Værbitt

Værbitt is a Norwegian skincare startup that makes sunscreen aimed specifically at men. Founded in 2024 by Erik Getz Skotvedt and Jannicke Eckbo, the company sells a small range of fragrance-free, water-resistant sun-protection products directly online and through Norwegian retailers [7][9]. It positions itself around a public-health goal: improving Norwegian men's sun habits and reducing skin cancer.

The brand remains active as a single-country operation. Its site carries a 2026 copyright and reports roughly 10,000 units sold, and its products are stocked by a growing set of Norwegian resellers.

Værbitt grew out of a personal frustration. According to founder Erik Getz Skotvedt, he went looking for a sunscreen that suited him but could not find one, describing it as a gap in the market [7]. He was particularly bothered by heavy fragrance and sticky textures. Around the same time, he encountered statistics showing that Norwegian men rank among the highest in the world for skin cancer, which pushed him toward building a sunscreen designed for men specifically.

Skotvedt had previously co-founded the tradesman venture Vater Håndverkere and spent about six years at the telecom company Telenor, latterly leading its youth initiative Telenor Yng [7]. He founded Værbitt with co-founder Jannicke Eckbo, who the company describes as a strategic partner.

Værbitt's range centres on sun protection: a body sunscreen and a facial sunscreen at SPF 30, an aftersun product, and a bundled set. The company frames its formula as fragrance-free, non-greasy, water-resistant and sweat-resistant, built for active outdoor use such as hiking, running, cycling and days at sea. The sunscreens use chemical UV filters — including Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate and Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid — for broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protection. According to the brand, the SPF 30 factor follows the level recommended by the Norwegian Cancer Society (Kreftforeningen).

The idea was developed in Norway, while manufacturing is carried out in Denmark; the retailer Dyrket identifies the producer as Nordic Sense [8]. Værbitt states that its products carry the Nordic Swan Ecolabel (Svanemerket) and approval from Asthma Allergy Nordic, and are vegan, made without animal-derived ingredients or animal testing [8].

The company describes itself as "a small startup with a big goal," framed around changing men's sun-protection habits and helping to reduce skin cancer. Its tagline, "Solkremen norske menn faktisk bruker" ("the sunscreen Norwegian men actually use"), signals the brand's focus on everyday, habitual use rather than sporadic application. Værbitt also markets to businesses, offering its products as workplace gifts and as an occupational-health measure for outdoor workers.

One notable feature of its early customer base, reported in a 2024 feature by the startup outlet Shifter, is that around 60% of online-shop sales came from women buying the product for male partners [7].

Værbitt is active. Launched in April 2024 — confirmed by founder Erik Getz Skotvedt's LinkedIn announcement that week and a Shifter feature dated 22 April 2024 [9][7] — it operates as a small Norwegian direct-to-consumer brand that also sells through resellers including Cutters, Anton Sport and the pharmacy channel. The site's copyright ranges from 2024 through 2026, reflecting an idea conceived in 2023 and a first commercial launch in 2024; the launch year is taken as 2024. The company reports roughly 10,000 units sold, with its most recent blog post dated February 2025.