Today we’d like to introduce you to Shontay Lundy.
Shontay loves to be outside. She often hikes practices yoga and walks her bulldog on the beach. Unfortunately, she couldn’t find a sunscreen that would protect her from the sun without cramping her style. Like many women with dark skin tones, applying sunscreen meant dealing with the white residue left behind by traditional products—and it wasn’t a good look.
“I knew there had to be something that could work,” said Shontay. “And I knew that if I could figure out how to make it happen, it’d be a game changer.”
Armed with an MBA and a personal vendetta against this unappealing residue, the New York-raised businesswoman started looking for a solution. She discovered that there were natural ingredients that could boost melanin production, offer proper UV protection and be fully absorbed by the skin. So, she worked with skin care experts to create BlackGirlSunscreen.
“I named my product BlackGirlSunscreen because there are a lot of people who still think having dark skin means that you have full sun protection. While we do have more natural protection than people with lighter skin tones, we’re still at risk for burns, cosmetic sun damage and—most importantly—skin cancer,” said Shontay.
At BlackGirlSunscreen, their mission is to educate customers on safe skin practices and sun protection. They also want to provide an answer to a question they hear far too often, “Do black people need sunscreen?” Yes!
Has it been a smooth road?
From the beginning, I’ve had a vision and always knew there would be bumps in the road. Some small hurdles include delays with suppliers, misprints on packaging, and the misconception that women of color do not need to wear sunscreen because they have melanin.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
BlackGirlSunscreen is a revolutionary new sunscreen that allows people of color to wear sun protection without the telltale chalky residue that traditional sunscreens can leave behind. BlackGirlSunscreen offers sheer SPF 30 protection for people who want to stay safe, have fun in the sun—and look good while doing it.
BlackGirlSunscreen is most proud of becoming FDA approved and being first of its kind to provide a product to an underserved market that is usually ignored by larger corporations.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
BlackGirlSunscreen decided to launch in Miami because of its consistent and beautiful weather, diversity of humans, and its health-conscious spirits. And honestly, there are not many negatives to living and running a business in Miami.
Pricing:
- Our revolutionary new sunscreen priced at 18.99
Contact Info:
- Website: BlackGirlSunscreen.com
- Instagram: BlackGirlSunscreen (Instagram)
- Facebook: BlackGirlSunscreen (Facebook)
- Twitter: BlkGrlSunscreen (Twitter)
- Other: check out our YouTube Channel-BlackGirlSunscreen
Getting in touch: VoyageMIA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
