We found the best Bubble Skincare Products for Darker Skin Tones (Fitzpatrick Phototypes 4-6)
Written by: Deepa Somasunderam and Precious Umeasalugo
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We did the work for you.
At The Beautiful Societies, we are always digging deep: identifying brands, products and ingredients that work for melanin-rich skin. It is our mission to help you navigate the complex world of beauty which has new buzzy ingredients, products and trends dropping by the hour.
Every stage of life comes with its own set of skin concerns. Babies get diaper rash, older people lose volume and fat, and those who are middle-aged start getting wrinkles. Young adult skin also comes with a different set of rules and skin concerns: there's hyperpigmentation, acne, flare-ups, and a list of other whole new skin concerns that come with the territory. It's an entire minefield, and the ton of skincare jargon and products can make navigating skincare in this phase even more confusing.
For Bubble Skincare, simplifying skincare by giving the skin exactly what it needs is what the brand looks to achieve.
Why we spoke to Bubble
Bubble Skincare is one of the buzziest skincare brands on the market right now. Their fun and playful packaging combined with dermatologically-tested products have proved a hit, with their Slam Dunk Hydrating Moisturizer making WWD’s 100 Greatest Skin Care Products of All Time in 2024.
Bubble was launched to fill the gap in the market for affordable skincare for young skin and at the heart of their brand is a Gen Z community with whom the brand shares an open dialogue (most recently launching their eye cream in response to community requests).
As we have now learned, darker skin types generally tend to be more sensitive and could benefit from gentler skincare products. When we learned Bubble products are always free of fragrance, mineral oils, and sulphates, we wanted to find out which Bubble products were best for skin tones on the deeper end of the Fitzpatrick Scale.
Keep Reading: Does Darker Skin Need Different Skincare?
For a quick refresher, the Fitzpatrick scale is a classification system that describes skin tones based on the amount of melanin present and how likely you are to burn or tan in the sun. There are six classes on the scale, and darker skin tones are found to be types IV, V, and VI due to higher amounts of melanin and minimal sunburns.
For darker skin types IV, V, and VI, skincare can be exhausting as many products have harsh ingredients that don’t work for our skin types and neither are products developed with our skin tones in mind. So we thought to help you with selecting your first or next Bubble Skincare product, you would benefit from learning which products have worked best for Bubble community members with darker skin tones and insights from a board-certified dermatologist.
The Expert
Dr. Tiffany Alexander, MD is a board certified dermatologist who is a a member of the Skin of Color Society, a Diplomate of the American Board of Dermatology and a Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology.
She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and earned her medical degree from Howard University College of Medicine in 2017. After medical school, she completed her dermatology residency training at Duke University in 2021, where she served as chief resident during her senior year Dr. Alexander has been the recipient of numerous dermatological scholarships and was the recipient of the 2023 Patient Choice Award for providers.
The Best Bubble Products, according to community reviews
While some beauty brands exclude darker skin tones, other inclusive skincare brands, like Bubble Skincare, go the extra mile to accommodate them. From hyperpigmentation to flare-ups, here are honest customer reviews that will help you select products for your dark skincare routine.
Kalaya, 21
Fitzpatrick phototype: V
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Kalaya's favourite Bubble product: Bubble Fresh Start Gel Cleanser
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Why Kalaya loves Bubble's Fresh Start Gel Cleanser:
"I never tried a gel cleanser before until I tried Bubble, and I love how gentle it feels on my skin. It doesn't irritate me or burn my skin. It washes away pore-clogging dirt, and it makes my skin feel more hydrated and clean and fresh,” says Kalaya.
Kalaya has been using Bubble Skincare for a year and five months.*
What makes Fresh Start great for darker skin tones?
"[The cleanser contains] aloe leaf juice, which is hydrating and soothing", Dr Alexander explains.
Aloe leaf juice is also great for scarring as it helps with wound healing. The cleanser also contains caffeine, which reduces redness, and red algae extract, which reduces sebum production, giving you a cleanser that can target multiple issues on dark skin while still soothing the skin.
Abishai, 20
Fitzpatrick phototype: V
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Abishai's favourite Bubble product: Bubble Solar Mate Mineral Broad-spectrum Sunscreen
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Why Abishai loves Bubble's Solar Mate:
"It has helped protect my skin from really bad dark spots" says Abishai.
What makes Solar Mate great for darker skin tones?
"Zinc oxide [in the formula] helps to deflect harmful UV rays from the sun and, thus, can prevent dark spots", Dr. Alexander explains. Solar Mate also contains Ginseng and raspberry seed extracts, which provide more protection from hyperpigmentation on darker skin tones.
Janaya, 21
Fitzpatrick phototype: V
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Janaya's favourite Bubble product: Bubble Level Up Balancing Gel Moisturiser
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Why Janaya loves Bubble's Level Up Gel Moisturiser
"My skin is less textured, softer and more supple!" says Janaya.
Janaya has been using Bubble Skincare for two months.*
What makes Level Up great for darker skin tones?
"Niacinamide [in the formula] helps improve hyperpigmentation", Dr. Alexander explains. Along with niacinamide, the lightweight moisturiser contains yarrow extract for added hydration.
Veronica, 19
Fitzpatrick phototype: IV
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Veronica’s favourite Bubble products: Bounce Back Balancing Toner Mist and Fresh Start Gel Cleanser.
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Why Veronica loves Bounce Back and Fresh Start
“Before this, I had really oily acne prone skin, and it helped reduce my flare ups” – Veronica.
Veronica has been using Bubble Skincare for three months.
What makes Bounce Back great for darker skin tones?
Bounce Back Balancing Toner Mist contains sea water, niacinamide, and willow bark extract, all of which improve texture and reduce oiliness on the skin.
Wali, 18
Fitzpatrick phototype: IV
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Wali's favourite Bubble products: Day Dream Tone and Texture Serum and Solar Mate Mineral Sunscreen.
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Why Wali loves Day Dream and Solar Mate
"My skin always had that uneven texture on it. After using Day Dream, it was completely removed. That texture daydream also helped me with brightening my skin as well as keeping it soft and healthy. The mineral sunscreen has helped me get away with some hyperpigmentation. It makes my skin glow and just makes me look perfect" –Wali.
Wali has been using Bubble Skincare for a year.*
What makes Day Dream Tone and Texture Serum great for darker skin tones?
“Niacinamide, alpha-arbutin, tranexamic acid, and vitamin C help improve dyspigmentation. Ceramides also help to moisturise", Dr Alexander says.
Dermatologist Tips On building your Bubble Routine
Shopping for skincare can be exhausting, but building a skincare routine that suits you requires a whole different skill set. Thankfully, Bubble has made things a lot easier with its online quiz to help you know your skin and its build-a-routine feature, which makes building your own customisable skincare routine much easier.
Which Bubble products to choose
Dr. Alexander also has some recommendations for your dark skin routine, depending on the concerns you're dealing with.
If you're dealing with scarring, she recommends the Day Dream Tone and Texture Serum.
For acne, she recommends trying the Fresh Start Gel Cleanser, the Slam Dunk and Anxiety Hydrating Cream Moisturiser, and the Super Clear Acne Treating Serum.
And for hyperpigmentation, she recommends trying the Solar Mate Mineral Sunscreen and the Plus One Tinted Mineral Sunscreen.
When you need to visit a derm
However, if you have a darker skin type that is prone to eczema or sensitivity, the flower extracts and acrylates in the Bubble formulas can pose problems.
"I would recommend that someone have a discussion with their local dermatologist before using any products with essential oils if they have a history of eczema or sensitive skin. Essential oils extracted from plants can contain fragrances that are irritating to the skin. Acrylates can also act as an allergen to the skin and cause irritation," she explains.
Dermatologist Advice for a Better Dark Skin Routine
It is a general misconception that harsher cleansing or rough scrubs will lead to faster results or smoother skin. But that’s a skincare mistake you want to avoid making, especially if you have melanated skin. The best advice is to skip the harsh exfoliants today and try gentle cleansing for your darker skin.
"Using aggressive methods of cleansing the skin is usually not necessary. Darker skin is more sensitive and may not require harsh exfoliants or scrubs, as well as strong astringents such as witch hazel or rubbing alcohol. These can cause too much dryness or agitate the skin. Gentle cleansers are best," Dr Alexander explains.
Why Trust The Beautiful Societies
This article has not been sponsored by Bubble Skincare. Bubble Skincare contributed to this article with (a) access to its community reviews including photos and feedback from real Bubble community members so we could understand which products were most popular for darker skin tones and; (b) a special discount code for our readers.
Precious Umeasalugo is an experienced beauty writer and product development researcher and is currently pursuing a bachelors of science in Pharmacology, Therapeutics, and Toxicology. Deepa Somasunderam is the Founder of The Beautiful Societies. To write this article, Deepa and Precious consulted with Dr. Tiffany Alexander, a board certified dermatologist who is a member of the Skin of Color Society.
This article is part of our Melanin Skincare Edit series where we collaborate with trusted POC dermatologists to provide evidence-based advice tailored to melanin-rich skin.
* = at time of interview.
