Light from a phone or laptop hasn't been shown to harm skin. Visible light can darken skin, and a 2010 study showed it by aiming lab light at the bare backs of volunteers. The darkening showed up in medium and deeper skin.
A balm has no part in it either way, because nothing in ours screens light. What it does is relieve the feel of dry, tight skin, and for that I'd hand you Bare Silk ($34 as of October 2026).
What did the visible light study find?
In 2010, Mahmoud and colleagues irradiated the lower backs of 20 volunteers with skin types IV to VI, using UVA1 (340 to 400 nm) and visible light (400 to 700 nm). Both darkened skin. The visible light pigment came out darker and more sustained than UVA1's, and skin type II, irradiated too, didn't pigment at all. Blue light, roughly 400 to 500 nm, sits inside that band. Research that tests it on its own is thin, though the Skin Cancer Foundation quotes a dermatologist who says blue light contributes to melasma and other pigmentary disorders.
Does a phone screen do the same?
Screens do give off blue light, as the Skin Cancer Foundation notes, and so does the sun. The 2010 study didn't test a screen. The closest answer I've read is a 2018 opinion on LEDs from SCHEER, an EU science committee. It covered lamps and displays and found no evidence of direct adverse health effects in normal use by the general healthy population. For many people, it added, LED light is likely insignificant next to natural light outdoors. That's where protection belongs.
What protects skin from visible light, and where does a balm fit?
Here dermatology has a plain answer. The American Academy of Dermatology says visible light has been shown to worsen melasma, especially in darker skin tones. For melasma, it advises a tinted sunscreen with iron oxide, SPF 30 or higher. The Skin Cancer Foundation cites a study in which iron oxides enhanced protection against blue light, especially combined with zinc oxide. If you've been shopping for blue light skincare, that's the step I found support for.
If melasma's why you're reading, a dermatologist leads. Our tallow and SPF post covers why a balm isn't a sunscreen, and our dark spots guide covers the look of uneven tone. A balm is cosmetic care, not a treatment, and your provider's plan comes first. It's there for dry, tight skin.
If you'd rather not read five product pages, Find my balm asks two minutes of questions and hands you the jar.
Questions we hear
Does blue light from my phone damage my skin?
Not that I've seen. A 2010 study that darkened skin with visible light aimed lab light at bare backs. A 2018 EU committee opinion found no evidence of direct adverse health effects from LED lamps and displays in normal use. The screen research is thin, so I'd put the effort into daylight.
Which skin tones does visible light darken?
In a 2010 study by Mahmoud and colleagues, visible light darkened medium and deeper skin (types IV to VI) and left no pigment in type II. Research that's tested blue light alone is thin. The American Academy of Dermatology says visible light has been shown to worsen melasma, especially in darker skin tones.
Does tinted sunscreen help with blue light?
Yes, by the sources I read: the American Academy of Dermatology tells people with melasma to use a tinted sunscreen that contains iron oxide and has an SPF of 30 or higher. The Skin Cancer Foundation cites a study showing iron oxides enhance protection against blue light, especially when they're combined with zinc oxide.
Can a tallow balm block blue light?
No. Tallow doesn't screen UV or visible light, and no balm we make is a sunscreen. What a thin layer does is slow water loss and relieve the feel of dry, tight skin, which has nothing to do with light. Wear sunscreen for that.
Go deeper
Our mineral vs chemical sunscreen post sorts out the filters. The beef tallow for skin guide covers what a balm does once it's on, and how to use a tallow balm walks through the pea. Red light therapy and tallow covers the lamp question and when the balm goes on.
Sources
- SCHEER (2018). Opinion on potential risks to human health of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs). European Commission.
- Mahmoud BH and colleagues (2010). Impact of long-wavelength UVA and visible light on melanocompetent skin. Journal of Investigative Dermatology, volume 130, issue 8, pages 2092 to 2097.
- Skin Cancer Foundation (2023). Top trends in skin protection, updated June 12, 2023. skincancer.org.
- American Academy of Dermatology Association (2023). Melasma: self-care, last updated September 12, 2023. AAD.
Brian is the founder of Craft Tallow, a small-batch tallow skincare line shipped from Cottonwood Heights, Utah, built on 100% grass-fed suet. Questions? Reply to any email from us; it lands with him.