About

Bakslap Founder, Raph McGowan is an avid adventurer-turned-inventor. The 'bakslap' was inspired after the loss of his beautiful sister Tess to melanoma skin cancer at age 31. He soon learnt that the rate of melanoma in Australia and the world was alarming high and, on the increase and he wanted to do something about it. He found that a common reason people have difficulty applying sunscreen to their back, and subsequently getting burnt is because this area cannot be completely reached and covered. Research has found that getting sun burn on your back is the most at-risk place for developing fatal melanoma. So in 2017 Raph went all-in and started on a new path learning to design, manufacture and patent a simple solution. The bakslap applicator allows you to apply any lotion to those hard-to-reach places like the back while keeping your hands mess-free. Having a new, physical product was a way of having people ask ‘what is that?’ and at some point in the response discover our brand messaging of ‘enjoying the sunshine but doing so responsibly’. We place great emphasis on our designs to use lots of colour and cool icons in an aim to make sun safety fun and appealing for all ages. We’re proud to partner with Melanoma Institute Australia, where from every purchase of our applicator we donate $1 to support the vital research they conduct in finding a cure. We continue to add more products to our range as well as grow our team who all share the same passion for impacting the lives of others.