The Queen of Sunscreen

“Black people have always cared about skincare and protecting our skin — the industry just ignored us for a very long time.”

Before Black Girl Sunscreen existed, there was a gap so obvious it bordered on insult. SPF formulas left white casts. Brands didn’t market to Black consumers. And over time, an entire community quietly internalized a myth — that sunscreen simply wasn’t made for them.

Shontay Lundy had other plans. In 2016, she founded Black Girl Sunscreen with one unwavering premise: Black and Brown skin deserves full protection without compromise. No white cast, no exclusion, no waiting for the mainstream beauty industry to catch up.

Nearly a decade later, that single conviction has built a full product ecosystem — lotions, sprays, lip SPF, kids’ formulas, and the brand’s newest launch: the Sun Ready Stick SPF 30. On this National Sunscreen Day, Black Beauty Founders sits down with the woman the industry couldn’t ignore. The Queen of Sunscreen. The first to do it.

“Black Girl Sunscreen exists because I wanted us included in the conversation without compromise.”

— Shontay Lundy, Founder & CEO

The Lie We Were Told About SPF

There is one myth Shontay Lundy is done hearing — and she’s saying it clearly: “The myth I’m tired of hearing is that sunscreen is somehow ‘not for us.’”

It’s a narrative born not from biology, but from decades of industry neglect. SPF products weren’t formulated with deeper skin tones in mind. Brands didn’t bother marketing to Black consumers. So people adapted by opting out — and somewhere along the way, that adaptation became a belief.

The science never supported it. UV damage doesn’t discriminate. And for Black and Brown skin, unprotected sun exposure is one of the leading triggers of hyperpigmentation, dark marks, and uneven tone.

“People are investing in serums, treatments, and facials while skipping the one product that helps prevent the discoloration from getting worse in the first place,” Lundy says. She built an entire brand to close that gap.

The Sun Ready Stick: SPF That Fits Real Life

The newest addition to the Black Girl Sunscreen family wasn’t born in a boardroom. It came directly from the community.

“Our customers were asking for it,” Lundy explains. “They wanted SPF that fit into real everyday life — not just vacations or beach days.”

The Sun Ready Stick SPF 30 is exactly that: clear, mess-free, reapplication-ready protection that lives in your bag, your car, your pocket — without disrupting your makeup or skincare.

The formula includes Hops Extract, chosen specifically to address hyperpigmentation and uneven tone — real concerns for melanin-rich skin, woven intentionally into the product. “Consumers today are paying close attention to ingredients,” Lundy says, “and we wanted to be intentional about that.”

She uses it constantly. It lives in every bag. On walks, in the car, before travel — she reaches for it on cheeks, nose, forehead, chest. “Sunscreen should feel like an everyday habit,” she says, “not a special occasion product.”

“A dark mark can last significantly longer when your skin is consistently exposed to UV rays without protection. People are investing in serums and facials while skipping the one product that keeps discoloration from getting worse.”

— Shontay Lundy

Built for Black and Brown Skin — No Exceptions

When asked which product in the Black Girl Sunscreen lineup deserves the most attention right now, Lundy answers with a philosophy rather than a single pick: “It depends on the customer, where they are in their sunscreen journey, and which product resonates with them — and that’s why we created options that honor Black and Brown complexions.”

That intentionality runs through every SKU. Lotions. Sprays. Kids’ SPF. Lip protection. The new stick. Not one product for one occasion, but a full range designed around real people and real routines. The brand that started because Black women deserved to see themselves in the SPF conversation has become the gold standard for what inclusive beauty actually looks like.

Not a limited edition. Not a moment. A full line, built to last, built to protect.

“Wearing sunscreen every day is one of the easiest forms of self-care people still try to debate. For me, it’s non-negotiable — right next to brushing my teeth.

— Shontay Lundy  

Happy National Sunscreen Day!