Getting sunscreen on every day is one of the most important things a family can do. Australia has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world, with at least 2 in 3 Australians diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime, and sun exposure is responsible for around 95% of melanomas and virtually all keratinocyte cancers in this country.¹²

The challenge for most families is not knowing sunscreen matters. It is making it happen, reliably, every single day. Sticky hands, pump bottles that drip, wriggling kids, and rushed school runs all conspire against a habit that should be simple.

This is exactly the problem the SUNNYBOD Refillable Sunscreen Applicator Brush was designed to solve. In this review, we look at how it works, what Australian sun-safety guidance says about the behaviours that actually determine protection, and why getting the application method right matters just as much as the SPF number on the bottle.

What is the SUNNYBOD Refillable Sunscreen Applicator Brush?

The SUNNYBOD brush is a refillable applicator designed to hold and dispense any liquid, cream, or lotion sunscreen. It holds approximately 20 mL of product, measures 16 cm long by 3 cm wide, and is compact enough to fit in a pocket, school bag, beach bag, or pram.

The brush is sold as an empty vessel. You fill it with your favourite SPF 50+ sunscreen, press the pump button to dispense product into the soft, hypoallergenic bristles, and apply directly to the face, ears, neck, and body. No pump bottle to wrestle with, no lotion on your hands, and no greasy residue left behind on everything you touch.

It is BPA-free, made from vegan and cruelty-free materials, suitable for sensitive skin types, and is recyclable via TerraCycle's Zero Waste Box program. Born from a personal connection to melanoma, SUNNYBOD was created by an Australian mum with a clear mission: making sun protection simple, positive, and repeatable. Make it easy enough that families actually do it every day. And of course, make it fun!

Why the application method matters as much as the SPF number

Most people focus on which sunscreen to buy. Australian research consistently shows the bigger issue is how sunscreen is applied. The SPF number on any bottle is determined in laboratory conditions, where exactly 2 milligrams of product is applied per square centimetre of skin (2 mg/cm²).³ In everyday use, most people apply somewhere between a quarter and half that amount, which significantly reduces real-world protection.⁴

Cancer Council Australia recommends approximately 35 mL — around 7 teaspoons for a full body application for an average adult, applied 20 minutes before going outdoors.⁵ Most people significantly under-apply, and then wonder why they still burn.

The relationship between application amount and protection is not proportional. Applying half the recommended amount does not give you half the protection. Because unprotected gaps compound across the skin surface, the drop in effective SPF can be considerably steeper.⁴ Getting the amount right, and doing it consistently, is where protection is won or lost.

Built to remove the barriers that stop families applying sunscreen consistently

SUNNYBOD was created with a specific problem in mind. As the founder Shannon Ratahi put it: "I wanted to curate a practical solution that fits into real family life and made sunscreen application simple, positive, and repeatable. A habit families could actually stick to, and that my kids loved." That personal connection, born from her family's experience with melanoma, sits at the heart of everything the brand does.

The barriers are real and well-documented. Research into sun protection compliance shows that when application feels difficult, messy, or time-consuming, it gets skipped, rushed, or applied too lightly.⁴ Sticky hands, wrestling with pump bottles, fighting a wriggling child, and carrying a bulky tube to sport or the beach are all genuine friction points that quietly erode one of the most important daily health habits a sun-loving family can build.

The SUNNYBOD brush removes those friction points one by one. Press the pump button to dispenses your liquid sunscreen directly into the soft bristles. The application is fast, clean, and easy. No lotion on hands, no mess on surfaces, no bulky pump bottles, no sandy bottle to squeeze. For children especially, a brush applicator often feels far less intrusive than cold, greasy sunscreen hands, which means less resistance and more easier application. That is SUNNYBOD's "Making Sunscreen Fun" philosophy made practical.

Importantly, none of that convenience comes at the cost of losing your personal choice. Because you fill the SUNNYBOD brush with your own liquid sunscreen, you are not locked into a proprietary formula. You choose the SPF formula you love and the brush simply makes applying it easier, faster, and more repeatable, day after day, for every member of the family.

Why reapplication is where most families fall short, and how a portable brush helps

Applying sunscreen in the morning is only part of the job. Australian guidance from Cancer Council and SunSmart is clear: sunscreen must be reapplied every two hours when outdoors, and immediately after swimming, sweating, or towel-drying.⁶⁷ No sunscreen lasts all day without reapplication, regardless of SPF rating.

Reapplication is where protection most often breaks down in practice. Carrying a full bottle of lotion to a sport game, beach, or school excursion is inconvenient. Pumping lotion onto your hands in a public place is messy. For children who are active and outdoors for several hours at a stretch, reapplication every two hours is a real logistical challenge for parents.

The SUNNYBOD brush, at 16 cm and holding 20 mL, fits in a pocket, a child's school bag, or a zip pocket in a beach bag. Having sunscreen in a format that is genuinely portable and quick to use makes reapplication actually happen — which is the only version of reapplication that counts.

Applying sunscreen to children: why a brush applicator helps

Cancer Council Australia recommends children be protected with SPF 50 or higher, broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen applied liberally to all exposed skin.⁸ Getting that protection onto a small, squirming child on the face, ears, back of the neck, and any skin not covered by clothing is one of the most universally dreaded parts of a morning routine for busy parents.

The brush applicator format helps in several practical ways. The soft, hypoallergenic bristles are gentle enough for children's sensitive skin and make the application feel less intrusive than cold, greasy SPF hands. The precision of a brush head makes it easier to reach awkward spots like behind the ears, the hairline, and the sides of the nose and eye area, without the excess mess of a lotion application. And for children who resist sunscreen, a brush format is often experienced as faster and less unpleasant, which matters enormously for building a daily habit. It becomes more like a face painting activity than sunscreen application.

Because you fill the SUNNYBOD brush with your own chosen liquid sunscreen, you are working with a product you already trust. The brush is the delivery method and your sunscreen does the protecting. One practical note: the brush is designed for daily use and on-the-go application, not for the long-term storage of sunscreen, so always follow your sunscreen manufacturer's storage and usage guidelines.

What to look for in the sunscreen you fill it with

Because the SUNNYBOD brush works with any liquid, cream or lotion sunscreen, choosing the right product to fill it with matters. Cancer Council Australia recommends an SPF 50 or SPF 50+ broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen for everyday outdoor use.⁵

When choosing a sunscreen to fill your SUNNYBOD brush with, look for:

• SPF 50 or SPF 50+ for the highest level of UV protection available in Australia
• Broad-spectrum to protect against both UVA (ageing and long-term damage) and UVB (sunburn) radiation⁷
• Water-resistant for outdoor, active, and beach use
• A cream or lotion consistency that flows smoothly through the brush mechanism
• Fragrance-free and paraben-free formulas if using on children with sensitive skin⁵

The best sunscreen is consistently described by Cancer Council as the one you will actually use, applied correctly and regularly.⁵

Sunscreen is only one part of sun protection

It is worth being clear that sunscreen alone is not enough. Australian sun-safety guidance consistently emphasises the Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek, Slide approach because no single measure provides complete protection.⁶

Sunscreen should always be used alongside:

• Slip on sun-protective clothing that covers as much skin as possible
• Slop on SPF 50+ broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen on all exposed skin
• Slap on a broad-brimmed hat that protects the face, ears, and neck
• Seek shade, particularly during peak UV hours
• Slide on sunglasses that meet the Australian standard for UV protection

Sunscreen protection is also needed whenever the UV index reaches 3 or above, which in most parts of Australia occurs on the majority of days throughout the year, including cool and overcast days.⁶

Who the SUNNYBOD brush is best suited for

The SUNNYBOD Refillable Sunscreen Applicator Brush is well suited to:

• Parents applying sunscreen to children — the brush format makes coverage of the face, ears, neck, and body, faster, easier, and less of a battle, without the mess!
• Families who need a portable reapplication solution — small enough for a school bag, beach bag, a pocket, or daycare
• Adults who want hands-free, mess-free application — no greasy residue on hands or surfaces
• People with sensitive skin — hypoallergenic bristles and compatible with any lotion formula that suits your skin
• Outdoor workers, sport, and active families — compact, durable, and designed for on-the-go use. Apply easily whilst wearing gloves, such as when skiing or gardening
• Anyone building a consistent daily sunscreen routine — removing the friction from the process makes it far easier to sustain

What Australian families are saying

The proof! Here is what real Australian families have shared in their own words.

Read all SUNNYBOD Google reviews