Rihanna has been all around the world — and still couldn’t find a sunscreen that wasn’t chalky or caused flashback. But “you gotta protect your skin from the sun no matter what your skin color is,” says the founder and CEO of Fenty Skin. And that is how a world-famous megastar wound up joining skin-care researchers from around the globe in pursuit of a common goal: innovative sunscreens that everyone can — and wants — to wear.
The sobering reality is that “only one in three adults regularly use sunscreen when spending time outdoors,” says Dawn Holman, a behavioral scientist for the CDC. This is an issue that disproportionately affects young people (“If you’re under 25, you’re less likely to wear sunscreen,” says Holman) and people of color: Only about 11 percent of non-Hispanic Black adults and about 25 percent of Hispanic adults regularly use sunscreen, compared with 40 percent of non-Hispanic white adults, according to a CDC survey.
“I think a lot of people with darker skin tones think because they’re not burning that they don’t need SPF, but we can still get sun damage,” says Rihanna. “If you have discoloration, guess what? You can get that from the sun.” Characteristics like blue or green eyes or freckles make people more prone to skin cancer, but “no one is immune,” says Holman. “All races and ethnicities get diagnosed with skin cancer.”
Making people think differently about sunscreen is a tall order, but education can go a long way. “School-based interventions can increase sun-protective behaviors and reduce sunburn among youth,” says Holman. Also great sunscreen-wearing motivation (for all ages): Rihanna says so. She’s launched her first sunscreen, Fenty Skin Hydra Vizor Invisible Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen, and hopes to raise awareness that everyone needs to protect themselves.
“We created this pink hue that works on all skin tones,” she says of the avobenzone, homosalate, and octisalate formula. It creates a pretty glow, blends in easily, and is “totally invisible; that means no chalky residue and no flashback,” says Rihanna.
As Holman points out, “making it easy for people to stay sun-safe makes a big difference.” We also know that when Rihanna puts her mind to bringing about inclusivity in the beauty industry, things tend to change… Read more
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