Black skin doesn’t need SPF? Well, that was a myth.

I have always wondered why my face and neck were much darker than the rest of my body. To the point where I had to match my foundation with my chest so that there was no discolouration – now I know why. It is what I call the lack of SPF situationship.

You know there is a problem when you use filters or edit the demarcation between your face and your body on Picsart or something, lol! Okay, obviously, it isn’t as bad as I am describing, but it was a problem for me, and I didn’t understand why it happened. I know melanin works in mysterious ways, and our skin is not uniform across our bodies, but if there was a way I could amend this, I am here for it!

The science behind it

No matter your skin colour, the sun is literally out there releasing the highest degrees of heat and radiation. Sunburn is real, and it causes a lot of damage to us physically, mentally and biologically. My Nigerian parents always told me, “We don’t need to use SPF as we are always out in the sun, and we don’t get sunburnt or get skin cancer” the way I constantly side-eye them because I blame them for this.

The sun gives out UV rays which can cause skin cancer, hence why SPF, aka Sun Protection Factor and its natural resistance to sun damage, is recommended for ALL skin types!

Which SPF should you use as a black person?

As a black female, I found finding an SPF hard in the beginning. A lot of them left a white cast, making me look like Casper the ghost! This, of course, wasn’t intentional as those with fairer skin didn’t have that problem, so you can say it was targeted at a specific audience. However, it also didn’t help those who assumed black ppl didn’t need SPF.

Here are the two that I use at the moment. First, I use La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVmune 400 Invisible Fluid SPF50+ Fragrance-Free.

La Roche-Posay is a really good SPF! It is very light, leaves no white cast and is 50+ sunscreen. I use it in the morning, and if it is very hot, I would add another layer during the day.

The second one I use is actually a Korean mineralised SPF called BEAUTY OF JOSEON – Rice + Probiotic SPF50+ PA++++.

The BEAUTY OF JOSEON is absolutely wonderful! It is literally 100% chemical free, and it also leaves no white mask – for me anyways. It is also 50+ sunscreen, and it also offers PA++++, which is the Persistent Pigment Darkening (PPD) method. At level four, it offers 16+ of protection on top. So I would call this a mega-hit for the face!

My verdict so far…

I think these two SPF moisturisers are doing their jobs very well. I know you are meant to reapply them throughout the day, especially if it is very hot outside or you are swimming, however, I personally don’t do that – sue me if you are that bothered. Until they make a good spray version that I can spray on top of my makeup that doesn’t leave a white cast, I am content with my singular application of SPF.

Something is better than none at all!

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