These 3 Unexpected Beauty Products Contain Ultra-Healing Snail Slime

What is white cast?

White cast is the annoying grayish, white color that some sunscreens leave behind after you've applied them. And sometimes no matter how much you rub them in or blend them, it simply will not go away. Tosin Eyikogbe, MSN and skin expert gave us the full explanation on this. She says, "The active ingredients in mineral sunscreen, zinc and titanium oxide, are large rough, white particles. Because of this, when applied to the skin, traditional mineral sunscreen tend to leave an unwanted, ashy, white or grayish appearance."

Dr. Praveen Guntipalli also weighed in on this topic by saying, "These ingredients are effective at blocking UV radiation but can leave a visible white residue on the skin, especially if the particles are not finely milled or if the formulation lacks certain tinting additives that help the product blend into various skin tones." So, essentially, these sunscreens are working, but they end up leaving particles behind on the skin, ultimately causing a white cast to appear.

How can I avoid white cast?

There are a few ways to avoid this problem. You can try a different formula, stay away from certain ingredients, or just try to blend it in as much as possible. A different formula or type of sunscreen will definitely help with this, as mineral sunscreens are more likely to cause the white cast, whereas chemical sunscreens don't. Eyikogbe says, "Chemical sunscreens, which contain organic compounds that are absorbed by the skin then convert UV rays to heat that is released, are offered in a variety of formats and are often paired with moisturizers to increase a light weight feel."

We love the sound of that! She adds, "These formulas typically don’t leave a white cast, however chemical sunscreens aren’t ideal for all skin types, as they can clog pores and irritate the skin, and compounds including oxybezone and octinoxate are harmful to marine animals and can damage fragile coral reef ecosystems."

What ingredients should you look for in your sunscreen to avoid white cast?

If you have sensitive skin like me, then you know you always have to double check labels and look into ingredients lists before buying products; especially when it comes to sun care. I'm very sensitive to certain ingredients and perfumes so I have to look carefully. We asked skincare experts what their thoughts were on what ingredients to keep an eye out for and this is what they had to say!

Eyikogbe says,"Mineral sunscreens, which typically contain inorganic compounds, titanium or zinc dioxide, can traditionally leave the notorious 'white cast' due to the reflection of the metal oxides on the skin. But there are newer formulas that have eradicated the old-school white cast and provide excellent mineral protection without a white cast."

Board certified dermatoligst Dr. Divya Sachdev says, "I highly recommend tinted zinc oxide-based pure mineral sunscreens with an SPF of 30 or higher. These sunscreens are not only effective at protecting against UV rays but also include antioxidants like vitamin C, green tea, and raspberry seed oil that help combat free radicals from oxidative damage caused by sunlight."

What are some helpful tips for sunscreen?

If you're looking for something that will blend in seamlessly into your skin, and easily go into your daily routine then I'd really recommend tinted moisturizer with SPF or a CC cream. One of my favorites is the Tatcha SPF which really blends into the skin for a nice glow. I'd recommend using this daily!

Dr. Sachdev says, "Remember, it’s crucial to reapply sunscreen every 2-3 hours when spending time in the sun, wear sun-protective clothing such as wide-brim hats and sunglasses, and maintain a diet rich in antioxidants to enhance your skin's defense against sun damage." Duly noted, doctor!

Best Sunscreens Without White Cast To Shop Right Now

Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen

The Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen gives your skin the nicest glow, and it's the perfect base for your makeup. It's definitely a crowd favorite for good reason!

Blendability: 5/5 Doesn't pill and blends so nicely!

Underneath Makeup: 5/5 It's glowy perfection!

Protection: 4/5 It's lower in SPF, but still does the job!

EltaMD UV Elements

Dr. Divya Sachdev, "Favorites of mine include EltaMD UV Elements and Suntegrity 5-in-1 Natural Moisturizing Face Sunscreen, which avoid any white cast. These tinted formulations also contain iron oxides that provide additional protection against UV damage and blue light exposure." I'm a big fan of the EltaMd sunscreen, and feel like it always makes my skin feel light and not too heavy with products!

Blendability: 5/5 I love how creamy it is!

Underneath Makeup: 5/5 Feels like a moisturizer!

Protection: 4/5 A higher SPF is always better, but this is still great!

Summer Fridays SPF Milk Sunscreen

Another sunscreen that I looove is the Summer Fridays SPF Milk Sunscreen. Every time I let one of my friends use it, I never get it back because it is that good. Genuinely is so milky and smooth, and it looks amazing underneath makeup or other skincare products!

Blendability: 5/5 Blends beautifully!

Underneath Makeup: 5/5 Doesn't feel and works as a primer!

Protection: 3/5 It isn't as high in SPF as I would like, but it works nonetheless!

Innisfree Daily SPF Broad Specturm SPF 36

My personal favorite is the Innisfree Daily SPF, which blends in like moisturizer! It's genuinely so thin and creamy!

Blendability: 5/5 Blends into your skin within seconds.

Underneath Makeup: 5/5 Genuinely could be a primer for how well it sits.

Protection: 3/5 Wish it was higher SPF, but it's so thin, so it makes sense!

ColorScience Sunforgetabble Face Shield

We asked Tosin Eyikogbe, and she says, "My personal favorite at the moment is ColorScience Sunforgettable Face Shield Flex SPF 50, which contains all mineral active ingredients and comes in four shades that cover a wide range of skin tones. It has a light weight feel and provides a luminous and even skin tone. A lot of patients have told me it has replaced their need for foundation!"

Blendability: 5/5 Melts into the skin!

Underneath Makeup: 5/5 Blends in with your foundation and base great!

Protection: 5/5 It's high in SPF so definitely a winner!

From the time Beyoncé announced Cécred up to the official launch, many people criticized the singer for never showing the world her real hair. Some people felt the singer was once again diving into a lane she knew nothing about and that she knew nothing about — what it's like to struggle with hair issues as a Black woman. It sparked a greater debate about much Black women owe the world, especially when it comes to proving our hair to the world and our community.

I personally had to teach myself not to be swayed by what others think — especially by the adults throughout my childhood 👀. It's not an easy feat when you're being taught how much your physical appearance determines how others will treat you from employers to strangers who see you in passing. Nevertheless, I was determined to genuinely fall in love with me regardless of what hairstyle I chose to wear (this determination came during the height of the self-love movement).

I've worn everything from my natural hair to long sew-ins, so I've parted ways with feeling like I need to justify my hairstyles to anyone. However, I know that's not always the case for other women — and I'm ready to dismantle this idea that black women are monolithic. And while stars like Beyconcé open themselves up to criticism by working in the public eye, leaving room for legitimate dialogue about their intentions and values and follow through, I also had a feeling that not everyone despises the fact Beyoncé started a hair care brand.

I decided there was no better way to find out than by asking, so I reached out to my community. This resulted in separate, eye-opening conversations with content creators Carolyn Gray andBrittany Waugh, as well as my good friendChelsea Hightower. We talked all things hair and Cécred, trying to understand what the real deal is with Beyoncé's newest endeavor. Here's what they had to say!

Carolyn Gray, Content Creator 

My conversation with Caroyln felt like a huge breath of fresh air. There wasn't a need to code switch (something Black women often navigate when communicating in the workplace and otherwise) as we had an open and honest discussion about her hair journey.

"When it comes to hair, I had two amazing perspectives on two ends of the spectrum in my family. I had my grandmother on my mom's side of the family — which is Caribbean — and they were all about relaxing the hair, doing the hair, having the hair salon in the back of the house that everyone would come to. That was their perspective of having refined, relaxed, and always put together hair...Having this idea that's how hair should be," she says.

On the other hand, her grandmother in the Maryland had gorgeous locs who told Carolyn as a child, "Don't ever let them tell you that they're dreadlocks. Ain't nothing dreadful about them." Ultimately Carolyn got a chance to see one group of women who felt like afro hair or natural hair wasn't 'neat' while the other side of her family believed curly hair is beautiful in a spiritual sense.

This helped prepare Carolyn for working in the corporate side of the fashion and fitness worlds. "I had a short perm there [in fitness] and was spoken to about what types of hair was acceptable on the sales floor or not. I started relaxing my hair in high school because it took my mom hours to manage my hair in its natural state and she fell into 'It's just easier for me this way without having to always go to the hair salon,' thing."

Her relaxer lasted from ages 14 until 27, but she's always played around with colors, short cuts, weaves, and even made her own wigs at one point. Though she knew there was a stigma around natural hair, she's always made it a point to have fun no matter what hairstyle she has.

So when Beyoncé announced the launch of Cécred, Carolyn didn't hesitate to send the news to her hairstylist to see how she felt. Her hairstylist's response? "I'm gonna buy the [super] fan bundle! Whatever bundle there is, I'm buying it!."

Carolyn says, "Initially I wanted to get her perspective to see if this would be something to try on my hair. Like, what did she think about the legacy of Beyoncé and her affair with hair as well as her mother's history as a hairstylist." She also reminded me that fans were able to catch a glimpse of Cécred's formulas on a table in her documentary for Renaissance. "I was like, 'what is this gold liquid thing on that table,'" she recalls excitedly.

"I didn't have any negative feeling about it because her mom has been a hairstylist. She [Beyoncé] has to wear weaves and color and I always wondered how she maintained her hair. I also thought how she cares for her hair with all the performing and the things she has to do," she says.

Concerning all of the negative thoughts about Cécred and Beyoncé's hair, Carolyn admits that she was thoroughly surprised at what some people were saying. She actually experienced said negativity in person when she was a part of a panel about Black beauty, but this didn't change her excitement about trying Cécred.

"I feel like my hair looks really healthy and I find that I've had less hair breakage since I've been using it. The reality is that I feel this hair care collection — the entire collection — is replacing the other products I used to maintain my blonde hair and the health of my hair."

She took care to mention that she believes Cécred is on par with Olaplex and K18. "I haven't had as much dandruff either because of that scrubbing shampoo [Clarifying Shampoo & Scalp Scrub]. Good Lord, what kind of scrub is that," she says with a laugh. Her only initial gripe is that she wasn't a fan of the shampoo's scent because she has a sensitive nose, but she barely notices it now.

You can watch her full review of Cécred on YouTube.

Brittany Waugh, Beauty Content Creator

Brittany's hair journey is one that's void of putting chemicals in her hair. She says, "I grew up with a mom who prioritized healthy haircare. I spent the majority of my early childhood in natural hairstyles, only getting press and curls for holidays." The reason for is this is that her mom didn't want her to have damage from coloring her hair or relying on relaxers like she did. Brittany admits, "Even to this day, I am scared to use chemicals."

However, she used to experience pressure to alter her hair growing up. "I wear wigs often, but also wear my hair in a natural pineapple updo to the gym for convenience. In my house growing up, a new hairstyle every week or every two weeks was mandatory, so I have adopted that. However, as I get older, I don't feel as pressured to do this, but more so changing my hair for my enjoyment and wearing it how I feel comfortable."

Now that Cécred is on the market, Brittany shares that she was a little wary about trying the brand's products for personal reasons. "While I was of course excited because it was coming from Beyoncé, I am a person who rarely changes my routine. When I find products that work for me, unless something spectacular comes along and changes my mind, I stick with the products I know work for me."

She's gone on to embrace the brand and says, "I can truly tell that the entire line was well-produced and developed. I am someone who mutually deals with psoriasis similar to Beyonce, so finding products that help with that flare-up is rare. Their Clarifying Shampoo & Scalp Scrub with the Deep Conditioner have helped my scalp and hair more than the products I have been accustomed to."

She shared a brief BTS clip of her admiring Cécred's packaging along with a glimpse of her natural curls on TikTok!

Chelsea Hightower, Compensation Professional & Social Media Content Creator

As long as I've known Chelsea, she's always worn her natural hair, and it never occurred to me to ask how she ever felt about it until now. "Growing up, I struggled to fully embrace my natural hair. Being a lifelong natural, I've mostly worn my hair in its natural state. However, as kids, our initial hairstyle choices often reflect our parents' or caretakers' preferences rather than our own," she reflects.

She also says, "My mom chose not to relax my hair when I was young, which greatly influenced my acceptance of my natural hair. However, for a long time, my choice was more influenced by circumstance than by preference. I found myself yearning for relaxed, straight hair, despite my mom’s efforts to encourage me to love my natural curls."

No matter how much her mom encouraged her, it was hard to not be influenced by what she was seeing. Chelsea says, "Most of the women and girls I knew had relaxers, including my mom and eventually my older sister. Despite receiving compliments and praise for my beautiful natural hair, I was still swayed by the prevailing trend of relaxed hair. It wasn't until 9th grade when my mom allowed me to relax my hair that I truly understood and appreciated my natural hair. That single experience of having my hair relaxed was enough to make me realize that I never wanted to do it again—I was mortified by how unnaturally straight and stiff it made my hair feel. I knew I’d be a natural girl for life after that!"

As much as she loves her hair, Chelsea admits that it hasn't always been easy to embrace it in a professional setting due to her own feelings about how she might be perceived. "While no one has explicitly told me to change or straighten my hair, I've felt an internal pressure. With a doctorate in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, where I've delved into research on fairness in the workplace and hiring practices, I've come across studies highlighting unconscious biases against people of color based on characteristics like hair," she shares.

Much of her studies and research revealed shocking documented evidence of the biases that POC face due to our hair, definitely playing a role in some of that pressure to conform. She's not afraid to admit that she even made the decision to wear her hair differently when interviewing for her first post-doctorate role. "This concern led me to wear a natural slick-back for some interviews, but for others, I opted for a straight-haired bob wig. Many Black women joke about the 'bait and switch' tactic of wearing a wig or weave for interviews and then revealing their natural hair once hired. That's essentially what I did. Now that I've secured my job, I feel more at ease wearing my natural hair. However, during the interview process, I felt the need to mitigate potential biases by altering my hairstyle."

When I asked her to share her unfiltered thoughts about using Cécred on her curls, Chelsea eagerly shared how her routine has changed since using the brand's products. "I was really impressed with the Cécred line when I first tried it out. I wanted to minimize bias as much as possible, so I made a conscious effort not to let my admiration for Beyoncé as an entertainer influence my perception of her hair products," she says.

This led her to compare Cécred with another hair care line she frequently uses. "I conducted a side-by-side comparison of Cécred and the other brand to judge Cécred’s performance fairly and without bias...the results spoke for themselves. The curls on the side of my hair treated with Cécred appeared shinier and had better definition on Day 2 compared to the side treated with the other brand. I shared my full wash day comparison on social media, and others agreed with my conclusion that Cécred outperformed the other brand." You can watch her comparison video on Instagram!

Ironically, Chelsea immediately loved the scent of Cécred's products, differing from Carolyn's experience. "Being a scent enthusiast, I appreciate the subtly perfumed fragrance of the products. My favorite product from day one has been the Reconstructing Treatment Mask. Everything about it, from its consistency and scent to the softness it imparts to my hair, is *chefs kiss*! This product recently won the 2024 Women's Health Beauty Award for Best Hair Mask, confirming its quality. It's definitely a product worth trying!"

The only issue she has right now is that she wishes the brand offered more styling products, but we'll see what happens as the year unfolds! Knowing Beyoncé and her team, there's a lot more surprises in store.

"Ultimately I could love myself, or I could just be like, 'Here I am,'" Claudia Jessie says. "Most of the time, none of us know what we're really doing anyway. So I think I'm just letting go of any attachment of trying to feel confident."

"You should be confident because everybody loves you," Hannah Dodd counters. "Everybody's obsessed with you! I think, if you surround yourself with the right people as well, like my friends give me confidence, the right people, like your team and you guys."

"'How are you so confident to be so different?' I say at one point to Eloise," Jessica Madsen says. "And when I read that in the script, it was just like [how] I feel about you, and I really mean it...I remember saying it and really feeling like that was 100 percent true from me to you, [Claudia]."

The love is totally reciprocated, and when I ask what the three women would write in their own Lady Whistledown column, Claudia hypes up Jessica's love of music.

"I love music. I love making playlists," Jessica says. "I went through a little stage where Spotify was my everything. I wanted to be a DJ."

"You'd look great as a DJ," Claudia adds. "I don't know your DJ'ing skills yet, but you'd look amazing behind the deck like that."

Hannah adds that they talk a lot about their dogs, and books. "I do love books," Claudia, who just finished Travis Baldree's Legends & Lattes, agrees. "I'm a big reader. Basically I like things that don't mean I have to leave the house. I could talk about the inside of my flat thoroughly. I could write about that, my four walls."

Bridgerton season 3 opens after Eloise's discovery that Lady Whistledown is actually her best friend Penelope Featherington. The middle Bridgerton child has had to keep it a secret all this time, and Claudia Jessie admits she's a good secret keeper, just for a different reason: "I'm good because I forget them immediately," she says.

"I'm like the grave," Jessica Madsen promises.

"I wouldn't say I'm a grave," Hannah Dodd adds. "I just have a group of people that I'm like, 'They don't count.' I will not tell anybody. But like, except for these...one or two very trustworthy people."

In the show, multiple characters' trust in one another is threatened — learning about Penelope's secret identity challenges Eloise's trust in Penelope, and Colin's remarks that he'd never court Pen threaten her trust in him. While we see these relationships evolve in unexpected ways, we also see new sides to characters we thought we knew. Namely, Cresside Cowper.

"Other than, obviously the really sad passing of the Bridgerton dad, Eloise comes from an incredibly sheltered, privileged, happy, nourishing environment where they can all be themselves," Claudia says. "So I think it is really important to see just how different it is [from the Cowper household], cause it also informs us a bit more about how difficult the situation is for Cressida and why she might be colder or a bit closed off."

"[She's] very lonely as well," Jessica adds. "She's got nobody. Not her mum, and definitely not her dad. It's opposite ends of the spectrum."

And while season 3 of Bridgerton is just about to debut, Jessica Madsen, Hannah Dodd, and Claudia Jessie already have dreams for Bridgerton season 4.

"I'd love for Eloise to get political, do you know what I mean?" Claudia says. "I'd love that because there's so much room for Eloise to go there."

"She could be the first Prime Minister!" Jessica chimes in.

"I don't know for Francesca," Hannah says. "I'm so excited to see what the writers come up with. I just hope she steps into herself a little bit more and kind of goes after things that make her happy, and knows that she's deserving of that. But I'm new here. So, like anything they give me, I'm gonna be happy with."

Brit + Co Rapid Fire With The Bridgerton Cast

Brit + Co: We've talked so much about books, what are you all reading?

Claudia Jessie: I just finished a book called Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree. And it literally says on the cover "Low stakes, high cozy vibes"...It was beautiful. Really comforting. It was like a big hug.

Hannah Dodd: I'm reading Yellowface at the moment, and I just finished Lessons in Chemistry. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo [was] good. And that really took me a while to find another book that filled that hole.

Jessica Madsen: I have Dopamine Nation...I love audio books. So I actually have Viola Davis reading to me every night her autobiography, which is amazing.

B+C: What music is on repeat for you at the moment?

CJ: I'm listening to a band called Say She She. They're like three sexy, beautiful girls doing like funk, disco pop. Beautiful, cool stuff. And they're really, really cool.

HD: I'm less cool and very generic. Beyonce's new album and Ariana Grande's new album, and I'm obsessed with Noah Kahan at the moment as well.

JM: I'm a mixed bag. I've got a lot of different stuff that I love. Yeah, I've, I've been listening to a lot of Fat Freddy's Drop cause they've got a great summer vibe. Two Feet I really enjoy...I like jazz. Disco.

B+C: Bridgerton is our next watch, what's the last thing you binge watched?

CJ:Barry, which I think is the best comedy that's ever been written, ever. I know I'm gonna re-watch it as well cause it's just unbelievable. The amount of respect they show that comedy is so beautiful.

HD: I haven't binged anything in a while, but I'm really excited to watch Ripley. And I think the last thing I binged was One Day as well, which left me heartbroken.

JM: I just binge watched — I say binge gently — Yellowstone, so I want to be a cowgirl now, really badly. I want to live in denim for the rest of my life, in cowboy boots, badly. And then I just I always put Schitt's Creek on. I've watched it 10 times now, which is embarrassing. I love it. We need laughter. We need fun.

B+C: What's on your summer 2024 bucket list?

JM: I would love to get on a beach. I wanna be on a beach for a bit and just feel the sand and the sea.

HD: I'd just like to get through this part of my life, which is quite exciting and new for me and I don't know. I wouldn't say no to a beach either.

CJ: Just a load of iced coffees. That's great when that season comes around, you can have iced coffee. That's like my favorite cause I kid myself into thinking it's not the same amount of caffeine as a hot coffee, so I'm like 'I can have three!' and then I'm rattling.