For those who think their skin colour exempts them from having to worry about sun protection, boy are you are wrong! Damaging UV (Ultra Violet) rays can penetrate all types of skin, regardless of your ethnicity, so even people with dark skin, that’s right black people need sunscreen.

Wearing daily SPF (Sun Protection Factor) is essential for maintaining healthy skin. Even as Black people, the sun’s harmful rays can still do immense damage to our skin. Melanin increases in response to sun exposure and your skin gets darker, but that natural “tan” isn’t protecting your skin; it’s a sign of sun damage.

UV exposure causes cell damage, and the body produces more melanin as a protective mechanism, these harmful rays can lead to certain forms of skin cancer and other unwanted skin conditions. While skin cancer rates are significantly lower in black people, low risk does not mean zero risk. With studies showing that 1 in 100,000 black people will be diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime.

Now that we’ve scared you sufficiently into wearing sunscreen, let’s take a look at what too much sun exposure can do to your skin. The damage caused by UV exposure will make your skin look older, it leads to;

• Sagging skin,
• Loss of volume from the face,
• Hyper-pigmentation,
• Fine lines and wrinkles

Now that we’ve convinced you to use sunscreen, how do you decide what to use?

Black people are born with a natural SPF (Sun Protection Factor) of about 13.

A great place to start is with an SPF 30. Which means that it would protect you 30 times longer than if you had no sunscreen on. There are Plethora of body lotions that have spf in them, however, you can mix sunscreen into your daily body lotion or butters to ensure an even, seamless application of sunscreen all over your entire body.

A big fear we as black woman face is that sunscreen has the tendency to make us look purple, grey or ashy. So we have tips to help you find the perfect sunscreen.

• Opt for Zinc Oxide

An unexpected ghostly glow is never a welcomed part of any beauty routine. Zinc oxide-infused sunscreens provides a glow without the risk of leaving a “cakey” or chalky, grey film.

• Always Go For Broad Spectrum

Broad Spectrum SPF is the best form of protection against sun emission. Sun care products solely containing SPF, aka Sun Protection Factor, fight against UVB rays only. Broad Spectrum-infused SPF protects against both UVA and UVB rays.

Check out these proudly African sunscreen and sun aftercare products

So whilst you may be walking around with a buit in SPF, prevention is always better than cure. Ladies let’s take the time to apply sunscreen daily and ensure our skin stays looking young, fresh