"Yes, Black people need to wear sunscreen! Whether you’re going to the beach or it’s a rainy day spent inside, you should be applying SPF to your face. I will be honest: I never used to apply sunscreen to my face unless I was going to be outside in the sun because it never fully rubbed in and always left a white residue. Black Girl Sunscreen solved all of that.
If you’re not already familiar with Black Girl Sunscreen, today is your lucky day. Not only is the company Black-woman-owned, but they create sunscreen made specifically for darker skin (but not exclusively—all skin tones can wear this sunscreen!). It’s a natural, non-white residue sunscreen brand for Women of Color. I’ve tried their sunscreen, and I love it because it really works and doubles as a moisturizer. They just launched a matte formula of the same sunscreen that I was so excited to try. Here’s how it compares:
About the Original Formula
I fell in love with the original SPF 30 formula because it actually rubs into my skin and leaves it feeling super moisturized and dewy. I use it in place of a moisturizer in the mornings because adding a moisturizer on top really isn’t needed for me. I have worn it under makeup, usually waiting about 15 minutes before applying a primer and my NARS Sheer Glow Foundation. To me, it works well with this foundation because my skin still has that glow to it.
Original vs. Matte Formula
When I saw that BGS was launching the Make it Matte formula, I was excited to try it because I felt like it would take their already amazing product to the next level. Key differences between the two formulas are that this new formula is SPF 45; that it’s a clear, lightweight gel texture; and that it’s for the face only. I was pleasantly surprised when I first tried this product because I was expecting a white cream like most other sunscreens. Instead, the clear gel texture was very lightweight and melted right into my skin. It felt more like a primer than a sunscreen. Does this sunscreen immediately make your skin matte? Sort of. My best description is that it made my skin look naturally matte as if it applied a blur filter to your pores, which to me is a good thing! I didn’t see the shine on my forehead and definitely did not have a glowy or dewy look on my skin.
That being said, this product was amazing under makeup. My foundation blended right in and was super smooth on my face. Usually, a few hours into wearing makeup, I’ll start to get oily on my T-zone, but with this sunscreen underneath, that was drastically reduced.
The Verdict
Overall, I’m happy to have both products on my beauty shelf. I think I’ll definitely continue to use the original formula for days I’m not wearing makeup or just want a natural, glowing look, and I’ll use the matte formula for makeup days. If you have oily skin, this product is a must. As I said, I don’t have super oily skin, just some oil throughout the day in my T-zone, and with this product, I noticed a visible difference.