What 135 Women with Vitiligo Taught Us about Beauty and Skincare Products

Foundation, camouflage, hair dye, sunscreen – we get questions about it all when it comes to living with vitiligo. That’s why we decided to turn to the experts – our readers – for answers. This spring, we interviewed 135 women with vitiligo about their go-to product for beauty and skincare. Here’s what we learned.

Only half of those who wear foundation use it to cover vitiligo

Foundation is a go-to for many women, not only those with vitiligo. A full 88% of survey respondents said they wear foundation and of that percentage, 64% wear it daily and 54% wear it cover vitiligo. The majority of respondents also had vitiligo on less than 30% of their face. Our readers look for foundation that matches their skin color and offers full coverage and long-lasting wear. Some of their biggest challenges? Finding a product that is cost effective, smudge-proof and long-lasting. Top-recommended brands included Dermablend, Kryolan, Estee Lauder, Clinique and Tarte.

Top Product: Dermablend Cover Creme Full Coverage Foundation
“Dermablend feels comfortable to wear, lasts a long time and comes in a variety of shades. The product is light and covers well.”

Most of those who use tanner or camouflage use it to cover their spots

Tanners and camouflages aren’t as popular among the vitiligo community – in fact only 29% of respondents reported using a product in this category. However of that group, 79% wear the product to cover their vitiligo. Only 27% reported wearing it daily and 32% said they wear it less than once a month. In addition, spray tans and gradual tans were among the most popular product types. Those with vitiligo are looking for products with a natural look that are long-lasting, match the color of their skin, provide coverage and are scent and stain-free. Top-recommended brands included St. Tropez, L’Oreal, Zanderm, Dermablend and Sally Hansen.

Top Product: St. Tropez Classic Bronzing Mousse
“I love St. Tropez for an instant color. It smells great, the color looks natural and it isn’t messy to apply. Also dries very quickly.”

Most people with vitiligo don’t use an eyebrow filler to cover white hairs

Vitiligo can also affect the hair, leaving white streaks in eyebrows and hair. However, while half of our respondents reported using eyebrow filler, only 20% of those using it do so to cover white hair in their eyebrows caused by vitiligo. Top requirements for a good eyebrow filler included a natural look and color match in addition to being long-lasting and providing a full look. Top-recommended brands included Rimmel, Benefit, L’Oreal and Godefroy.

Top Product: Benefit Cosmetics Goof Proof Brow Pencil
“Easy to apply and very natural. The color of the pencil matches very well and the pencil is inexpensive.”

Most people with white hair due to vitiligo prefer to go to a salon

Do you dye your hair to cover white streaks caused by vitiligo? If so, you aren’t alone. Of the half of the respondents who use hair dye, 35% reported that they use it cover white hair caused by vitiligo. However, there was no consensus on a top brand or product as most respondents reported preferring to go to a salon.

Most people with vitiligo use sunscreen, but less than half wear it everyday

We’re all supposed to wear sunscreen, but do we really? According to our survey results, most people with vitiligo – 86% to be specific – use sunscreen but less than half wear it every day. Lotion is the preferred product type and half of those with vitiligo wear an SPF of 50 or higher. What do we look for in sunscreen? Products need to be non-greasy, scent-free, long-lasting, affordable. Respondents also noted that it’s important that the product needs to rub fully into the skin without leaving white streaks. Top-recommended brands included Neutrogena, Super Goop, Elta MD, Banana Boat, CeraVe and Sun Bum.

Top Product: Neutrogena Ulta-Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen
“It’s light on my skin, not sticky and easy to find.”

Shop all top-recommended products for those living with vitiligo.

What are your favorite products when it comes to living with vitiligo?