It seems like only yesterday we were reminding you crazy quarantining kids (we hope) about the importance of sunscreen as we chatted it up with Black Girl Sunscreen founder Shontay Lundy.
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Oh, wait, Yesterday was Big Beauty Tuesday, right? Then, yes. Yes, we did.
But since May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, it bears repeating that sunscreen should be an essential part of your beauty or grooming routine (because UV rays are real, melanin alone only provides up to 13 of the 30 SPF we need to protect ourselves, and, in the immortal words of Jagged Edge, “We ain’t gettin’ no younger, so we might as well do it.”).
And if you’re worried about that unsightly bluish cast created by traditional sunscreens, there’s yet another contender entering the sun protection game. Tennis phenom Venus Williams has teamed up with Credo Beauty to create two “planet-friendly” sunscreen products under her EleVen by Venus line, promising “innovative clean, feel-good formulas absorb quickly, dry invisibly and work with all skin tones and skin types,” according to Credo’s website.
“SPF is a part of my daily routine because I spend so much time outdoors as a result of my job, and through the years I found that a lot of natural sunscreens left a white cast on my skin,” Williams said on an Instagram Live announcement of the collaboration (h/t Page Six). “We wanted to set a new standard for clean beauty and ensure our sunscreens [are] versatile, lightweight and blend with all skin tones. It really works for everyone!”
The EleVen by Venus x Credo collection currently includes the On-the-Defense SPF 30 Sunscreen ($42) and the Unrivaled Sun Serum SPF 35 ($50), which, at first glance, looks like an SPF serum/primer made to go under makeup. Each contains 25 percent zinc oxide, making them mineral-based formulas that the FDA has deemed safer than their traditional chemical-based counterparts. And while you may think Williams is already a sun protection expert—after all, as Page Six notes, her Eleven by Venus activewear has featured designs made with UPF 50 fabric—she hasn’t always been vigilant about this aspect of skincare, even on the court. In fact, she credits the other tennis pro in the family for encouraging her to protect her own neck.
“I was bad for years. Serena really inspired me; we would practice side by side and I’d see her all the time in sunscreen and long sleeves,” Williams said. “Finally one day I realized what I was doing to my skin by not protecting it.”
Ahh...words to live by—and to hopefully live and look younger longer by. Whether you’re spending days on the court on quarantining indoors, sunscreen is always a good idea, and it’s nice to have more melanin-friendly options on the market. Because as Venus already knows, melanin alone won’t save your serve.
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