Homemade Sunscreen is A Thing - and It’s not Great
Model & TikToker Nara Smith has gone viral with her recipe for homemade sunscreen. The influencer & her husband made sunscreen from scratch in a June video. (they've also made toothpaste, cosmetics & moisturizer) - the video now has over 19 million views.
But, bad news - homemade sunscreen is less reliable, consistent - and safe. Experts are sounding the warning bells. Here's a quick recap...
- Daniel D. Bennett, Secretary-Treasurer at the American Academy of Dermatology in Fast Company: “Research shows that most homemade sunscreens lack effective sun protection, leaving users vulnerable to sunburn, premature skin aging and skin cancer, the most common cancer in the U.S."
- Dr. Cecil Bennett in Fast Company: “Making your own sunscreen is not a good idea...Let’s remember the two main purposes of sunscreen: one, blocking or absorbing UV rays from the sun to prevent sunburn; and two, blocking IV rays to reduce risk of skin cancer. Homemade sunscreen has not been proven to do either.”
- DC Dermatologist Yolanda C. Holmes in the Washington Post: “These ingredients [used by Smith] can be good moisturizers for the skin, but that doesn’t mean they will protect you against the sun..And using it could make you subject to sunburn.”
Bottom line - there’s really no way to tell how much sun protection users receive with DIY sunscreen. Inadequate protection can result in sunburn, sun damage & an increased risk of skin cancer.
Here are some of our favorite sunscreens - all commercially produced & tested...
