Eniye Okah's Now/Next in sun protection.

Eniye Okah is disrupting the SPF space.

Her brand, BEAME, has developed an innovative formula that combines sun protection with self-care.

Here, she tells Future State about psychodermatology, the mind-skin connection, and what’s happening now and next in the sun protection category.

Eniye, thank you for chatting with us today. First question - where are you right now? 

I’m currently sitting at my kitchen dining room table, enjoying the flexibility of working from home.


Tell us a little about yourself? 

I’m the founder of BEAME, a sun care and wellness brand on a mission to create fun-to-unbox, fun-to-use sun care products that are easy to reapply and protect your skin. My background is in beauty retail buying, which taught me a lot about the importance of understanding what consumers really need. I’ve always been passionate about skincare and self-care, so creating BEAME was a natural extension of my interests and expertise.

What do you do for work? 

I oversee product development, marketing, and brand vision while working closely with amazing people to bring our products to market.


BEAME is setting out to revolutionise sun protection. Why do you think this category is ripe for innovation? 

The sun care category has been stuck in the same space for a while, focused primarily on protection. But stressed skin and sun exposure don’t mix well. People are dealing with skin issues like acne, eczema, and sensitive skin, which can flare up in the sun, so products need to do more than just block UV rays. That’s where psychodermatology comes in—understanding the mind-skin connection allows us to create products that not only protect your skin but also soothe and calm it. BEAME fills this gap with products that are easy to use, easy to reapply, and designed to protect and care for stressed skin.


You’ve just completed a hugely successful Kickstarter campaign securing 115% funding for your first product, Something You Mist. You have clearly hit on a need and people are getting behind you. What are you doing differently? 

We’re making sun care fun and convenient. Something You Mist is a lightweight, non-greasy face mist that’s super easy to reapply throughout the day, even over makeup. But we’re also doing more—our product helps reduce stress in the skin by including Neurophroline, an ingredient clinically proven to reduce cortisol levels in the skin. Plus, we’ve worked with a top fragrance house to develop a mood-boosting scent that adds an extra layer of self-care to your sun protection routine.

As we become increasingly aware of the sun's impact on our skin, the skincare category is experiencing significant search growth. For example, according to a 2024 report from  consumer data analytics firm Spate, searches for water based sunscreen increased by 243.6%. What are the biggest factors shaping how consumers view and use SPF? 

Education and convenience are the two biggest factors. People are more informed than ever about the dangers of sun exposure, from skin cancer to premature ageing. They want SPF that fits into their lifestyle, which means products that are lightweight, don’t leave a white cast, and can be easily reapplied. That’s where we see a huge gap—70% of people in the UK don’t reapply sunscreen, which leaves them vulnerable. We created Something You Mist to address the need for convenient sun care that works for everyone, especially for those with darker skin tones.




As you look ahead, what are you most excited about for the future of sun protection?  

I’m really excited about the rise of holistic sun care products that address not only protection from the sun but also skin health and emotional well-being. We’re combining sun care with wellness by incorporating psychodermatology, which looks at how stress affects the skin. Products like Something You Mist are just the beginning—we want to create sun care that helps people look and feel good, both inside and out.


What is a conversation that more people in your industry should be having?

The conversation around stress and its impact on the skin needs to be bigger. We often focus on physical protection, but the link between stress and skin problems is something the industry should pay more attention to. People with sensitive or stressed skin are often overlooked in the sun care category. The industry should be talking about how we can create products that cater to both the physical and emotional needs of the skin.



What is a personal or professional goal that you are working towards? 

Professionally, I’m working toward expanding BEAME’s product line while keeping true to our mission of combining sun care with stress relief and emotional well-being. Personally, I want to continue finding balance as I grow the business, staying mindful of my own wellness while delivering a brand that’s all about self-care.


If it all worked out better than you could imagine, what does the future look like 5 years from now?