MEMORIES:

What two history-making events happened on July 16, 1969? That was the day of man’s first mission to the moon. It was also the day that Ron Rice sold his first bottle of Hawaiian Tropic sun tan lotion.

 

Daytona Beach, Florida native Rice was on a trip to Hawaii when he discovered that native Hawaiians would rub natural oils on their skin to allow it to deeply tan. Rice was fair-skinned, but he wanted to get that same dark glow, while protecting his skin. When he returned home, he borrowed $500 from his dad and mixed up his home grown concoction is a garbage can, combining coconut, avocado, kukui, and other oils together. The result was the first batch of Hawaiian Tropic. He started selling the lotion to local lifeguards and was soon on the road to success. With the help of an advertising campaign that featured deeply tanned and scantily clad women, his suncare empire now boasts over $200 million in sales.