Remember me
As a Black mama to two children, the responsibility of protecting them and nurturing healthy habits that they can carry into adulthood is a job I take seriously. That goes for what they put in their bodies, the habits they form and, yes, even good skincare.
Unfortunately, it’s always been difficult for me to find sunscreen that works for my family. My children have different skin tones—my son’s skin is a bit paler than mine, while my daughter’s is a deeper brown. She also has eczema that flares into angry, itchy patches that can lead her to literally scratch off the top layer of her skin. I’ll never forget waking up to her 5-month-old screams one night to find half her face covered in blood from scratching eczema patches. So we’ve always had to be very cautious about products that we use as a family. In fact, some years I’ve had to get a different product for each of us.
The good news? There are now many more products for Black skin than there used to be, and I’ve actually found ONE that works for all four of us (including my partner).
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It’s La Roche-Posay’s Anthelios Kids Gentle Lotion Sunscreen SPF 50. Here’s why we love it:
High SPF: I’ve found that anything below 30 is ineffective for us, and can lead to burnt, peeling skin, tan lines, and discomfort. Works for our varied skin tones: It protects my daughter’s deeper-toned skin just as much as my son’s paler skin.No white cast: This is a pet peeve of mine. I prefer more of a natural finish. This sunscreen leaves a slight sheen while not being greasy. My brown skin tends to get dry, flaky, and tight as does my children’s so a bit of extra moisturizing doesn’t hurt. And let’s be honest: nothing beats showing off glowing skin, especially in the summer months. Water-resistant: It works well for the pool and beach because it is water-resistant. I’ve found that as long as I don’t rub it off my face when I get out of the water, I actually still see the sheen of it on my skin. Being water-resistant is also important for my active 11-year-old who would not realistically let me reapply sunscreen between dives. Large size: It comes in both 3-ounce and 6.7-ounce sizes. We get the bigger one, which lasts our family a long time. This is a huge plus because it is a bit on the pricey side. Easy to apply: It’s a great beginner sunscreen for people who are new to daily sun protection. My partner, who only recently started wearing daily sunscreen, finds it easy to apply it on his face before rushing out the door in the morning. Not irritating for my daughter’s skin: It hasn’t upset her eczema-prone skin. This is a major win for us because when she has an outbreak, it triggers a cycle of medication and healing time that prevents her from going to beaches and pools for weeks. No tears: Even when my children get sweaty during sports and the summer months, this sunscreen doesn’t run into their eyes, which can be truly dreadful.It’s fragrance-free: My partner and son are very sensitive to smells, so I knew I needed to find one that did not have an overpowering odor in order to encourage them to use it daily. This sunscreen doesn’t have a noticeable smell.No sunburn so far: We live in a city and travel frequently, so we spend lots of time walking in the hot sun. It’s part of our morning routine to slather sunscreen on any exposed skin and we have not experienced a burn, peeling skin, or redness, which are often signs of sun damage.I checked in with Brianna Olamiju, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in New York City to get her thoughts on this sunscreen. She loved that it can be used on both face and body, that it doesn't leave a white cast, and it has a nice texture (not too thick). “It's also water resistant so it’s good for being in water,” she added.
Ultimately, she stressed that the best sunscreen for a family with kids is the sunscreen that will be worn consistently and properly. As a parent, it’s one less worry off my mind.
Tabitha St Bernard-Jacobs is a Trinidadian-American mom, writer, artist, organizer and thought leader. She is a leading voice on antiracist parenting and writes Romper’s “Raising Antiracist Kids” column. She has also written for Parents, SheKnows, Scary Mommy and more. She and her parenting partner, Adam, have worked with entities like the Brooklyn Public Library to bring antiracist parenting principles and teachings to parents and caregivers. Tabitha also consulted with Penguin on the kids book, Little Activists. Tabitha is one of the women who spearheaded the organization of the Women’s March On Washington on January 21st, 2017. She currently serves as Senior Advisor, Strategic Partnerships, after serving as Deputy Executive Director of Program for the organization. For her work marrying art and activism, she has been featured on MTV, MarketWatch, WWD, NowThis, LA Times, and Nylon, among others. She has also been featured in the book, 200 Women Who Will Change The Way You See The World. Together with 24 other Women's March organizers, she was recognized as one of Glamour Magazine’s 2017 Women of the Year.