Tancream has been many years in the making. Without the dedication of the fantastic team behind this revolutionary product, it might never have existed. Find out a little more about the personal stories, hard work, and innovative scientific solutions that brought Tancream to life.
Gillian Robson
Co-Founder of Tancream, Gillian Robson’s life changed dramatically six years ago when she found a mole on her leg that had changed. Within a few days she was undergoing surgery for skin cancer (melanoma) and has had many more moles removed since.
At this time, Gillian was a busy mum running her own successful beauty business. She was advised to wear high protection sun cream SPF50, 5 star UVA, even in winter. As she liked to have a tan, she used fake tan. Rather than using lots of different products in her morning skin care routine, she searched worldwide for a product that she could use every day that did everything. It soon became apparent that there wasn’t anything available and so she had a lightbulb moment!
Katy Foxcroft
Gillian teamed up with friend Katy Foxcroft, Co-founder of Tancream and together the pair worked hard to find out how such a formulation could be developed. A long list of requirements for our unique product was presented to various formulators and they all kept pointing them in the direction of suncare expert Dr Jack Ferguson!
Katy has a background in business development, product development, sales & marketing specialising in helping UK manufacturers with patented products by introducing them into retail and distribution. She builds strategic business relationships creating a robust supply chain to ensure stability and a clear strategy for future growth. The pair stocked Tancream in 3 retail stores within a matter of hours of their first production run.
Dr Jack Ferguson BSc PhD, independent consultant to the cosmetics industry
Jack is an independent consultant to the cosmetics industry who had worked at senior levels in R&D for international companies (Boots and Oriflame) for over 25 years. He has his own research business, Skinnovation Ltd, which provides bespoke skin and sun care formulation development services to cosmetic and pharmaceutical organisations. He is also a cosmetic consultant to Clearcast, London which approves television advertisements prior to broadcasting and also consults for the Advertising Standards Authority in UK. As a renowned leader in his field he organises international conferences for the Sun Protection and Anti-Ageing Skin Care.
“I did not hesitate when Gillian and Katy asked me to help develop a product which combined a high protection sun cream with a fake tan. It has not been achieved before as the formulation is challenging, due to the different pH’s that the active ingredients need to work.”
Jo Warren BSc Hons, Skincare formulation specialist
Gillian and Katy then met Jo Warren Bsc, Owner at Suncare Solutions Ltd. She is a creative formulation chemist and an expert in sun care and skin care products with over 35 years experience in cosmetics, spent in large, medium and small companies including Boots and The Body Shop. She has worked with major brands, contract manufacturers and innovative entrepreneurs to create bespoke products for markets worldwide.
“It has been a such a rewarding and challenging project to be involved in, however we have never lost our enthusiasm or excitement to see the end result as this unique suncare product which is exactly what is needed in the skin care industry.”
Jack and Jo explained that the reason why combining a fake tan with an SPF50 had not been achieved before, was due to the incompatibility of the pH’s that the active ingredients need to work. Gillian and Katy wanted a cream that would not only do that, but would be easy to apply and feel good when wearing it. Jack and Jo took all of these ideas on board and provided their scientific knowledge and experience. After more than two years of intensive research, Tancream – a unique product combining a high factor sun cream with self tan and luxury moisturising lotion – was born.