Gone are the days of that white, ashy looking sunscreen with shiny, white undertone. Luckily for us dark skin people, there are now a lot of brands now that do melanin friendly sunscreens that are transparent, dissolves fast, less greasy and works very well under make up.
“Skin damage from the sun’s
UV rays can occur in people
of all skin tones”
Here are my recommended favorite sunscreens for all the different types of skin and FAQ’s to help you understand and guide you with picking the best sunscreen for the summer (and all year long);
For Sensitive Skin
For Normal – Oily Skin
Pros: Provides essential broad spectrum protection, great under makeup, oil free, light weight, absorbs quickly.
For Normal – Dry Skin
Pros: Lightweight, non-shiny finish, water resistant, non-comedogenic, broad spectrum protection, UVA/UVB protection
For Acne Prone Skin
Pros: Oil free, broad spectrum protection, UVA/UVB protection, fragrance free, wter resistance, non –comedogenic (won’t clog pores) , matte finish so skin can breathe.
Important FAQ’s
What is the meaning of SPF?
SPF stands for sun protection factor and refers to the theoretical amount of time you can stay in the sun without getting sunburned. For example, an SPF of 15 would allow you to stay in the sun 15 times longer than you could without protection.
What is UVB and UVA?
You should buy a broad spectrum sunscreen when possible as broad spectrum sunscreens filter both UVA and UVB rays. UVA and UVB rays are the ultraviolet rays that reach the earth from the sun. UVA rays penetrate your skin more deeply than UVB and are one of the key factors in skin aging, tanning and wrinkling while UVB rays are more responsible for sun burns and bright red skin.
Does sunscreen work right away?
Mineral sunscreens with titanium dioxide and zinc oxide start working immediately with no need to wait before you go outside. Other sunscreen will require you to wait 30 min before leaving your house so it has enough time to settle in your skin.
Do I need to apply a moisturizer after applying sunscreen?
Most sunscreens are also moisturizing, especially the ones for the face. You can skip applying moisturizer if you have oily or acne prone skin.
Do we need to use sunscreen everyday?
Yes! You should wear sunscreen all year round and even when there’s an overcast with clouds outside because your skin is being affected by the sun. Unfortunately, clouds are not natural sun protection.
Is the SPF in my foundation good enough?
Not all th time. usually it has 15 SPF which is small. I would suggest you use a proper sunscreen and use this as an added bonus. The best sunscreen to wear under makeup is one that is translucent and has effective UVB protection.
Should I get the spray or the cream?
There isn’t much difference between spray and cream. To me, sprays just seem easier to apply but I feel you get more for your money with the cream.
How do I apply sunscreen?
To apply your sunscreen under your makeup, spray your face or rub in your sunscreen. Wait until it’s dry and set, usually 3-5 min. Make sure you rub it in smoothly so that your foundation goes on smooth with no streaks.
For my sun protection on my body, what is the best SPF needed?
Between SPF 30 and SPF 50 because the environment has changed and solar UV rays are more powerful.
Here’s a guide:
SPF 30: You will get darker, but not crispy.
SPF 50: You will get a light tan or depending on your skin tone, not one at all
SPF 85: You should keep your original skin tone.
Dangerous ingredients to look our for ?
Retinyl palmitate (Vitamin A) may cause tumors and lesions to develop more quickly when skin is exposed to the sun. Nneka Leiba, Senior Research Analyst and the guide’s lead author, says that “The FDA and National Toxicology both say it may heighten risk of skin damage and cancer.” Oxybenzone is linked to hormone disruption and can cause allergic reactions. EWG recommends choosing products with one of these ingredients instead: zinc, titanium dioxide, avobenzone, or Mexoryl.
Extra things to know: Don’t slather it on once and stay out all day, reapply sunscreen every few hours. Avoid the sun completely from 10AM to 2PM and if you have to be out, use a hat, clothings and sunglasses as extra protection. Wearing sunscreen everyday can save you lots of skin woes in the future.
What’s your favorite sunscreen?
Leave a comment below to let us know.
5 Comments
Tania L
April 26, 2017 at 6:33 pmGreat post! One time I got sunburned really bad when I went to the carribean. I didn't wear sunscreen because I thought I was black and couldn't burn. It was crazy at the moment because my skin was peeling off. Had to get some aloe vera gel to cool off. Ever since, that SPF85 has been an every vacation must have. It really is very important to use sun block and not neglect it. Keep up the good work on your blog 🙂
Unknown
June 16, 2017 at 9:46 amIt is very important to wear sunscreen whether your skin is light or dark. Nowadays the use of sunscreen can protect your skin from different negative sun effects and every sunscreen has its own factor of protection, which is denoted by the letters SPF and number, for example, SPF-15. The numbers show us the time how long a person can stay in the sun compared to the time of the safe exposure to the sun without protection. Thanks for sharing such an interesting information.
Kathreen@Dermology hair removal cream 🙂
Rebecca@Revitol skin brightener cream
June 26, 2017 at 6:03 amDark skin also required sun's cream. All women face dark spots problems, hyper-pigmentation anti-aging, blemishes and that such kind of problems, doesn't looks good. You should you good creams for that, to avoid such kinds of signs related problems.
Evie@Lifecell anti aging cream now in Canada
June 26, 2017 at 6:30 amIn general, women with brown skin do not age as quickly as women of European descent. Therefore, invasive anti-aging procedures such as facelifts and laser resurfacing are usually not necessary. However, brown skin may still benefit from several forms of rejuvenation. One of these forms involves applying topical anti-aging creams. These creams are popular among women with brown skin as a first line of defense against the signs of aging skin.
Evie@Lifecell all in one anti aging cream Canada
June 26, 2017 at 9:25 amDark skin woman also required sun's screen too. They also has aging signs problems too. One of these forms involves applying topical anti-aging creams. These creams are popular among women with brown skin as a first line of defense against the signs of aging skin.