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In 2025, nearly 105,000 Americans will be diagnosed with invasive melanoma and about 1 in 50 will be diagnosed with melanoma in their lifetime.
For Seth Nelson, that diagnosis came at just 27 years old in 2007. He was accompanying his wife Jenny on a routine dermatologist appointment when he asked her doctor about an irregular shaped mole on his calf. The doctor suggested they remove the mole, and a week later, Seth learned he had melanoma.
Seth’s melanoma was caught early enough to be treated successfully with surgery. Ultimately, a four-inch diameter section of his calf was removed to ensure all margins were clear, leaving a permanent scar - a reminder of what he called an “eye-opening moment.”
Reflecting on his melanoma journey, Seth described his younger self as a “child of the 80’s and 90s who did all the wrong things when it came to sun safety.” Rather than lathering up with sunscreen and seeking shade, he grew up facing the sun’s harmful UV rays unprotected. “That negligence ultimately caught up to me,” he said. In fact, experts believe that 90% of all melanomas are caused by ultraviolet radiation from the sun or indoor tanning devices.
Today, Seth is cancer free and living in Southern California with Jenny and their 15-year-old son. Like many melanoma survivors, he now practices sun safety, monitors his own skin, and regularly visits the dermatologist.
The family moved West in 2012 from Minnesota in search of year-round outdoor living and a new adventure. After a few years getting settled in California, Seth left behind a decades-long career in real estate and stepped into a new calling.
One day in 2019, as the family was getting ready for the neighborhood pool, Seth found himself reading the ingredient lists of the sunscreens they had on hand. “I remember thinking, ‘What the hell are these ingredients’,” said Seth. “I looked at Jenny and said, ‘We can do better than this’.”
What followed was a four-year journey of research, experiments, and eventually, professional formulation in the lab. The result? SŌL LABS, a sun care company Seth and Jenny co-founded with a mission to merge therapeutic care with robust sun defense, all while revolutionizing how consumers think about sun protection.
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SŌL LABS’ first ever product – their Natural Mineral SPF 30 Daily Sunscreen Lotion – launched in 2023 after 39 formulation attempts. Three important pillars were behind the product: mineral-based protection, high-level skincare ingredients, and efficacy. Since then, SŌL LABS has introduced several additional products – including their Natural Mineral SPF 50 Sheer Mist which recently went viral online and sold out.
An important part of SŌL LABS’ story is the distinction between “sun care” and sunscreen. “Sunscreen still gets treated like an afterthought – something people toss in a beach bag. But at the same time, people are obsessed with skincare. They’ll spend hundreds on serums but skip SPF,” Seth explained. “We prefer to use the term ‘sun care’. We’re both an SPF and skincare company.” SŌL LABS suncare products incorporate a combination of ingredients the brand calls its “Fountain of Youth Formula®”, featuring skincare and anti-aging powerhouses like astaxanthin, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide.
Seth and the team also recognized that certain barriers exist in the market for mineral-based sunscreen usage – such as white-cast and a greasy feeling. “One thing people typically don't like about mineral sunscreen is that it doesn't tend to play nice with skin,” said Seth. “Part of our innovation was mastering the art of getting mineral sunscreen to play really well with people's skin.”
Two years after their official launch, SŌL LABS has been recognized by TODAY.com, Cosmopolitan, SHAPE Skin Awards, and more. They also recently began selling their products in Planet Beauty, a large-scale retailer with 40 locations across California.
Building on the momentum of success, Seth wondered how SŌL LABS could further empower the community with knowledge about sun protection and skin health. In March of this year, SŌL LABS and the Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA) announced their partnership, representing a shared commitment to raising awareness and promoting the importance of daily sun protection as a crucial step in reducing melanoma risk.
“To me, the biggest feather in our cap isn’t our retail footprint or awards. It’s our partnership with MRA,” said Seth. “As a melanoma survivor, that means the world to me.”
At SŌL LABS, it’s about meeting people where they are in their sun care and skin health journey. Some people may be more focused on their skin cancer risk, others may be worried about aging, while some may prioritize products that just feel good on their skin. “Whatever the reason, we want to be the brand that helps everyone build sun care into their lives – without compromise,” said Seth.
For Seth, it all comes back to that moment in 2007 when he decided to speak up about the irregular mole on his leg. “We each make 35,000 decisions a day. That one decision saved my life,” explained Seth. “I feel very fortunate, and because of that I feel called to not just protect people from the sun but help nurture their skin's future."
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