Best Sunscreens For Dark Skin Tones

People with naturally tan or darker skin have some protection against the sun rays, thanks to the presence of melanin. Despite having some built-in sunscreen, dark skin tones still require protection from the sun. Sunscreen does a great job at this, but not just any sunscreen will suffice.

Mineral sunscreens that contain zinc oxide or titanium dioxide are inherently white in color, so they often show up as a white cast on the skin. How formulators try to alleviate this is by adding iron oxides (what makes it tinted) to help minimize the whiteness. A common misconception is that it has to match your skin tone in order for it to work for you. Not true! The tint is there to help soften and minimize the whiteness instead of being a match like a foundation would be. This is often why brands only have one “universal tint” or a small number of tints.

The Picks

Best overall facial sunscreen for dark skin: Black Girl Sunscreen SPF 30, Innisfree Daily UV Defense Sunscreen SPF 36

Best acne-friendly sunscreen for dark skin: EltaMD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46 Facial Sunscreen

Best sensitive skin sunscreen for dark skin: Cay Skin Universal Mineral Face Lotion SPF 55 This sunscreen is a new kid on the block and it’s truly amazing for all skin types, but especially sensitive. Plus, if you’re looking for a high SPF it’s a 55!

Best tinted mineral sunscreen for dark skin: UnSun Mineral Tinted Face Sunscreen SPF 30 in Medium/Dark, Alastin Hydratint Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 36

Best tinted sunscreen + foundation for dark skin: SunnyDays Tinted SPF 30 Sunscreen Foundation (there are 14 shades!)

Best powder sunscreen for dark skin: Colorescience Sunforgettable Total Protection Brush-On Shield SPF 50

Best sunscreen mist for reapplication over makeup: Seriously Fab Zinc It Over Sheer Sunscreen Facial Mist SPF 25