Lookfantastic and Lancaster launch SPF pop-up tour to tackle sun safety

Online beauty retailer Lookfantastic is taking its mission to improve sun safety awareness to the high street with a new SPF education pop-up, in partnership with premium skincare brand Lancaster. The initiative comes in response to a survey, which revealed widespread misconceptions about sun protection, particularly among Gen Z consumers.

According to the survey of 5,000 UK adults, 70% of Gen Z respondents incorrectly believe that SPF 30 means it blocks 30% of UV rays, when in fact, it blocks around 97%. Only 35% of participants overall were able to correctly identify what SPF 30 means.

To address this knowledge gap, the brand is rolling out an educational two-city pop-up campaign dubbed ‘Wear Your Stripes'. The brand is reinforcing the message that sun protection is a year-round essential, not just for holidays and heatwaves.

The experience will land in Edinburgh's St James Quarter on 10 May and Briggate, Trinity Leeds on 17 May, two locations specifically chosen by the retailer's community.

Keely Gough, Managing Director at Lookfantastic, said: "We’re proud to partner with Lancaster to bring this unique and educational experience to our community.

"By combining cutting-edge technology with expert guidance, we hope to continue to shift perceptions and show that SPF is more than a summer essential—it is a daily act of skin protection."

The pop-up will feature an interactive photobooth quiz to test the public's understanding of SPF application, and guests will be offered the chance to experience Lancaster’s UV camera technology, which reveals sun damage not visible to the naked eye. This dramatic visual demonstration is designed to show how SPF protects against both UVA and UVB rays - key contributors to premature ageing and skin cancer.

To incentivise participation, the first 200 visitors at each location will receive an exclusive Lancaster gift, while all guests will be given a sample of Lancaster’s Sun Perfect Sun Illuminating Cream SPF 50, until stocks last. Attendees can also opt in to enter the chance to win a year’s supply of Lancaster SPF worth over £823.

In keeping with the campaign's health-conscious ethos, Punchy Drinks will be offering 180 free soft drinks per location to keep guests refreshed as they engage with the educational content.

This announcement follows the news that THG, the owner of Cult Beauty and Lookfantastic, raised £90 million through share placing and refinancing to reduce gross debt.

£60 million of the funds raised came from Founder and Chief Executive Matthew Moulding, who provided a £54.6 million convertible loan and "partly paid" £5 million of shares. The remaining £30 million was raised through a placing of new shares at a price of 32.3p, a 5% discount to yesterday's closing price. The placing was 'oversubscribed' and 'well-supported' by both existing and new investors, according to THG.