8 Best Sunscreens for Dark Skin, According to Skincare Experts

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Best overall/Best for kids

EltaMD UV Pure Kids Sunscreen Lotion

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Master Esthetician Sarah Akram says mineral sunscreens like the EltaMD lotion are the best sunscreens for dark skin for little ones. “My preferred sunscreen for babies is a minimum SPF 30 [with] zinc [oxide] and titanium [dioxide],” she tells us. “Baby skin is more fragile than adult skin, so it easily burns. So I prefer these sunscreens over clear gels or aerosol sprays because I know they are more effective [at protecting the skin].”

This zinc oxide and titanium dioxide-rich water-resistant formula reflects and scatters UVA and UVB rays and melts onto wet or dry skin quickly, which is plus when reapplying SPF to the skin of wiggly kids ready to spend more time in the sun doing summer activities.

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Best budget

Kinlo Golden Rays Sunscreen

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Sunscreen for dark skin and mineral SPFs aren’t usually synonymous because it guarantees a white cast on the skin. However, this skin tint passes the swatch test. I say this from experience, which isn’t all that surprising considering award-winning tennis player Naomi Osaka crafted the brand with melanin-rich skin in mind. The tinted sunscreen is infused with SPF 50+ alongside skin-loving ingredients like jojoba, safflower seed oils and zinc oxide that protects the skin from UV and blue light rays.

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Best brightening

Bolden Brightening Moisturizer Sunscreen

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For skin that needs brightening, having vitamin C built-in is an excellent help. Not only does this squalane and safflower oil-infused broad-spectrum sunscreen not leave behind an unwanted chalky cast, but vitamin C in the formula addresses hyperpigmentation while protecting the skin from sun damage. This makes it one of the best sunscreens for dark skin, even with sensitive skin.

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Best sweatproof

Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protector Lotion

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Across the internet, this lightweight, Shiseido SPF 50+ sunscreen is a fan favorite. If you’re planning a full day on the water, once this formula is on, it will not budge when wet. Its wet force technology takes negative ions in the formula and combines them with positive ions in water and perspiration to form bonds.

This creates a layer of invisible sun protection that is waterproof and sweatproof. While the SPF’s heat force technology activates by external heat, it creates a super-strength UV-protective barrier.

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Best SPF and primer duo

Tizo3 Facial Mineral Sunscreen and Primer

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“Tizo3 Facial Mineral Sunscreen and Primer is amazing because it’s a physical block,” Akram shares. Akram says a tinted mineral sunscreen helps prevent the dreaded white cast that many mineral sunscreens leave behind on dark skin. Additionally, she says not to get hung up on the white cast when we’re spending much more time in the sun.

“I’m not saying walk around with a white cast on your face running errands to and from the grocery store. But if you’re having a beach day or going to be outside, it’s OK to have a little bit of a white cast on the skin. That’s a shield to help protect the skin, especially with how strong the sun is these days.”

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Best spray

Cay Skin Isle Nourishing Body Mist

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For a spray SPF, this highly reviewed body mist boasting SPF 50 broad-spectrum UV protection and a Clean at Sephora seal is a top pick among people with deeper skin tones. Reviewers also note glowing skin is also on the menu when you spray this on the body. That glow is attributed to the skin barrier-protecting seaweed, moisture-boasting hyaluronic acid and vitamin C in the formulation.

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Best for scalp protection

Sun Bum SPF 30 Scalp and Hair Mist

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Protective styling curls before jetting off for a well-deserved warm-weather vacation means not having to worry about your hair. But there’s one forgotten part of that equation: the scalp. To protect the scalp without causing greasy buildup, this non-comedogenic sunscreen spray delivers SPF 30 UVA/UVB protection to the scalp with an easy-to-apply spray applicator. This scalp sunscreen is also useful for bald heads.

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Best for mature skin

No7 Lift & Luminate Triple Action Day Cream

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“Because you want to make SPF application as easy to remember as possible, I love recommending my patients a day cream that has SPF in it,” says board-certified dermatologist Dr. Hope Mitchell, MD, FAAD. “One of my favorite chemical sunscreens that I use on my darker skin tone is No7 Lift & Luminate Triple Action, which targets the appearance of pigmentation and brightens for an even-looking skin tone. It also provides a radiant glow with ingredients like vitamin C, hyaluronic acid and matrixyl 3000+, a collagen peptide technology.”

Types of sunscreens for dark skin

• Chemical sunscreen: “Traditionally, people with darker skin tones have gravitated to chemical sunscreens because of their nice absorption into the skin, leaving it without a chalky appearance or heavy feeling,” shares Mitchell.
• Mineral sunscreens: “With the advancement in the formulation of mineral sunscreens, they come widely recommended for people with darker skin tones. Their micronized formulations feature smaller particles that allow better absorption into the skin, leaving less of a white ghostly appearing on the skin,” explains Mitchell.
• Tinted mineral sunscreens: “Tinted mineral sunscreens containing iron oxide are becoming a favorite for many because of the product’s ability to block visible or blue light damage to the skin,” she says. Blocking blue light from our devices is important because, as Mitchell explains, it leads to hyperpigmentation and aging of the skin.

What to consider when buying sunscreens for dark skin

For starters, Dr. Mitchell says finding a formula you actually like and will apply regularly is the first step in finding the perfect SPF match. It’s also pertinent to know the difference between chemical and mineral sunscreen.

“The main difference between chemical and mineral sunscreen is how they protect the skin from the sun’s harmful rays,” explains Mitchell. “Chemical sunscreens use ingredients like avobenzone and octisalate to absorb UV rays before they cause skin damage. Mineral sunscreens use ingredients like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide to block the sun and scatter the rays before they penetrate the skin.”

No matter which formulation you select, Mitchell wants to emphasize all skin tones need to apply SPF daily. The Fitzpatrick classification of skin types ranges from level I (pale white skin: always burns, doesn’t tan) to VI (dark brown or black skin: never burns, always tans darkly).

“Even Fitzpatrick levels IV to VI [need to] wear sunscreen every day to help reduce the risk of developing signs of photoaging such as hyperpigmentation, uneven skin tone and loss of skin elasticity.”

If you’re considering in-office treatments like micro-needling and lasers, along with treating hyperpigmentation and fine lines with active ingredients like retinol and BHAs/AHAs, sun protection is crucial. Mitchell notes that it’s a non-negotiable if you want to avoid reversing results faster than it took to achieve them.

Why you should trust us

As a seasoned freelance beauty and travel writer and creative producer, I bring a wealth of experience to my work. In addition to Reader’s Digest, I regularly contribute to publications such as Byrdie, Who What Wear, People, Essence Magazine and more. When writing this article, I didn’t just rely on research—I also considered my own first-hand experiences with sunscreen for dark skin.

For this piece, I sought expertise from Dr. Hope Mitchell, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist and the CEO and founder of Mitchell Dermatology. With more than 25 years of experience in the medical field, Dr. Mitchell is a highly qualified dermatologist and entrepreneur.

I also consulted Sarah Akram, a Master Esthetician known for her work with celebrities like Angela Bassett and Mindy Kaling. As the founder of Sarah Akram Skincare, she blends modern technology with all-natural products to deliver tailored skincare solutions to her clientele.

How we found the best sunscreens for dark skin

To identify the best sunscreens for dark skin, we researched hundreds of options, considering various types, costs and ingredients. Next, we consulted with two sunscreen experts to pinpoint the key factors that make certain sunscreens ideal for dark skin tones, highlighting both budget-friendly and splurge-worthy brands. Lastly, we analyzed user reviews to understand firsthand experiences and feedback on these products.

FAQ

Does dark skin need higher SPF?

“Melanated skin has a natural protection factor of up to SPF 13 compared to that in white skin, which is reported to have an SPF 3.4,” notes Mitchell. Even with natural protection, she says the best sunscreens for dark skin are SPF 30 to 40.

Is SPF 70 enough for black skin?

“SPF stands for sun protection factor,” says Mitchell. “The number indicates how long the sun’s UVB radiation would take to burn skin when using the product as directed vs. the amount of time with no sunscreen. So, if you’re wearing SPF 30, it would take 30 times longer for skin to burn than without sunscreen,” she explains.

With that said, she notes that SPF 30 blocks 97% of the sun’s harmful UV rays, while SPF 50 blocks 98%. “So, applying a higher SPF than 50 does not provide much additional protection for any skin type,” she says. However, reapplying protection every two hours, especially if you’re spending a lot of time in direct sunlight, is key.

Can black skin get sunburned?

The short answer is absolutely yes. Here’s why. “Even though people with darker skin types won’t burn quite as quickly, they are still at risk for skin damage and photoaging. They should take preventative measures to minimize those risks,” shares Mitchell. She also says there is another important reason beyond sunburn to protect the skin: skin cancer.

“Because of misinformation about applying sunscreen to darker skin, skin cancer, like squamous cell carcinoma, in darker skin tones is often detected at later stages—and as we know with skin health, prevention is key,” she says. “Regular sunscreen use, paired with annual skin health checks from a board-certified dermatologist, is very important.”