Hampton Sun

Hampton Sun Represents the Golden Age of Poolside Glamour

By Amy Brody Poliakoff

In a modern era where Botox, fillers, and plastic surgery have permeated through modern society, people are eager to find the most organic and natural way to achieve skin and youthful protection. Hampton Sun, a revolutionary sun care and product line, is synonymous with capturing the golden age of poolside glamour with an educational awareness for supreme protection. Like a Slim Aarons photograph, Hampton Sun represents from its prime packaging to its versatility in products, a picturesque portrayal of luxurious resort and lifestyle branding.

Inspired by the Hamptons, from which the company took its name, Hampton Sun was founded in 2005 by the entrepreneurial partnership and genius of Salvatore Piazzolla and Grant Wilfley. The dynamic duo in life and business, met in the Hamptons and have been together for 22 years. Piazzolla runs the day-today operations of the brand while Wilfley is on the creative side. Creativity comes easy to Wilfley as he is one of New York’s most successful casting directors both for film and television, having recently worked on projects like the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and West Side Story.

The successful couple first ran their idea for the skin care company past friend and designer Michael Kors. Kors enthusiasm steered Piazzolla and Wilfley to the right contacts and their brand was up and running. Today, Hampton Sun has grown to an international staple for skin protection being sold in five-star resorts from the Breakers and Four Seasons in Palm Beach to boutique Hamptons hideaways and private clubs like the Maidstone. Spending over two years working with world renowned chemists, Salvatore Piazzolla and Grant Wilfley developed a formula that protects individuals from harmful UVA rays and at the same time provides the ultimate protection by locking in moisture and hydration. Piazzolla and Wilfley understood that spending a strong focus on testing for the right light texture consistency would separate their brand from other skin care companies. Recommended by dermatologist Lance H. Brown M.D., a clinical assistant professor at the NYU Department of Dermatology and recognized by New York Magazine as one of the city’s best doctors, Hampton Sun breaks barriers by providing multilevel SPF preparations and now a versatility of products. Offering products such as “Airbrush Bronzy Mist” used by Jennifer Lopez in the movie “Hustler” to create that perfectly tan glow to their Privet Bloom scent body lotion, candles or even room diffusers, Hampton Sun is a lifestyle brand capturing the alluring fragrances of the Hamptons hedges and bringing the summertime senses to all global communities.

“When I ride my bike to the beach and that Privet hedge is in bloom in late June and early July, that little white flower is so memorable and distinctive, if you have ever smelled it. It sticks into your memory and for me that was the scent that we captured for our fragrance,” said Piazzolla.

With a strong love for the Hamptons, NYC and Palm Beach, Sal Piazzolla understands the importance of sophisticated smells. Both scented and unscented sunscreens and athletic mist sprays are offered by Hampton Sun. Their Privet Bloom fragrance has been the number one selling fragrance for eight consecutive years in the Hamptons, along with its listing as one of W Magazine’s top 10 fragrances, next to Chanel.

Piazzolla understands the ever-changing market and always likes to be ahead of the curve. With the COVID-19 pandemic, Hampton Sun released their own

hand sanitizer featuring the Privet Bloom scent which has been a top selling product for them. With a constant commitment to the latest technology and advanced testing, Hampton Sun focused on restructuring, resort sales, new product development and a stronger push on digital marketing throughout the pandemic. Hampton Sun can be found not only in luxury resorts, spas, cruise ships, and high-end retailers but online platforms like Net-A-Porter, Neiman Marcus, Amazon, Revolve and Bergdorf Goodman, just to name a few. Always moving forward, Piazolla and Hampton Sun are excited, in the coming weeks, to release their new SPF 15 and SPF 30 body oil with hyaluronic acid that is a dry oil and will leave no filmy residue.

With a team of over 25 employees and mentors like Cedric Prouvè, Group President at Estee Lauder International, Piazzolla says he is blessed to be surrounded by amazing insight, guidance and expertise that is just priceless.

“There is an educational component to our product. Melanoma has increased significantly throughout the years, and we keep hearing about it more and more and how we can conquer that. We must stay protected, and I think we have achieved that. We have so much more to do to get that message out and it is all in steps,” said Piazzolla.

With homes in both the Hamptons and Palm Beach, Piazzolla’s heart lies with both paradises. He is so blessed to see how well both communities have embraced the Hampton Sun products.

“I cycle everywhere and both communities provide me with that, especially Palm Beach. It is the lifestyle and the island that give me a sense of calm and peace. It is an opportunity to really remove myself from city life and the hustle and bustle and really connect with my soul and nature. Making the decision to move to Palm Beach gives me a lot of clarity and the ability to rethink things with a very clear lens. I really get to enjoy the beauty of Palm Beach now,” said Piazzolla.

Hampton Sun has been the sponsor for the US Open for the past two years and is now considered one of the leading brands, not just for skin care but for spectacular scents as well. Using natural ingredients and clean formulas, Hamptons Sun is not only the number one product in the Hamptons and Palm Beach, but a leading luxury brand on the global stage.