As South Africa heads into another summer of intense sunshine, the conversation around daily sun care is evolving. Effective sun protection is no longer viewed as a seasonal luxury—it is a non-negotiable health daily habit that requires generous and consistent application.
That ethos underpins Altruist, the UK dermatologist-developed sun care brand founded by consultant dermatologist and skin cancer specialist Dr Andrew Birnie.
Following its exclusive South African retail debut via Clicks, Altruist enters its second local summer with a clear mission: making high-performance, medical-grade SPF accessible and affordable for every skin type and tone.
High-Performance SPF Without the Premium Price Tag
Altruist was created in the UK over a decade ago to address a major barrier in skin cancer prevention: cost. When sunscreens carry luxury price tags, consumers tend to under-apply product, skip reapplication, or ration tubes beyond their intended shelf life.
Altruist counters that behavior by pairing clinical formulations with accessible pricing. The brand’s local lineup includes five key products:
- Altruist SPF 50 Sunscreen (100ml)
- Altruist SPF 30 Sunscreen (200ml)
- Altruist Face Fluid SPF 50 (50ml)
- Altruist Family Sunspray SPF 50 (250ml)
- Altruist Invisible Spray SPF 50 (200ml)
Formulated to exceed European standards, the range offers 5-star UVA protection tailored for intense African sun exposure. Every formulation is hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic, paraben-free, fragrance-free, water-resistant, and lightweight for daily wear under makeup or on the go.
Deep South African Heritage & Social Impact
For founder Dr Andrew Birnie, South Africa holds personal and professional significance. Over two decades of visiting the country, Dr Birnie helped establish the South African Society for Dermatologic Surgery (SASDS), organized national dermatological workshops, and spent extensive time working in KwaZulu-Natal.
While running teaching clinics at Albert Luthuli Hospital and conducting outreach clinics in remote communities, Dr Birnie met skincare economist David Westerbeek van Eerten. Their shared belief that protective sun care should be universal gave birth to Altruist.
“In an ever increasing global economy where cost is a key factor when deciding on a sunscreen, it actually is no longer negotiable to get a great quality one that you can use literally all the time,” says Dr Andrew Birnie. “Many products are so expensive that people are reluctant to use them as often, or in as large a quantity, as they should. Altruist was created to challenge that.”
The brand’s purpose extends beyond retail. Every sale supports charitable initiatives across Africa, with over 63,000 tubes of Altruist products donated in the past year to charities supporting children with albinism across the continent.
Retail Availability
Altruist is available nationwide across South Africa both online and in-store exclusively at Clicks pharmacies and beauty aisles.