{"id":1595,"date":"2025-06-13T16:00:49","date_gmt":"2025-06-13T16:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.habitaliaimobiliaria.com\/?p=1595"},"modified":"2025-06-15T08:28:36","modified_gmt":"2025-06-15T08:28:36","slug":"why-cant-sunscreen-brands-be-honest-about-white-casts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.habitaliaimobiliaria.com\/index.php\/2025\/06\/13\/why-cant-sunscreen-brands-be-honest-about-white-casts\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Can\u2019t Sunscreen Brands Be Honest About White Casts?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Welcome to\u00a0Sun Blocked<\/a>, Refinery29\u2019s global call to action to wake up to the serious dangers of tanning. No lectures or shaming, we promise. Instead, our goal is to arm you with the facts you need to protect your skin to the best of your ability, because there\u2019s no such thing as safe sun.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

When cosmetic scientist Dr. Julian Sass<\/a> first tested Tower 28\u2019s new SOS FaceGuard SPF 30 Sunscreen on camera<\/a>, his disappointment was obvious. Despite the \u201cno white cast\u201d claim prominently displayed on the PR packaging, the sunscreen left a visible gray tinge on his skin.<\/p>\n

\u201cMarketing this as a no white cast sunscreen in 2025? It just makes me feel so undervalued as a consumer,\u201d Dr. Sass said in the clip. \u201cWhat frustrates me is that some Black girl is gonna see the advertising about this product and think, Oh my god, they said it had no white cast<\/em>. And then they\u2019re going to end up looking like this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Sass\u2019s video, now at 54.3K views and climbing, sparked further debate after he highlighted that the marketing materials showed people applying too little sunscreen \u2014 a misleading move that compromises both transparency and safety.<\/p>\n

Tower 28 founder Amy Liu responded on Instagram<\/a>, acknowledging they \u201cmissed the mark\u201d despite extensive testing. As a result, Liu promised to remove the \u201cno white cast\u201d and \u201cuniversal tint\u201d claims, standardize their testing process, and develop a new version of the sunscreen for deeper skin tones. This was welcome news to Tower 28 fans, but the brand isn\u2019t alone in making contested \u201cno white cast\u201d statements. In addition to Dr. Sass, other skincare experts and beauty content creators have increasingly called out claims of invisibility that don\u2019t match reality.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Entire groups of people are excluded from sun protection options because brands don\u2019t think it\u2019s profitable to include us.<\/p>\n

Cosmetic chemist Milan Scott<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n

Dija Ayodele<\/a>, an esthetician and founder of the Black Skin Directory, recently tried<\/a> Merit\u2019s The Uniform Tinted Mineral Sunscreen, which left her looking \u201cdull and gray\u201d despite the brand\u2019s \u201czero white cast<\/a>\u201d promise. \u201cWhen I first received the press release, I asked to see evidence of the product on Black skin,\u201d Ayodele tells Refinery29. She says the PR company sent her a video of a Black employee using the product, along with information about the brand\u2019s formulation process and challenges. Ayodele accepted the PR package based on this response. \u201cBut if I\u2019d bought that sunscreen, I would be quite cross,\u201d she continues. Adding, \u201cWhile it\u2019s not the worst I\u2019ve seen, it didn\u2019t meet my expectation of not having a white cast.\u201d \u201cIt\u2019s misleading to use those exact three words: zero white cast.\u201d <\/p>\n

Beyond Tower 28 and Merit, brands like CeraVe<\/a> and SkinCeuticals<\/a> have also been called out for using terms like \u201cno white cast\u201d and \u201ctransparent\u201d \u2014 claims that some content creators are now challenging.<\/p>\n

For consumers of color, these misleading claims are not just disappointing, they\u2019re exclusionary. So why, when the beauty industry operates under such strict regulations, do countless sunscreens still fail to deliver on their promises?<\/p>\n

Why do some sunscreens have a white cast?<\/h2>\n

AJ Addae, chief executive officer and chemist of SULA Labs<\/a> \u2014 which tests skincare for brands developing products for melanin-rich consumers \u2014\u00a0 explains that when it comes to mineral sunscreens, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) only allows cosmetic chemists to use two UV filters: titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Both are white pigments. Addae notes that at the concentrations needed to achieve a broad-spectrum SPF of 30 or higher, it\u2019s difficult \u2014 if not impossible \u2014 to create a mineral sunscreen that doesn\u2019t reflect visible, white light. <\/p>\n

As such, Dr. Sass explains that currently, a truly invisible mineral sunscreen doesn\u2019t exist on skincare shelves. So why are brands that use these filters so sure of their invisibility claims?\u00a0<\/p>\n

Cosmetic Chemist Milan Scott<\/a> says, \u201cWhat they really mean is that it\u2019s invisible on lighter skin tones.\u201d She adds, \u201cWhen I see \u2018invisible\u2019 claims on a mineral sunscreen that is very clearly not invisible on people that look like me, it makes me wonder who [the brand] tested it on \u2014 and who approved these claims.\u201d<\/p>\n

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I think that brands need to do diversity and inclusivity authentically and be brave enough to say, \u2018This product isn\u2019t right for everybody because it creates a white cast. However, we do have other products within our offering that are suitable.\u2019<\/p>\n

Dija Ayodele, esthetician and founder of the Black Skin Directory<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n

Dr. Sass explains that when brands make this claim, they typically conduct internal tests on individuals with lighter skin tones and often apply much less than the recommended amount needed to achieve the advertised level of protection. \u201cSunscreen is tested at 2 mg per square centimeter of skin, which comes out to about 1\/4 teaspoon for just the face and about 1\/2 teaspoon if you include the ears and neck,\u201d he says \u2014 the optimum amount to protect your skin.<\/p>\n

Esthetician and skincare expert Alicia Lartey<\/a> \u2014 whose Instagram series Sunscreen or SunSCREAM<\/a> puts the invisibility claims of SPFs to the test \u2014 agrees that clinical trials and SPF testing often lack the diversity they should. Frustratingly, Scott notes that there\u2019s no requirement for brands to test on a wide range of skin tones before making such claims.<\/p>\n

How do brands get away with claiming their sunscreens leave no white cast?<\/h2>\n

Surprisingly, Addae notes that,\u00a0unlike the term \u201cwater resistance,\u201d which requires standardized testing,\u00a0there are no regulations around the term \u201cwhite cast.\u201d The same applies to the word \u201cinvisible,\u201d says Scott. If a brand deems its sunscreen traceless based on its testing, it can label it as such, even if that\u2019s not true for darker skin tones. <\/p>\n

You\u2019re right to be outraged \u2014 and so are the experts: \u201cIt\u2019s a marketing loophole that a lot of us in the industry side-eye hard,\u201d says Scott. Ayodele has a hunch as to why: \u201cBrands are doing this because they want to be seen as inclusive at all costs,\u201d she believes. \u201cThey don\u2019t want the backlash of [people] saying that they\u2019re not inclusive. But if these brands tested their mineral sunscreens [on a more diverse range of people], they\u2019d know whether they were invisible or not.\u201d<\/p>\n

That said, it\u2019s important to acknowledge the limits of science, says Ayodele. \u201cYes, of course, we want diversity and for brands to be inclusive, but by nature, the mineral filters titanium dioxide and zinc oxide aren\u2019t inclusive,\u201d she says. \u201cThat\u2019s not a problem because not everything is going to be,\u201d she adds. \u201cUnless further scientific techniques are brought in to make these white mineral ingredients invisible, that\u2019s just where we\u2019re at.\u201d Still, Scott emphasizes the need for more transparency and testing across shade ranges.<\/p>\n

Ayodele\u2019s advice to brands is simple: honesty is the best policy: \u201cI think that brands need to do diversity and inclusivity authentically and be brave enough to say, \u2018This product isn\u2019t right for everybody because it creates a white cast. However, we do have other products within our offering that are suitable\u2019,\u201d she says.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Frustratingly, Scott notes that there\u2019s no requirement for brands to test on a wide range of skin tones before making such claims <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n

Are mineral sunscreens better than chemical ones?<\/h2>\n

TikTok would have you believe that mineral sunscreens are the gold standard. Ayodele acknowledges they have benefits \u2014 especially for sensitive skin and conditions like rosacea, melasma, or pigmentation \u2014 but stresses that more inclusive options exist. Chemical sunscreens, which use UV filters like avobenzone or oxybenzone, are suitable for everyone. <\/p>\n

Still, they\u2019ve come under scrutiny, with some convinced that chemical filters are toxic while mineral ones are safe. This simply isn\u2019t true, says Scott: \u201cThis fear drives people toward mineral sunscreens, even though many of them leave a visible cast on deeper skin tones and make sunscreens less accessible for folks who already deal with health disparities,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n

Scott doesn\u2019t mince her words: \u201cThis is what medical racism looks like in real time,\u201d she continues. \u201cIt\u2019s when fear-based marketing pushes mineral sunscreens as the safer option, even though those same formulas leave people with darker skin out of the conversation entirely.\u201d <\/p>\n

So who\u2019s to blame? The experts point to the \u201cclean beauty\u201d movement. \u201cClean beauty has been an axe to scientific innovation,\u201d says Lartey. \u201cNewsflash \u2014 everything is a chemical,\u201d she adds, even water.<\/p>\n

In reality, chemical sunscreens are often more cosmetically elegant than mineral ones, making them a better option for people with darker skin tones seeking to avoid a white cast. R29 favorites include Glossier Invisible Shield SPF50, $32<\/a>, The Ordinary UV Filters SPF45, $19<\/a>, and Dr. Jart+ Every Sun Day\u2122 Invisible Korean Sunscreen Stick SPF 40, $30<\/a>, to name just a few.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Does a truly invisible mineral sunscreen actually exist?<\/h2>\n

For those who prefer mineral sunscreens, is a truly invisible option even possible? Scott believes it is. \u201cFor a mineral sunscreen to be invisible on all skin tones, it takes advanced formulation with nano-sized mineral filters,\u201d she explains \u2014 a process that\u2019s both expensive and time-consuming for brands. She adds that tinted mineral sunscreens offer another solution, but only a few brands, like Wyn Beauty<\/a>, are getting it right. <\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s because too many companies still don\u2019t see the financial value in creating that many [products] to be truly inclusive for darker skin tones,\u201d she says. And that\u2019s a real problem: \u201cEntire groups of people are excluded from sun protection options because brands don\u2019t think it\u2019s profitable to include us,\u201d says Scott, who sees it as a public health issue.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, Lartey believes that brands can easily avoid messy situations like Tower 28\u2019s simply by testing products on a wide variety of skin tones \u2014 and actually using the correct amount. \u201cBeyond that, hire a diverse staff, listen<\/em> to your diverse staff, and make sure there are diverse staff in senior roles,\u201d urges Lartey. \u201cIt\u2019s not that hard.\u201d<\/p>\n

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?<\/strong><\/p>\n

SPF Is Pricey \u2014 Here's How To Maximise Every Drop<\/a><\/p>\n

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A Derm Just Schooled Me On SPF & I Learned So Much<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Welcome to\u00a0Sun Blocked, Refinery29\u2019s global call to action to wake up to the serious dangers of tanning. No lectures or shaming, we promise. Instead, our goal is to arm you with the facts you need to protect your skin to the best of your ability, because there\u2019s no such thing as safe sun.\u00a0 When cosmetic Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1597,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1595","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fashion"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.habitaliaimobiliaria.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1595","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.habitaliaimobiliaria.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.habitaliaimobiliaria.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.habitaliaimobiliaria.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.habitaliaimobiliaria.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1595"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/www.habitaliaimobiliaria.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1595\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1598,"href":"http:\/\/www.habitaliaimobiliaria.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1595\/revisions\/1598"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.habitaliaimobiliaria.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1597"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.habitaliaimobiliaria.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1595"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.habitaliaimobiliaria.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1595"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.habitaliaimobiliaria.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1595"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}