The sunscreen test


Hi Reader,

I thought I was a savvy shopper until…the deal backfired.

My family and I were in Orlando for a wedding, and we stayed a few extra days to visit Universal Studios and hang out at the beach.

That meant we needed lots of sunscreen to keep us all covered.

I stared at the massive sunscreen wall in Walmart, lined with rows and rows of bottles. I spotted a large bottle with a familiar name: Neutrogena.

It was SPF 50, “ultra-sheer” (I hate the sticky stuff), and it came with a $2 coupon.

✅ Name I knew

✅ Solid selling point

✅ High protection

✅ Great price

Sold!

My family and I slathered it on, confidently basking in the Orlando sunshine as we went from Jurassic World to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

On the last day, we headed to the beach to swim and lounge. We slathered on the sunscreen once again. Everything seemed fine and dandy until our ride back to the airport.

Everyone in the car was BURNT.

Red as a tomato.

We stared at each other. “How is this possible?” we wondered. “We applied multiple times…I guess we didn’t do a good job…”

I pulled out the sunscreen bottle. That’s when I realized my mistake.

Turns out, it wasn’t waterproof.

We all had to laugh because I was duped by the coupon (a classic me move).

As soon as I saw the sale and a couple of selling points, I stopped reading. I’d assumed all sunscreen would be waterproof these days. Apparently not.

Price and familiarity blinded me to the details.

It happens to the best of us. As consumers, we often get caught up in the cost of things, which means we overlook what that cost really covers. Then it ends up costing you.

So take it from me and my peeling shoulders. Whether it’s sunscreen, your tech stack, or a service provider you’re hiring, don’t assume.

That low-ball deal might be tempting, but no one likes getting burned. Get clear on exactly what the offer includes before you grab the cheapest option.

Layering on the aloe,

Hi! I'm Rachel, the Left Brain of Drio.

Read more from Hi! I'm Rachel, the Left Brain of Drio.

Hi Reader, Years ago, Hazel and I realized we would need some help with our content if we wanted to keep it consistent. We’re not interested in showing up in inboxes or on social media every single day, but we do want to have a meaningful presence and stay top of mind. Just like we advise our clients, we want to show up regularly and be loud and proud about what we value as business owners… …without spending hours on our content each week. It’s super important for Hazel and me to minimize the...

Hi Reader, My kids are pretty used to my entrepreneurial ways. I can’t tell you how many times they’ve seen me take a work call in the car or jump into a Zoom Room from our living room. It’s the norm for them. As they get older, they get more curious about the logistics of running our business. Like the other week, I was firing off an email when my oldest son looked over and asked, “So, how many people work for you?” I had just gotten off a call with our project manager. Over the years, he’s...

Hi Reader, Building websites isn’t exactly life or death. Still, the longer we do it, the more I see how far the impact can go. While Hazel and I nibbled on pupusas and soaked up the view of San Salvador last month, we couldn’t help but reflect on that. Time and time again, we’ve seen how a solid website can change a business’s trajectory. Even during tough seasons (*cough* 2025), your website keeps showing up, telling the world who your business is and why it matters. When done right, it...