5 Best Sunscreens for People With Dark Skin
We had 59 volunteers with complexions ranging from olive to deep brown try 16 sprays and lotions
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Dermatologists often say the best sunscreen for you is the one you’ll use. But finding the right fit can be harder for people with darker skin than it is for those with lighter skin.
Everyone, regardless of skin tone, needs to apply sunscreen to exposed skin when they’re outdoors. Regular use can help prevent skin cancer, as well as sunburn, premature skin aging, and melasma and hyperpigmentation—two conditions that are particular issues for people with darker skin. But no one wants to use a product that’s unflattering to their skin. “Some sunscreens leave white streaks on darker skin, or make it look purplish,” says Jenna Lester MD, director of the Skin of Color Clinic at the University of California, San Francisco.
Sunscreens People With Darker Skin Liked the Best
Here are the five sunscreens our panelists said worked best with their skin tones, listed in alphabetical order.
This sunscreen sunk in quickly and left the skin with a glow or a dewy look. “I’m very satisfied with how this sunscreen looks on my skin tone because it absorbs very well and it doesn’t leave a white cast,” said one participant who described her skin tone as level 7. Another with level 8 skin noted that it didn’t make her look chalky or ashy. The moisturizing effect of this product was also a plus. “My skin literally feels like velvet,” said a woman with level 6 skin.
This company says that its sunscreens are designed not to leave white streaks and that they “double as a moisturizing lotion.” In our review, this one lived up to those promises. "My skin tone looks the same after spraying the sunscreen,” said a participant with level 8 skin. Another, with level 6 skin, noted that after using the product, her skin was “very glossy and very moisturized as well.” Some said that it left their skin a little sticky or oily. There were two other sunscreens from Black Girl Sunscreen, a company that makes products specifically for people of color, in this evaluation. But they landed in the middle of the pack. Another Black Girl sunscreen wasn’t included in this evaluation because it didn’t rate highly in CR’s efficacy tests. Note: The Food and Drug Administration, which regulates sunscreens, doesn’t make a distinction between sunscreens for babies or children and those for adults. They all contain the same active ingredients and must meet the same criteria for safety and effectiveness. An adult can use a kid’s product and vice versa.
“Usually sunscreens . . . are very obvious on my skin tone. This one looks seamless," said a woman with type 7 skin. Many of the women commented on how lightweight and sheer this sunscreen felt, with some describing it as more like a body lotion than a sunscreen. "It made my skin feel silky. It had a sheen and a little gloss to it," a woman with type 5 skin said.
Some of the women noted that while this lotion goes on very white, it doesn’t take much rubbing to make the whiteness disappear. "It doesn’t leave harsh clumps of white like other sunscreens do,” said one with type 5 skin. Most thought it had a lightweight feel.
The participants appreciated the sunscreen’s non-greasy texture and the fact that it gave the skin a “natural” and moisturized look. When asked about how well the sunscreen looks on their specific skin tone, they were extremely satisfied because the sunscreen enhanced their skin tone without leaving a white cast. “I loved it! It was easy to put on and absorb. I didn’t have to spend an eternity rubbing it in,” said a woman with type 8 skin.
Sunscreens People With Darker Skin Didn't Love
Here are four sunscreens, listed in alphabetical order, that our volunteers said left white patches or streaks on their skin or that they didn’t like for other reasons.
This sunscreen wasn’t one of the top performers in CR’s efficacy tests, but it was the top-scoring mineral sunscreen in our ratings. Mineral sunscreens are notorious for leaving white patches. The titanium dioxide and zinc oxide they contain are white, and they protect by sitting on top of the skin. Only one participant specifically noted that the product left a white cast on her skin. But others said it didn’t absorb very well—taking more than 10 minutes to rub in in some cases—or it left streaks. Many said the sunscreen was “thick,” “greasy,” and “similar to Vaseline.”
There were some mixed feelings about this sunscreen. "I like how it makes my skin look but wish there was no white cast," said one woman with type 8 skin. In fact, many of the women noted that it left skin hydrated and glowy but said that it didn’t absorb well, and they were concerned that the white residue would be noticeable.
Compared with the Eucerin spray, fewer women who used this lotion said that it left white streaks on their skin, although one with type 6 skin complained of a silvery look. The main issue was that it was “thin,” “runny,” and “messy.”
Many of the volunteers appreciated that the sunscreen did not leave a white residue, making it suitable for various skin tones, including darker skin. However, some thought it was too shiny and that it left their skin feeling tacky or oily. "It looks as though I applied some grease or something like that to my skin," said one woman with type 6 skin.
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