There’s a pretty common story that runs through the founding of most good skincare brands. Someone couldn’t find what they were looking for. They got frustrated enough to make it themselves. Usually that story is tidier in the retelling than it was in reality.
In the case of Ultra Violette, the version is genuine. Two Melbourne women who’d spent years working in the beauty industry, knew the sunscreen category inside out, and were still struggling to find a product they actually wanted to put on their face every day. So they made one. Six years later, it’s in 29 markets, stocked at Sephora, Harrods, Liberty, and Space NK, and on track for around $33 million in net sales in 2025.
Not bad for a brand built around the idea that sunscreen shouldn’t feel like sunscreen.
The Story
Bec Jefferd and Ava Matthews met while working together at Mecca Cosmetica, where part of their job involved developing Mecca’s house range of sunscreens because the brand couldn’t source international products that met Australian standards. That work planted the idea. Both of them understood the category technically, they knew what the formulations were capable of, and they were increasingly convinced that the gap between what sunscreen could be and what it actually was on the shelves was enormous.
They spent more than two years developing their products before Ultra Violette launched in early 2019. The pitch was simple: SPF that behaves like skincare. Lightweight, properly tested, packed with active ingredients, and designed so that people might actually use it every day rather than dragging a chalky tube to the beach twice a year.
The brand coined the term “SKINSCREEN” to describe what they were going for. Sunscreen that doesn’t fight your moisturiser. Sunscreen that doesn’t ruin your makeup. Sunscreen you’d wear even if you weren’t going outside.
It worked. Ultra Violette launched in Sephora Australia and New Zealand in 2020 and became the retailer’s fifth best-selling skincare brand. By 2021, total sales hit $10 million. In 2024, the brand took its first outside investment, a $15 million injection from US-based Aria Growth Partners, with Matthews and Jefferd remaining majority owners. The US Sephora launch followed in 2025.
One Thing Worth Being Honest About
In August 2025, Ultra Violette voluntarily recalled its Lean Screen Mineral Mattifying SPF50+ after a CHOICE investigation and subsequent independent testing found wildly inconsistent SPF results, including results as low as SPF 4 across eight different trials. The TGA confirmed the recall and Ultra Violette issued full refunds and product vouchers to affected customers.
The brand was transparent about it. “That wasn’t good enough for us, and it isn’t good enough for you,” the founders said in their public statement. They also confirmed that extensive independent retesting of the rest of the Ultra Violette range consistently returned results above SPF 50, which the brand has since had independently validated by SunCert.
It’s worth mentioning because it happened, and because it matters when we’re talking about sun protection in a country where skin cancer rates are among the highest in the world. Lean Screen is no longer available. The rest of the range is, and the brand has changed the manufacturer and testing laboratory it was using for that product.
The Products Worth Knowing About
Queen Screen SPF50+ Luminising Serum
The hero product and the one that built the brand’s reputation. A serum-texture SPF with a luminous finish, brightening actives, and a light rose scent. It layers beautifully under makeup and gives skin a genuinely nice finish on its own. The product that put Ultra Violette on the map and still the one most people reach for first.
Fave Fluid SPF50+ Ultralight Skinscreen
If Queen Screen is the glow product, Fave Fluid is the one for people who want to forget they’re wearing sunscreen at all. Water-like texture, completely fragrance-free, natural skin finish. Good for sensitive skin, good under makeup, good for anyone who finds heavier formulas too much on warm days.
Lean Screen SPF50+
The mineral option that was voluntarily recalled in August 2025 due to inconsistent SPF results. It is no longer available for sale on the Ultra Violette website or at retailers. If you have purchased it, full refunds and product vouchers are available through Ultra Violette directly.
Dream Screen SPF50 Tinted Veil
A tinted moisturiser hybrid that launched in late 2021 and became an instant hit. Light coverage, SPF50, serum texture. Does the work of two or three products in one step, which is genuinely useful.
Daydream Screen SPF50 Tinted Veil
A newer tinted option with a slightly different finish. Hydrating, buildable, and sits flat under makeup without that heavy feeling some tinted SPFs can leave behind.
Supreme Screen SPF50+
For when you want something with a bit more substance. Richer than the Fave Fluid or Queen Screen, and good for drier skin types or anyone who wants to skip moisturiser and use their SPF as the final step in one go.
Preen Screen SPF50 Reapplication Mist
The top-up product. A fine mist for reapplying SPF over a finished face without disturbing makeup. The existence of this product says everything about what Ultra Violette understands about how people actually live.
Extreme Screen SPF50+ Hydrating Body Skinscreen
The body formula. Worth mentioning because most SPF-obsessed people forget about their neck and hands until it’s too late.
Where to Buy in Australia
Ultra Violette is available in Sephora Australia stores and online. You can also shop through the Ultra Violette website directly, as well as through Adore Beauty, The Iconic, and Stylerunner. Internationally the brand is in Sephora Canada, Space NK, Cult Beauty, Net-A-Porter, Harrods, Liberty, and Sephora US.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns Ultra Violette?
Ultra Violette was founded by Bec Jefferd and Ava Matthews and remains majority founder-owned. In 2024, the brand took its first outside investment, a $15 million minority stake from US growth equity firm Aria Growth Partners. Jefferd and Matthews continue to run the business day to day.
Is Ultra Violette cruelty-free?
Yes. Ultra Violette is cruelty-free, meaning none of their products or ingredients are tested on animals, and their suppliers are held to the same standard. The brand is not currently certified by PETA or Leaping Bunny, but states on its FAQ page that it has vetted its suppliers down to an ingredient level and would never work with anyone who tested on animals.
Is Ultra Violette Australian owned?
Yes. Ultra Violette is a Melbourne-founded, Australian-owned brand. Both founders are Australian and the brand is headquartered in Melbourne. Majority ownership remains with the founders following the 2024 investment from Aria Growth Partners.
Is Ultra Violette made in Australia?
Yes. All Ultra Violette products are formulated and manufactured in Australia under TGA compliance. Because sunscreen is a listed medicine in Australia, each product must meet TGA standards and is subject to batch testing requirements.
Is Ultra Violette organic?
No. Ultra Violette does not market itself as organic and holds no organic certification. The brand’s focus is on high-performance, skincare-led SPF formulations rather than organic positioning.
Is Ultra Violette vegan?
Most, but not all, Ultra Violette products are vegan. The two exceptions are Extreme Screen, which contains beeswax, and Sheen Screen, which uses beeswax and lanolin. All other products in the range are vegan-friendly. The brand is cruelty-free across the board, but shoppers specifically looking for fully vegan formulas should avoid those two products.
What happened with the Ultra Violette Lean Screen recall?
In June 2025, consumer advocacy group CHOICE published an investigation finding that multiple sunscreens, including Ultra Violette’s Lean Screen, were not meeting their advertised SPF claims. Initial testing returned an SPF of 4 for Lean Screen, well below the SPF50+ on the label. Ultra Violette disputed the results initially, then commissioned its own independent testing from multiple labs, which returned results ranging from SPF 4 to SPF 64 across eight different trials. In August 2025, in consultation with the TGA, the brand voluntarily recalled all batches of Lean Screen and offered full refunds and product vouchers to all customers regardless of where the product was purchased. The rest of the Ultra Violette range has since been extensively retested and returned consistent results above SPF 50.
Is Ultra Violette reef safe?
The brand does not formally use “reef safe” as a product claim, but the formulations do not contain oxybenzone or octinoxate, the two UV filters most associated with coral reef damage.
Is Ultra Violette good for sensitive skin?
Generally yes, though product choice matters. The Fave Fluid is fragrance-free and well suited to sensitive skin. The Queen Screen contains a light fragrance so may not suit everyone. For very reactive or sensitive skin, the brand recommends patch testing first, and most formulas are free from parabens, mineral oils, and known common irritants.
Is Ultra Violette safe for pregnancy?
According to the brand’s own FAQ, all Ultra Violette SKINSCREENs are considered safe for use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. As with any new skincare product during pregnancy, consulting your doctor before starting is recommended.
What is the difference between Queen Screen and Fave Fluid?
Both offer SPF50+ protection in a lightweight formula, but they have a different feel and finish. Queen Screen has a serum texture, a glow-giving luminous finish, brightening skincare actives, and a soft rose scent. Fave Fluid has a water-like texture, a more natural skin finish, balancing actives, and is completely fragrance-free. Queen Screen is the pick if you want a glow. Fave Fluid is the pick if you want to forget you’re wearing SPF at all.
