It’s no secret that the Black community at large has been guilty of placing little value on protecting our skin from the sun.
Although we’ve come a long way, this pervasive ideology is why it’s so important that model, blogger and all-around superwoman Mama Cax is the face of
Olay’s Sun campaign.
Announcing the new partnership on Instagram, Cax shared her experience of not using sunscreen while she was growing up, just like so many of us.
“I grew up in Haiti, and as you know, it’s a very sunny place. when I lived there, I never wore any SPF whatsoever,” she posted. “Having darker skin, we’re always, told that we have all the SPF that we need in our skin and that we can stay in the sun but I learned everyone needs SPF, no matter what shade you are.”
With her
Olay Regenerist Whip with SPF 25 in tow, Cax is reminding us that you can’t really practice self-care without safeguarding your skin.
ESSENCE caught up with this woman on the go to talk about the importance of SPF for us, what self-care means to her and how she gets that flawless skin!
On protecting Black skin: “I think we’ve been misguided in general with the idea that if you’re brown or have dark skin you don’t need it [SPF], which is why I was really excited to work with Olay.”
On the meaning of self-care: “For me, self-care is exactly what it says it is—taking care of yourself. Women tend to put other people before themselves, so self-care is so important to include in your everyday life. I feel like Olay really empowers women to take the time to take care of themselves.”
On her go-to self-care practices: “If I’m not going out or I’m feeling a little bit down, I do a simple face mask. Another way is to get a workout in to unwind and declutter.”
On her skin care routine: “There are three things that are a must for me. First, because I’m prone to breaking out I’ve been using the Olay facial cloths, which are easy to travel with. Because I have dry skin, I use a really thick moisturizer with vitamin C and rose oil. Then, to even it all out, I finish with my Regenerist sunscreen.”
Shop Mama Cax’s favorite Olay products below and take advantage of the brand’s limited time offer of 25 percent off sitewide!
