Black Girl Magic in a Bottle
How Black Girl Sunscreen Opened Doors in Protective Skincare for the Black Community
When Shontay Lundy founded Black Girl Sunscreen in 2016 she was after a solution for a problem that caused frustration in her own life - white streaking mineral sunscreen.
It was clear to her that the classic formulations of this life-saving and necessary product were not made with Black and brown skin tones in mind. They caked and streaked and never absorbed fully into darker skin tones, leaving a white coating on the skin.
The frustration with the industry and the need to create a solution to a problem that bothered her and her friends has led her on a journey to a successful business with a one million dollar investment, and a retail spot in Target stores and other major locations and around the nation.
A year after the release of Black Girl Suncreen, Fenty Beauty came on the scene in 2017 as one of the only lines of beauty products to not only feature but center Black and Brown women in its product line and worldwide marketing campaigns. Fenty provided pigments for nearly every skin tone on the spectrum, a feat that never before attempted in mainstream cosmetics, and proved that an inclusive beauty market is long overdue and readily celebrated by consumers on a massive scale; boasting 100 million in revenue just weeks after its release.
Black Girl Sunscreen has a product that is long overdue on the market. The cosmetic and skincare industry is notoriously inaccessible to non-white and darker skin tones. Folks with darker skin tones can now finally reach for a protective product that is made with them in mind and caters to their needs. They can now reach for a product where they can see themselves reflected in every part of the vision, marketing, and direction. They are the focus of the product down to the name, and they are now taking space in one of the largest retailers in North America.
Black women are front and center at Black Girl Sunscreen. Black Girl Sunscreen came at a pivotal time in history. A time when the Black Lives Matter was front and center. The long-overdue global movement and dialogue finally gaining traction in 2016, was a spotlight on the need for black voices on every stage in society. Shontay now leads an exceptional team of Black women that drives change in the lives of others just as much as they believe in their product.
Just as pivotal as providing a sunscreen that is compatible with darker skin, Black Girl Sunscreen also advcoates for skincare and sun protection awareness in the Black community by highlighting the importance of sunscreen in protecting the skin from harmful rays and the risk of cancer.
The ashy residue left by most mineral sunscreens on the market is not flattering to darker skin tones and lessens the likelihood that sunscreen is applied - leading to lower use of sunscreen in people of color and a much higher vulnerability to the risk of cancer.
Although it is true higher levels of melanin can lower the chance of skin cancer, the lack of sun-protection and related education within Black and brown communities means that these cancers are caught later with worse consequences, leading to lower survival rates and lives lost.
Black Girl Sunscreen demonstrates that inclusivity goes far beyond models and ad campaigns, it comes down to the formulation of the product itself and the values of the people behind the product. Black Girl Sunscreen removes barriers to a life-giving skincare product that protects that Black girl magic glow, and we're convinced the world is just a little brighter because of it. (Don't worry we know just the sunscreen!)
About the Creator
Andréa Montoya
Andrea Montoya is an art peddler, poet, story-teller, designer, musician, and non-profit fundraiser living in Portland Oregon.
Follow her boutique on Instagram @___mend
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“He Kept Going When No One Was Watching — And That Changed Everything”
No one ever noticed the days he almost gave up. There were no messages asking if he was okay. No one wondered why he became quieter. No one asked how much effort it took just to keep going. To the world, he was just another ordinary man. His name was Ayaan. Ayaan’s life didn’t collapse in one dramatic moment. It slowly faded. Missed opportunities. Rejected ideas. Silent disappointments. Every failure was small, but together they became heavy. He had dreams once. Big ones. Dreams that kept him awake at night, imagining a future where his hard work would finally matter. But over time, those dreams began to feel unrealistic—almost embarrassing. People around him seemed to move forward effortlessly. They celebrated promotions, achievements, and milestones. Ayaan watched from the side, smiling politely while feeling invisible. At work, his efforts were ignored. Among friends, his voice faded. At home, expectations weighed heavily on him. Slowly, a dangerous thought settled into his mind: “Maybe I’m not good enough.” That thought followed him everywhere. It followed him on crowded buses. It followed him into sleepless nights. It followed him every time he tried again and failed. One night, after scrolling through endless success stories online, Ayaan closed his phone and stared at the dark ceiling. His chest felt tight, not because of pain—but because of exhaustion. He whispered quietly, “How long do I keep trying?” There was no answer. But that night, Ayaan made a decision—not a loud one, not a confident one. A tired decision. He decided to keep going, even if nothing changed. The next morning felt the same. The same routine. The same doubts. The same fear of wasting his life. But Ayaan showed up anyway. He worked when no one praised him. He studied when no one guided him. He practiced when no one believed in him. Some days, motivation disappeared completely. On those days, discipline took over. He reminded himself: “I don’t need applause. I need progress.” Weeks passed. Nothing dramatic happened. No sudden success. No recognition. No miracle. But something subtle began to shift. Ayaan became calmer under pressure. He learned to sit with discomfort instead of running from it. He stopped comparing his journey to others. The silence that once scared him now became his training ground. Months later, a serious problem appeared at his workplace. It was complicated, risky, and easy to blame on someone else. Most people avoided it. Some pretended it wasn’t their responsibility. Ayaan didn’t announce himself. He didn’t seek attention. He simply started working. Late nights. Mistakes. Corrections. Learning. There were moments he wanted to quit. Moments when fear whispered, “You’re not ready.” But he answered back, “I’ll learn.” Slowly, the problem began to disappear. Not perfectly—but steadily. People noticed, quietly. One afternoon, his manager called him into the office. Ayaan expected criticism. Instead, he heard a question that stunned him: “Where did you learn all this?” Ayaan paused. How could he explain years of silent effort? How could he explain working when no one cared? He simply replied, “I kept going.” That moment didn’t change his life overnight. He didn’t become famous. He didn’t suddenly become successful. But it changed something far more important. His belief in himself. For the first time, Ayaan understood that life doesn’t always reward effort immediately. Sometimes, it watches. It watches who continues without praise. Who improves without recognition. Who grows in silence. Years later, Ayaan looked back at the version of himself who almost quit. The man who felt invisible. The man who thought no one was watching. And he smiled. Because he finally understood the truth: Life was always watching. Not to judge. Not to rush. But to see if he would keep going when it was hardest. The world doesn’t reward those who only work when they’re seen. It rewards those who build strength in silence. And sometimes, the moment that changes everything doesn’t come with applause. It comes quietly. After patience. After effort. After consistency. That is when everything finally begins to change. Final Message Keep going—even when no one is watching. Especially then.
By Inayat khan6 days ago in Motivation
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