Devon
- Le Port
Reviews
Loved by 47,000+ customers
“So normally I do find that an hour or two after putting on other sunscreens, I am so red. I applied it before horse riding in the sun today, and NO redness.”
“This sun cream is fantastic, no white cast, rubs in clear.”
“I now use this body protection cream, which is just brilliant… my skin feels lovely and soft, blends in easily.”
FAQ
About Sun Zapper
Where is Sun Zapper made?
In Australia. Sun Zapper is Australian made and owned, and has been since 1995. Our zinc sticks and sun creams are made in Australia, and in the UK you can buy them direct from sunzapper.uk.
How long has Sun Zapper been around?
Since 1995. We started on the Australian coast as a surf brand, making zinc for surfers and life in the water, and we celebrated 30 years in 2025.
Why is zinc oxide at the heart of Sun Zapper?
Zinc oxide is a mineral UV filter that sits on top of your skin and protects against both UVA and UVB. It's what we started with in 1995 and it's still the heart of every product we make. Our Pure Zinc creams use 25% non-nano zinc oxide and rub in clear.
Is Sun Zapper cruelty free and vegan?
Our range is not tested on animals, and our Pure Zinc creams are vegan. Check each product page for its full ingredients list.
Is Sun Zapper nano free?
Yes. Our range is nano-particle free, and Pure Zinc uses 25% non-nano zinc oxide.
Is Sun Zapper reef safe?
We only use the term for our Pure Zinc creams. They contain no oxybenzone or octinoxate, two UV filters often linked with coral reef damage. There's no single official reef-safe test, so we'd rather tell you exactly what's in them.
Is Sun Zapper safe for children?
Our sunscreens are suitable for children over 6 months. For little ones, try our Kids SPF 50, and see our guide to kids' mineral sunscreen. Babies under 6 months should be kept out of direct sun.
Do you work with surf schools and shops?
Yes. Surf schools around the UK use our zinc, and we'd love to hear from more schools and shops. Get in touch through our contact page.
Ready to ride with zinc?
Thirty years of Australian zinc, in a stick you can take anywhere.