This Sunscreen With a Naturally Brown Tint is Proof That Miracles Do Exist

Ask any black girl what her (beauty) pet peeve is and I guarantee at least half of them will say sunscreen that leaves a white cast. Most of us were taught that ashiness should be avoided like the plague, which makes it especially annoying that something meant to protect our melanin also makes us look like Casper the Friendly Ghost. My job has afforded me the opportunity to swipe and slather on more sunscreens than I can keep up with, but this Naturally Serious Mineral Sun Defense Moisturizer is by far the best I’ve used to date.

If you haven’t heard of this brand before, I wouldn’t be completely surprised. It only launched just last year in Sephora as part of its illustrious “Clean Beauty” fleet. Right now, I think there’s a very clear divide amongst people who prefer products that work, but aren’t necessarily “organic” versus those who swear by coconut oil for just about everything. This brand isn’t for either or; instead, I’d say it’s for that person who wants to be generally more responsible and tip-toe into a more eco-conscious routine.

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What I love about this brand specifically is that it’s pretty holistic about its clean approach; from the list of Banned, Debated, and Ambiguous ingredients it avoids to the recyclable packaging. In other words, it didn’t slap the clean label on its products just to look cool. It’s actually the real deal. I’ve yet to try everything in the range (give this product junkie some time), but the SPF has already become a permanent part of my routine. For one, it’s mineral-based which is the only type of sunscreen I feel comfortable putting on my skin.

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Though chemical sunscreens do a good job of absorbing the sun’s rays so they don’t touch your skin, the ingredients–often harmful and irritating–have to absorb into the skin first. Mineral sunscreens, on the other hand, use natural ingredients (usually zinc oxide and titanium dioxide) that sit on top of your skin and reflect UV rays away from the surface instead. To that same point, the downside of mineral sunscreens is that you’re often left with that white cast, which is especially visible on brown skin. Knowing this, I immediately wondered what gave Naturally Serious’ formula that brown tint that not only put me at ease, but actually blended in without altering my skin tone.

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As it turns out, there’s no complicated explanation. Rochelle Jacobs, Managing Director of Naturally Serious, told me, “The tint comes from the iron oxides – a mineral known to be safe, gentle and non-toxic on the surface of the skin.” That’s it. That’s the magic sauce, along with making sure you really lather it in and use a small amount because a little goes a long way. Other than that, prepare to take plenty of makeup-free selfies once you try it and realize it’s one of the best ways to protect your glow this summer and beyond.

from StyleCaster