Classic Lotion SPF 30
The flagship. Coconut + banana + aloe vera, broad-spectrum SPF 30, water-resistant 80 minutes. The most universal entry point and the one most owners restock.
Vacation®
The Austin sunscreen brand that ran the 1980s Miami fantasy through a contemporary art-direction filter — and made daily SPF something you reapply on purpose.
Classic Lotion is the entry point. Classic Whip — the viral whipped-mousse aerosol — is what put the brand on the algorithm. Chardonnay Oil and Orange Gelée extend the range. Sold in Australia through MECCA Cosmetica and direct from vacation.inc.
An ad-agency creative team walks into sunscreen.
Vacation launched in 2021 out of Austin, Texas, founded by Lach Hall, Marty Bell and Dakota Green. The premise was simple: the legacy sunscreen aisle was creatively dead, and the only way to make people actually reapply SPF was to make it smell like something you want to wear on purpose.
The brand's reference point is 1980s Miami — coconut, banana, aloe vera, beach-club tan oil, the Eau de Toilette companion that nobody else dared to ship. Classic Lotion did the volume. Classic Whip — a whipped-mousse aerosol that dispenses like Reddi-Wip — did the virality. Orange Gelée and Chardonnay Oil round out the range, with After Sun and Baby Oil sitting at the edges.
In Australia, MECCA Cosmetica is the primary stockist. Vacation also ships direct internationally from vacation.inc.
When sunscreen becomes a fragrance category.
Vacation's bet is uncomplicated: people will reapply sunscreen they actually like wearing. The brand treats every product — Classic Lotion, Classic Whip, Orange Gelée, Chardonnay Oil — as a fragrance brief first and a UV filter second. On a sunny Australian Saturday, that's the difference between SPF on the bathroom shelf and SPF on the body.
The three to know.
Classic Whip SPF 30
The viral whipped-mousse aerosol. Reapplies like Reddi-Wip. SPF 30, 80-minute water resistance, the most posted sunscreen of 2023. Genuinely fun to use.
Chardonnay Oil SPF 30
Chardonnay-seed sunscreen oil with broad-spectrum SPF 30. Light, glossy, the brand's pick for a quiet shimmer without bronzer. Best after the pool.
If you like Vacation.
Ultra Violette
Australian SPF cult. Higher-protection alternative for daily wear.
Supergoop
US SPF reference. Unseen Sunscreen, Glowscreen, broader actives range.
Sol de Janeiro
If it's the scent you love, this is the body-care extension of the same idea.
Cancer Council
The unsexy, properly high-SPF alternative. Wear under Vacation.
Coola
California SPF brand. Cleaner ingredient story, similar laidback aesthetic.
Naked Sundays
Australian SPF + skincare crossover. Cabana Mist if you live for reapplication.
Vacation is the rare brand where the creative direction, the packaging and the actual product agree on what they're trying to be. Not pretending to be clinical. Pretending to be a Miami afternoon, well executed. On the brief — make a sunscreen you actually want to reapply — it delivers. SPF 30 is the ceiling though. For high-UV Australian summer, layer Classic Lotion under a higher-tier zinc, not over it.
A few common questions.
Is Vacation sunscreen worth it?
If you actually wear sunscreen daily and the smell matters — yes. Classic Lotion and Classic Whip are the highest-reapplied sunscreens in our editorial trial. SPF 30 is the ceiling though — for high-UV reapplication, layer with a higher-tier zinc underneath.
What's the difference between Classic Lotion and Classic Whip?
Same broad-spectrum SPF 30 protection, two delivery formats. Lotion is the daily pump bottle — the universal choice. Whip is the aerosol mousse — the fun, posted-on-TikTok format. Both 80-minute water resistant.
Where do you start?
Classic Lotion. It's the flagship and the most universal entry point. If you want the viral format that made the brand, start with Classic Whip instead.
Is Vacation safe for sensitive skin?
Vacation is heavily fragranced — that's the whole point. Anyone with reactive skin or fragrance allergy should patch test, or skip the brand. Mineral Lotion and Super Spritz are the lighter-fragrance alternatives in the lineup.
Is SPF 30 enough for Australia?
For everyday wear in winter and shoulder season — broadly yes, when reapplied every two hours. For peak Australian summer, beach days, or anyone with fair skin — layer Classic Lotion under or alongside SPF 50+. Vacation should be your reapply, not your only line of defence.
Where do you buy Vacation in Australia?
MECCA Cosmetica (online and in-store) is the primary Australian stockist. Vacation also ships direct from vacation.inc to AU addresses, with longer delivery windows.
Reviewed by The Glow editors · 30 May 2026 · Last verified at retail
The quick answer.
Vacation is a sunscreen brand founded in 2021 in Austin, Texas by Lach Hall, Marty Bell and Dakota Green. Built on a 1980s Miami pastiche and the claim "The World's Best-Smelling Sunscreen". Best known for Classic Lotion SPF 30 (AUD 38), Classic Whip SPF 30 (the viral whipped-mousse aerosol) and Chardonnay Oil SPF 30. Available in Australia at MECCA Cosmetica and direct at vacation.inc. The Glow editors' first recommendation: Classic Lotion for daily wear, Classic Whip for the format experience. SPF 30 is the ceiling — layer with a higher-tier zinc for peak Australian summer.
- Founded
- Austin, USA · 2021
- Founders
- Lach Hall · Marty Bell · Dakota Green
- Owner
- Independent (founder-led)
- Headquarters
- Austin, Texas, USA
- Best first product
- Classic Lotion SPF 30 · AUD 38 (100ml)
- Best alternative pick
- Classic Whip SPF 30 · AUD 38 (113g)
- Where to buy (AU)
- MECCA Cosmetica + vacation.inc direct
- Tested under
- The Glow Standard, v4.2 · Six weeks
The Glow Standard · v4.2 · Independent review
9.1
/ 10
The sunscreen you actually reapply. Start with Classic Lotion.
- Creative directionTop-of-category. Brand world tightly considered, end to end.9.8
- FormulationStrong on cosmetic feel and reapply rate. SPF 30 is the ceiling.8.4
- Value at tierPremium SPF pricing. Justified if it's the bottle you actually use.8.6
- AU availabilityMECCA Cosmetica national + direct shipping. Easy to source.9.5
Products purchased at retail. No paid placement in any Glow ranking. Score reflects the methodology at glow.com.au/review-methodology.
Vacation vs the closest alternatives.
How Vacation sits against three closest peers at the premium sunscreen end. Updated May 2026.
| Brand | Founded | HQ | Hero product | Entry price (AUD) | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vacation | 2021 | Austin, US | Classic Lotion SPF 30 | $38 | Independent |
| Ultra Violette | 2019 | Melbourne, AU | Queen Screen SPF 50+ | $50 | Independent |
| Supergoop | 2007 | New York, US | Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40 | $58 | Blackstone (PE) |
| Coola | 2007 | San Diego, US | Classic Body Lotion SPF 50 | $59 | Independent |