When Michelle Obama’s beauty comes to mind we typically think of bright eyes, a wide smile, poreless skin (which I always imagine has a natural hint of cocoa essence), and arms that we can only dream of. So when her longtime facialist Jennifer Brodeur, and makeup artist, Carl Ray, spilled the tea on how our forever FLOTUS keeps her skin healthy and her makeup photo ready, folks went scrambling for her products, including CyberDERM’s Simply Zinc Ultra Sun Whip SPF 50. But we know that sunscreen is not a one skin fits all product. Some leave melanin rich skin looking ashy, filmy, and dry. They don’t always blend well–or quickly–and can leave an odd tint around the skin once you’ve been in water.
As the weather has been warming up and beach days have been on my mind, I’ve been wanting to give CyberDERM’s sunscreen a try. And while Michelle Obama herself has been tight-lipped about specific products she uses, we’ve got the receipts that she orders it in bulk when she’s going on family vacation. If it’s good enough for forever FLOTUS then I’d probably take a bath in it. And according to the Mayo Clinic, mineral sunscreens (also called physical sunscreens) block UV light from reaching your skin, and are often better than chemical sunscreen for sensitive skin. So I tried Michelle Obama’s preferred brand to see how it tested on the every woman — you know, the one without a facialist, makeup artist, or secret service protection.
First things first, I’m a caramel-colored women with warm undertones. So to really get a handle on the versatility of the sunscreen lotion I tried it on four different women (including myself), of different skin tones, textures, with both warm and cool undertones. It was a hit for all of us! Here’s the rundown:
Pros: It doesn’t smell like your typical zinc sunscreen, but instead has a slight caramel-like fragrance. It doesn’t feel sticky once it’s on, and still leaves a slight glow even when you haven’t bathed in much sun. It’s good for daily use and doesn’t mess up your clothes like some other tinted products. And as far as I know, I haven’t gotten any skin diseases caused by overexposure to the sun.
Cons: It takes a little longer to dissolve on darker skin tones because it does have its own tint, but it still finishes the same. For anyone really into product packaging, it won’t be the sexiest looking thing on your vanity. It’s not a drugstore brand so you will spend a little coin.
Black Girl Approval Score: CyberDERM Simply Zinc Ultra Sun Whip SPF 50 receives an A-. Once it’s available in brick-and-mortar locations in the U.S. it’ll bump up a grade. I liked it so much I’ve also added CyberDERM Natural Every Morning Sun Whip Facial Sunscreen SPF 25 into my morning routine.
