Recently on a trip to Coney Island, I offered some sunscreen to an African American friend. She laughed and said, “I don’t have to worry about getting a sunburn.” I asked her if she was worried about skin cancer. She laughed again. I began to wonder if skin cancer is a concern for people of color? You never think about men getting breast cancer, although, rare, some men do.
I did some research and what I found alarmed me.
People of Color are at a risk for developing skin cancer
Dermatologist Maritza I. Perez, MD, a senior vice president of The Skin Cancer Foundation was once quoted as saying “People who have dark skin tones often believe they’re not at risk for skin cancer, but that is a dangerous misconception. In fact, while dark skin is less likely to get skin cancer when they do get it’s more likely to be diagnosed late. Dark skin hides the telltale signs and as a result, people of color who do get skin cancer are far more likely to die from it. Singer Bob Marley died from Melanoma.
The Skin Cancer Foundation conducted a survey and 63 percent of African American participants said they never use sunscreen.
This has to stop. But, unfortunately, one of the big reasons darker-skinned people don’t use sunscreen is because zinc oxide, the gold standard for sun protection, which can leave dark skin looking ashy from the white residue leaving streaks on the skin.
Black Girl Sunscreen
The days of searching for an amazing sunscreen for melanin-infused skin are over. Black Girl Sunscreen doesn’t contain harmful ingredients or that annoying off-white residue. Rub it in, and just like lotion, it dries clear. Visit their site here.
Check out this beauty blogger doing the Black Girl Sunscreen Rub-In Challenge
Natural ingredients in Black Girl Sunscreen help rejuvenate your face and body while helping you to stay moisturized. It also is free of
- Fragrance
- Paraben
- Oxybenzone
- Octinoxate
Black Girl sunscreen is non-greasy and can be worn as a moisturizer under makeup! Also, check out their Black Girl Sunscreen for kids with SPF 50. Get 20% off your first order when you sign up for their mailing list.
Enter to win Black Girl Sunscreen
We’re giving away two bottles of Black Girl Sunscreen to two lucky winners. Leave a comment below telling us why you would like to win.