10 Best Sunscreen Brands for Darker Skin Tones

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Imma be frank – my fellow black and brown peoples – YALL NEED TO WEAR SUNSCREEN!!! Literally, that’s it. That’s my presentation for today. Pick up sunscreen brands for darker skin tones.

No, like REALLY friends. I don’t care how much your Black don’t crack, your Asian don’t raisin, your Indigenous is limitless, your Arab keeps you cherub, your Hispanic so don’t panic, your Brown won’t let you down….Skin cancer DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE. Your melanin does not make you invincible to UV damage.

The Sun is KILLING People of Color!

Although Caucasians have the highest incidence rate of melanoma, it is MORE DEADLY in people of color. In fact, Black and African American patients are the most likely to be diagnosed with melanoma in its later stages than any other ethnic group. Black and African Americans also have the worst prognosis of melanoma and the lowest survival rate – attributed by late diagnosis.

While melanin can help protect skin, YES – black and brown people – we get sunburned AND skin cancer. It’s real. But….as with a lot of things in life, the industries don’t seem to address the needs of a diverse group of people.

Let’s talk about the white elephant in the room….

You ever think you’re looking cute at the beach, then when you look back at the pictures, your skin is grey??

Not all sunscreens are created equal.

Actually – A LOT OF THEM cast a distasteful grey, ashy residue when applied to darker skin tones. And who wants to look ashy on a yacht in Croatia?? Why aren’t there more sunscreen brands for darker skin tones? But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t wear it! That’s where I come in!

I did all the leg work for you! I went through dozensss of sunscreens and products to round up the best sunscreen brands for darker skin tones! White residue begone! Plus, sunscreen also helps with common problems like uneven blotchiness, hyperpigmentation, and dark spots!

For reference, I have clinically DRYYYYY skin and I’m the shade “Honey” in Too Faced foundation. I also asked some friends with oily and combination skin, as well as lighter and darker skin tones, to help weigh in on some of these recommendations!

– A note on sunscreen labels –

Well, let’s cover some of the basics before we dive into the best sunscreen brands for darker skin tones. I want to not only give you the best recommendations, but also equip you with the knowledge to find your own and know what to look for!

What is SPF?

This stands for Sun Protection Factor. Basically, it measures how well a sunscreen will protect your skin against UVB rays. UVB rays are the ones responsible for sunburns and damaging the outer skin layers. However, the sun has two types of rays. The second type is UVA rays, and those are the deep damaging rays that affect collagen and tissue. They are also the ones responsible for tanning (which is why they are used for tanning beds and not UVB rays -fun fact!). So, when looking at sunscreens, make sure it protects against both UVB and UVA rays!

What are the different SPF levels?

Now with that covered, let’s jump into SPF levels. Calculate how long it takes for your skin to burn. For a super simple example, let’s just say 10 minutes. If you use an SPF 15 sunscreen, that would mean the sunscreen would provide 15x that in protection – so now it would take 150 minutes for your skin to burn. Though, it’s variable depending on sun intensity, the amount of sunscreen used, and whatnot. Also, don’t go thinking SPF 100 is a million times more effective than a lower SPF.

• SPF 15 blocks 93% of UVB rays
• SPF 30 blocks 97% of UVB rays 
• SPF 50 blocks 98% of UVB rays
• SPF 100 blocks 99% of UVB rays

Paraben/Paraben free

In short, parabens are synthetic preservatives. Although multiple studies are very hesitant to state correlation, research published in 2004 detected traces of parabens in the breast tumors of 19 out of 20 women studied. Just something to keep in mind when looking for sunscreen brands for darker skin tones.

Reef Safe

Basically, you need to be checking for this if you plan on doing any snorkeling, scuba diving, or interacting with or near marine life. ACTUALLY, you know what, if you’re going into ANY body of the water AT ALL, make sure it’s reef safe. In fact, the sale of not-reef safe sunscreen has been banned in Hawai’i (good!). We want sunscreen brands for darker skin tones that also don’t leave nasty residue in the ocean! To check if your sunscreen is reef safe, it should NOT have the following ingredients :

petrolatum/” mineral oil” : takes years to biodegrade, and are known to be harmful or fatal to aquatic life and waterfowl

Titanium Dioxide : does not biodegrade and is found to react in warm seawater to form hydrogen peroxide which is harmful to all sea life

Oxybenzone and octinoxate : believed to cause coral bleaching (banned in Hawai’i)

What about Chemical vs Mineral

Chemical sunscreens have chemicals in them. It’s literally in the name. Even brands that are organic or vegan or whatever – THEY HAVE CHEMICALS. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing though. In fact, I like chemical sunscreens. I don’t personally have a problem with them. But if you are someone that wants to steer clear of chemicals, make sure you get a mineral sunscreen that works by physically blocking UV rays. Most brands in stores usually have a mineral version of their product! The downside, if you have dark skin, they have a tendency to leave a white cast, so make sure to try it out before going on vacation!

Black Girl Sunscreen

Hands down, my favorite sunscreen option! It’s sheer, lightweight, fragrance-free (yay sensitive skin!), AND reef safe y’all. And, of course, no white residue. I absolutely love love love it. Also, it’s not just for women. It is one of the greatest sunscreen brands for darker skin tones! AND now it’s more commercially available! It is now available at Target, or online on their website!

Reef Safe!

Hawaiian Tropic

If you have sensitive skin, I wouldn’t recommend this one, but it works for me! It has a really pleasant smell, and super lightweight! However, it is NOT reef safe, so do not use it in water! You can find it in most drug stores and it isn’t too expensive, so this (and the next one) are my go-to sunscreens for every day! You can grab it on Amazon too.

NOT Reef Safe!

SunBum

THIS is my new favorite everyday sunscreen, AND it’s Vegan – woop woop! It has a sliiight fragrance, like coconut or something, but it is hypoallergenic and I know VERY sensitive skin people who use Sun Bum but it does not upset their skin. They also have SPF lip balm that works great! You can get it from any drugstore or even Amazon!

Reef Safe!

Glossier Invisible Shield

This one is on the more expensive side, but probably THE MOST lightweight out of all of them. The consistency is more like a water-y gel or serum, and applies clear. It’s really nice. And it’s Vegan and hypoallergenic. But again, es a little caro. Also, it is not water resistant 🙁 . But, it is a nice daily wear sunscreen! You can get it either on the Glossier website, or on Amazon!

NOT water resistant!

Supergoop Unseen

If you have oily skin – THIS IS THE PRODUCT FOR YOU! This sunscreen is oil-free and fragrance free! YAAAS! (though, secretly, I think the Glossier is less oily). Buuut that said, it’s tinted. So for people with deeper skin tones, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it. That said, it is great for sensitive and acne prone skin! However, this one comes in bigger bottles than Glossier. So it could be good for whole-body protection. I have seen it listed on Amazon, but honestly some of the reviews from Amazon have complaints of being sent a different product. So here is the Nordstrom link!

Reef Safe!

Murad Essential-C Day Moisture

And finally, if you’re just looking for something real quick and aren’t trying to do a full 9-step Korean beauty routine every morning, this sunscreen doubles as a moisturizer! Yay! It is also great for anyone prone to hyper-pigmentation. However, it is not reef safe, so make sure to stay dry with this one. You can grab some on Amazon!

NOT Reef Safe!

Any Other Sunscreen Questions??

AND there you have it folks! My sunscreen recommendations for anyone with darker skin! And, if you have white or lighter skin, don’t worry. These sunscreen brands will work brilliantly on you as well! Plus, you should stock up so when your POC friends come over, you’ll have a suitable sunscreen for them as well! Spread the sun protection!

And now that you are all reef safe and white residue free, you can hit up XCARET, Mexico’s coolest eco-cultural theme park! Do you have any recommendations for sunscreen brands for darker skin tones? Share them in the comments below!

Helpful? Save it for your next beach day!

Do you have any favorite sunscreen brands for darker skin that don’t leave any white residue – AND is reef safe? Let me know your recommendations in the comments below!

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