Most people think that sunscreen is only used by people with fair and light skin tones because white skin shows burn more visibly than darker skin tones.
Worryingly, a huge 63% of African Americans surveyed said that they never use sunscreen!
However, black, dark and brown skin tones can still suffer from UV sun damage.
Since different skin tones react differently to the sun, you need the right sunscreen for your skin tone.
We’ve picked out the very best sunscreen for black skin on the market.
1. Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Eventone Suncare
Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula with Vitamin E, Eventone Suncare Sunscreen Lotion has an SPF of 30 and has a five-star rating on Amazon.
This is the best sunscreen for dark skin tones because it protects your skin with the daily recommended SPF.
It moisturizes and nourishes your skin with Cocoa Butter and Vitamin E.
Additionally, it blends smoothly into your skin without leaving white spots. These are hard to mix in with deeper skin complexions.
Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Eventone Suncare contains cocoa butter, shea butter and coconut oil.
These active ingredients are natural moisturizers. This protects your skin from the damaging effects of the sun and help you maintain a youthful even skin tone.
Not to mention, the cocoa butter gives this sunscreen and delightful scent. It’s sweeter and and more natural compared to most other brands of sunscreen that have an alcohol or chemical scent.
Different Skin Types Explained
Palmer’s is the best sunscreen for dark skin because it provides so many benefits for taking care of your dark skin that other brands lack.
CocoaPlex technology helps to prevent dark spots and uneven uneven skin tone and premature aging. Just what you want from a sunscreen.
It provides 80 minutes of water and sweat resistance. It has UVA/UVB Broad Spectrum protection to leave a sheer radiance on skin without any white, pasty residue.
Palmer’s is the best sunscreen for brown skin because it doesn’t leave the skin greasy or oily. Rather, it moisturizes and protects the skin.
There aren’t any visible dry patches or white lines when you’re out in the sun.
While some people don’t think that sunscreen is as important for people with black skin, it is!
It’s very important for you to use sunscreen and protect your skin every time that you’re exposed to the sun.
Why don’t people with dark skin get sunburned like people with light skin?
People with darker skin tones have more melanin in their skin than light skinned people. Melanin protects our skin from sun damage.
However, it’s not enough on its own to completely protect us from sunburn and exposure to skin cancer.
Black skin has the equivalent to an SPF of about 13.4 compared to white skin, which is around 3.4 SPF. An SPF of 30 is recommended for daily use in the sun.
Of course, there are many sunscreens on the market that have SPF of at least 30 and protect your skin from UV and UB sun damage.
What Makes Palmer’s Cocoa Butter the Best Sunscreen for Black Skin?
It leaves no white residue on dark skin.
This is a problem with many sunscreen brands. They market to people with whiter skin tones because they think they need sunscreen more.
However, skin cancer can be harder to identify on darker skin tones. It’s easy to spot new and developing dark spot and abnormalities on white skin tones because the pigmentation is so light.
It may take more time for someone to notice any beginning signs of developing skin cancer on darker skin tones.
This is because the dark spots and abnormalities can blend in with deeper complexions.
So, by the time someone with dark skin notices these signs of skin cancer, the cancer could have developed more and be harder to treat.
While it seems like sunscreen may not be that big of an issue for deep complexioned people, it’s crucial for the health of your skin to protect it from the sun and prevent skin cancer cells from developing.
2. Solbar Shield SPF40
This is a fantastic sunscreen for anyone, but works especially well on darker skin for a number of reasons.
This goes onto skin really smoothly and evenly, making it easier to blend in while providing great coverage.
I’ve chosen a nice, high factor to help you stay safe in the sun but there are lower SPFs available if you prefer (just make sure you reapply often!).
This sunscreen contains zinc oxide, which is better for sensitive skin as it’s not directly absorbed into the skin like other, chemical sunscreens.
This is a perfect formula for darker skin as the sunscreen becomes transparent when applied. No streaky patches!
This is a ‘broad spectrum’ sunscreen, meaning you’re protected against both UVA and UVB rays, both of which are harmful to the skin.
It’s reasonably-priced and is great for anyone with sensitive skin as it’s hypoallergenic.
3. Aveeno Baby Natural Protection Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50
I know, I know – it’s branded as a baby product.
It might sound a little bit strange, but I often turn to baby products when I’m struggling to find something safe and natural for my sensitive skin!
This sunscreen is ideal for anyone with darker skin who suffers from dry or sensitive skin as there’s nothing nasty in there that’s going to aggravate your skin.
It offers full protection against UVA and UVB rays and is a nice, high SPF so can be worn year-round and on holiday.
The minerals in this product do rest on your skin as opposed to fully sinking in, so make sure you spend some time really blending it in to avoid streaks.
Once rubbed in, it’s invisible so it suits all skin colors and tones.
4. La Roche-Posay Anthelios Face Sunscreen Ultra-Light Fluid with Antioxidants
This is a wonderful sunscreen designed for all skin types, and is great for people with darker skin as it blends in really nicely.
It may seem a little pricey in comparison to other products out there, but it’s well worth the money.
This is another ‘broad spectrum’ sunscreen’ and is really high in SPF so is a good choice if you’re going on holiday or already live in a country that gets a lot of sun (lucky you!).
This product also contains antioxidants – we all know that these are good for us but may not fully understand why…
Antioxidants protect our skin from free radicals – essentially, free radicals destabilize cells within the body and can cause skin damage such as wrinkles in the process.
They exist as a singular being within our bodies, naturally, but try and find a ‘partner’ and steal other free radicals that are potentially already coupled-up in order to balance themselves out.
This basically means that things can get pretty uneven in our bodies and can even lead to cancer in extreme cases.
Long story short – avoid free radicals, not matter how hippyish and quirky they sound.
5. Kanebo Sensai Silky Bronze Cellular Protective Stick Spf 30
This is the most expensive product on my list, but it has such great reviews that I couldn’t skip it!
This SPF 30 sunscreen protects against both UVA and UVB rays, which we all know now to be a good thing.
I included this for its coverage more than anything else.
Not only is it super hydrating, it also blends in amazingly-well, making it a fantastic option for all skin colors and tones. It’s lightweight and non-greasy, too.
It also contains something called ‘CPX Vital Extract’ that acts as a sort of youth serum.
This little miracle addition works to protect your skin from sun damage, as well as reversing any existing skin conditions such as wrinkles and fine lines.
Good for you long-term and short-term!
6. Heliocare SPF 50 Gel
This sunscreen has been pretty widely suggested as one of the absolute best products for anyone with dark skin.
Again, it may seem a little pricey but don’t let that put you off…
Its USP – ‘fernblock’. You’ve never heard of it for a reason, as it’s an ingredient unique to this brand.
This miracle-worker is naturally found in ferns (who would’ve thought it?!) and has lots of lovely little benefits for you, namely protecting your skin from sun damage.
This blends really nicely so is perfect for all skin colors and tones, and it’s also packed with anti-aging goodness.
Natural ‘ultrasomes’ help your DNA rebuild any damaged areas while protecting against potential future damage.
7. Sun Bum Moisturizing Sunscreen Lotion
This is the last product for this guide and it’s a nice little bargain.
This sunscreen has so many things going for it in general.
It’s vegan, hypoallergenic, protects against UVA and UVB rays and is super water-resistant.
The reason it made it to this list, however, is its transparency!
This sunscreen blends in really nicely and won’t leave you with any dodgy streaks or clumps.
This goes on very smoothly and doesn’t feel greasy and oily.
It’s also got pretty great sticking-power and is water-resistant, so, although reapplying throughout the day is important, you won’t constantly be stressing about it…
Admittedly, it is a fragranced product, which I’d normally steer clear of, but it’s a great product nonetheless. Well worth considering!
conclusion
It’s hard enough to find a sunscreen that leaves no residue or white streaks on your dark skin. Palmer’s does this and also has so many additional benefits for your skin.
There’s no reason why you shouldn’t try this brand.
That’s why we’ve decided that it’s the best sunscreen for black skin on the market. It smells wonderful and is sold for a low price.
Can’t wait to get your hands on it? Get it on Amazon today!
