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- Black Girl Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 30. Pros. Hydrating. Cons. Henry recommends Black Girl Sunscreen to her clients, which is a culty among shoppers who've looked high and low for SPF that genuinely disappears once it's applied to deeper skin tones.
- Mele No Shade Sunscreen Oil. Pros. Absorbs quickly. Cons. May not be ideal for those who prefer a more traditional sunscreen formula. Not a fan of how sunscreen feels on your face?
- CeraVe Hydrating Sunscreen SPF 30 Face Sheer Tint. Pros. Hydrating. Cons. For an expert-approved mineral option, Henry also suggests CeraVe's tinted sunscreen, which offers lightweight SPF 30 protection and features a subtle tint to even your skin tone.
- Fenty Skin Hydra Vizor SPF 30 Sunscreen Moisturizer. Pros. Vegan. Cons. One of Rihanna's unofficial goals with her namesake brand Fenty Skin is make suncare glam—and effortless—for all skin tones and types.
- Overview
- How did this sunscreen gap come about?
- Word of mouth myths: Is there “natural” sun protection?
- Health education and product diversity can help bridge this gap
Where did the SPF knowledge gap begin?
Do Black people need sunscreen? Plug this question into Google and you get over 70 million results that all emphasize a resounding yes.
And yet the conversation of how necessary this preventive practice is has been disregarded — and sometimes by the Black community — for years.
Leah Donnella wrote for NPR’s ‘Code Switch,’ “I never really worried about protecting my skin from the sun. ‘Black don’t crack’ wasn’t a phrase I really heard a lot growing up. If anything, it was ‘black don’t burn.’”
However, this lack of awareness isn’t a myth that comes from the Black community itself. It starts with the medical community.
Historically, the field of medicine hasn’t given Black people adequate medical care, and the field of dermatology is no exception.
When it comes to skin cancer, decreasing the risk is just as important as decreasing the degree to which people die from it.
Research suggests that many patients and physicians believe that non-white people are “immune” to common skin cancers. They aren’t. This myth may have come from the statistic that the Black community has a lower incidence of skin cancer.
However, what’s left out of the conversation is: Black folks who do develop skin cancer may be more likely to receive a late-stage prognosis.
Squamous cell carcinoma is a common type of cancer that develops on skin that has received prolonged exposure to the sun. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, in the United States alone, there are about 700,000 new diagnosis each year.
Despite being the second most common skin cancer, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin is usually curable when caught early.
Although skin cancer is less prevalent in the black community than in the white population, when it does occur among people of color, it tends to be diagnosed at a later, and more advanced, stage.
We all know about the magic of melanin. According to Dr. Meena Singh of the Kansas Medical Clinic, “patients with darker skin tones have a natural SPF of 13” — but when it comes to the sun’s damaging effects, the power of melanin is hugely overstated.
For one, the natural SPF of 13 that some Black people have in their skin is a lot less than the daily use of a SPF 30 or higher that dermatologists recommend for sun protection.
Fortunately, there’s a changing tide to make skin care more knowledgeable and inclusive for Black skin.
Dermatology organizations such as the Skin of Color Society are actively working to give research grants to dermatologists to study Black skin.
According to Dr. Singh, “There has been an enhanced focus on sun protection within the academic dermatology realm, as well as increasing specialized knowledge about treating skin of color, while also increasing the number of Black dermatologists.”
More companies are also becoming attuned to the needs of Black people.
As Dr. Kelly Cha, Michigan Medicine dermatologist, pointed out in a 2018 article, much of the advertising and packaging of sunscreen and sun protection has been geared toward non-Black people.
That marketing strategy may have helped increase the idea that sun care wasn’t important in the Black community.
- Tiffany Onyejiaka
- Neutrogena Beach Defense Water-Resistant Face & Body SPF 70 Sunscreen Lotion. Protect your skin from the harsh outdoor elements with Neutrogena Beach Defense Face and Body Sunscreen Lotion with Broad Spectrum SPF 70.
- CeraVe Hydrating Sheer Sunscreen SPF 30. If you're looking for a sunscreen that will protect your skin from harmful rays while also keeping it hydrated, CeraVe Hydrating Sheer Sunscreen is definitely worth considering.
- EXTRASHADE Premium Hydro Boost Sunscreen for Face & Body. Protect your black skin with confidence, maintaining a healthy, even complexion.
- Sun Bum Original SPF 50 Sunscreen Lotion. If you're looking for a sunscreen that is perfect for black skin, then the Sun Bum Original SPF 50 Sunscreen Lotion is definitely worth considering.
People also ask
Is sunscreen good for black skin?
Should you buy black-owned sunscreen?
What is the best sunscreen for dark skin?
Do people of color need sunscreen?
While melanin can protect from the sun’s harmful rays, people of color still need to wear sunscreen to stay safe. A dermatologist and skin of color specialist explains.
Sep 30, 2022 · Best lightweight sunscreen for dark skin: HABIT No. 41 Facial Sunscreen Mist. Best high SPF sunscreen for dark skin: La Roche-Posay Anthelios Light Fluid Sunscreen. Best body sunscreen for dark ...
Jul 28, 2023 · Black Girl Sunscreen SPF 30. Black Girl Sunscreen, a Black-owned brand that makes sunscreens specifically for people of color, comes recommended by all four dermatologists we spoke to. The ...
Jul 28, 2022 · Buttah Skin. Founded by: Dorion Renau in 2018. About the Brand: With raw, organic shea butter at the core of the brand, Buttah Skin is all about crafting skincare products for melanin-rich skin tones that hydrate, even the skin tone, and protect. Buttah. Tinted Mineral Facial Sunscreen SPF 30 $24.00.
