Where this Began
This initiative was driven and created by Jin Chung. I am a varsity golf captain at Chadwick School. I have been a competitive golfer for 6 years.
This idea began after a conversation with my teammate Hannah, a golfer with a darker skin tone, who shared that she avoids sunscreen. Why? Because products labeled “sheer” or “invisible” left visible gray films on her skin. Others that left no white cast required constant reapplication during play.
She also shared a belief common in many communities of color, that darker skin is less susceptible to skin cancer.
This conversation revealed something larger: sunscreen is marketed as universal, yet its formulation, testing standards, and messaging often exclude certain athletes.
Who is Overlooked
This is not an issue affecting everyone equally. It disproportionately affects athletes with darker skin tones whose performance environments- heat, friction, sweat- prolonged exposure interact poorly with many current sunscreen formulations.