Let’s face it, summer comes and goes, but UV exposure does not. By now, most of us know the drill: SPF every day (right?). But while sunscreen has become a fixture in our morning routines, what happens after all that sun is rarely given the same attention. It’s a question that led Inge Frey to develop the first product of her skincare line, Frey Skin: an after-sun face cream designed not for beach holidays or heat waves, but for every day.
It took Inge Frey a few detours and some years of product development to get here. Originally from Wisconsin, she moved to California, where more time in the sun coincided with a new set of skin concerns. When she couldn’t find a product that worked for her, she decided to make one herself. Easier said than done.
Berlin came next, followed eventually by a departure from her job at a large consulting firm to focus on Frey Skin. The move makes sense when you learn that Inge tends to commit to things. She’s also a triathlete and avid cyclist, spending plenty of time outdoors in the process. That relationship with the outdoors shaped the idea behind Frey Skin. Inge doesn’t see after-sun care as something to reach for only after an afternoon at the beach or a particularly ambitious day in the park. If SPF belongs in your morning routine, why shouldn’t after-sun care have a place in it, too?
The goal isn’t perfect skin, or some elaborate promise of eternal youth. Skin changes. That’s what skin does. Inge is more interested in keeping it healthy, resilient, and glowing, ideally without relying on makeup.
The formula is appropriately concise. Aloe vera helps calm the skin, vitamin B5 supports its barrier, and hydroxytyrosol, the product’s hero ingredient, is a potent antioxidant derived from olives that helps protect against oxidative stress. There’s a nice bit of circular thinking here, too: the hydroxytyrosol is upcycled from water left over during olive oil production in Italy. An embossed olive branch on the otherwise minimal packaging gives a subtle nod to its origins.
The European connection continues throughout production. Ingredients are sourced in the EU, and the cream is made in a European laboratory. What’s deliberately missing is fragrance. Inge’s philosophy is simple: skin doesn’t need perfume to glow. My takeaway: we’ve made room next to the moisturizer for SPF. Perhaps it’s time to clear another spot on the shelf. And maybe make it a generous one, since Frey Skin is already working on a body lotion counterpart to its facial After Sun.
If you’d rather ask Inge about all this in person, you may well spot her cycling around Tempelhofer Feld. She also organizes group rides for women through Grouprides. Which leaves you with at least a few good reasons to head outside. SPF first, After Sun later.
Text: Nina Trippel / Photos: Isabelle Marten
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