What happens when a love for the outdoors collides with a broken system—and a life-altering diagnosis? For Alexandra Merlino, the founder of Bee Wild Outside, it sparked a bold reimagining of sun care in the form of refillable, reef-safe sunscreen.

Frustrated by the superficial promises of the “reef-safe” movement and disillusioned by the industry’s reliance on single-use plastics, the idea for Bee Wild Outside began to take shape.

But it wasn’t until a skin cancer diagnosis in 2020 that the vision became urgent—and deeply personal, underscoring the need for a startup to create refillable, reef-safe sunscreen.

As a former competitive tennis player turned trail runner, cross-country skier, and scuba diver, Alexandra was no stranger to the sun, but always struggled to find a sunscreen that was both effective and truly sustainable.

Driven by necessity and fueled by passion, Bee Wild Outside was born—a brand creating reef-safe sunscreen focused on clean ingredients, refillable packaging, and environmental advocacy.

From a game-changing on-the-go dispenser to strategic partnerships supporting public land stewardship, this company is on a mission to do more than sell sunscreen.

It's here to inspire action, reduce waste, and help people play outside longer, safely and sustainably.

In this interview, we explore the brand’s origin story, its mission to protect both people and planet, and how it’s building a values-led business at the intersection of health, sustainability, and innovation.

What Was the Lightbulb Moment / Origin Story of Bee Wild Outside and How You Began Creating Reef-Safe Sunscreen?

Two things sparked the origin of Bee Wild Outside.

First, I was frustrated with the reef-safe reef-safe sunscreen and current reef-safe sunscreens on the market.

While protecting coral reefs from harmful chemicals is important, it overlooked a more pressing threat—plastic pollution.

How could sunscreen sold in single use plastic be truly reef-safe when plastic pollution is a top threat to ocean and marine life?

I began to envision an ocean-safe brand that addressed both issues.

Read the full article about Bee Wild Outside by Grant Trahant at Causeartist.