One myth that's been perpetuated for too long? That dark-skinned people don’t need to wear sunscreen since extra melanin is present in the skin. But melanin alone is not enough to protect you from the sun. A base tan gives you about the protection of an SPF4 sunscreen, while just wearing a t-shirt gives you closer to SPF7 protection. Anyone, no matter their skin tone, can get sunburnt - and skin cancer.
To reduce your risk of skin cancer, wearing sunscreen that has broad-spectrum protection and an SPF30 or greater is the way to go. But there are so many formulas out there and most of them leave an annoying white cast on dark skin, making it an expensive trial and error when choosing products.
So, let’s get some answers on your - *ahem* - burning questions on the best sunscreens for dark skin. We’ve done some homework so that you don’t have to trawl through the pharmacy aisles anymore!
One myth that's been perpetuated for too long? That dark-skinned people don’t need to wear sunscreen since extra melanin is present in the skin. But melanin alone is not enough to protect you from the sun. A base tan gives you about the protection of an SPF4 sunscreen, while just wearing a t-shirt gives you closer to SPF7 protection. Anyone, no matter their skin tone, can get sunburnt - and skin cancer.
To reduce your risk of skin cancer, wearing sunscreen that has broad-spectrum protection and an SPF30 or greater is the way to go. But there are so many formulas out there and most of them leave an annoying white cast on dark skin, making it an expensive trial and error when choosing products.
So, let’s get some answers on your - *ahem* - burning questions on the best sunscreens for dark skin. We’ve done some homework so that you don’t have to trawl through the pharmacy aisles anymore!
