Don't Burn This Summer: The Risks Of TikTok's Viral Homemade Sunscreen
We've officially seen it all: Social media creators are now making DIY sunscreen. More specifically, influencer Nara Smith, who boasts more than 8.2 million TikTok followers, shared a video of her husband creating homemade sunscreen. Smith, known for her recipe videos, albeit usually of food, shared: "We've been spending a lot of time by the pool, and I noticed we ran out of sunscreen. ... We all burn pretty easily, so we went with something with a little more SPF."
@naraazizasmith
The video has amassed over 18 million views in its first week and seems to be part of a larger homemade sunscreen trend. On TikTok, the hashtag #homemadesunscreen has over 2.2 million views, and according to data obtained by Glam, the last month saw Google searches for "homemade sunscreen" rise by 200% and "how to make homemade sunscreen" rise by 120%. Moreover, searches for "Nara Smith sunscreen" skyrocketed by 4,900% in the week following the video's publication.
Despite the video's popularity, many TikTokers seem bewildered. As one commenter wrote on Smith's video, "Okay, now [they're] playing with us. Homemade sunscreen?" Another chimed in, "My cosmetic chemist heart is crying," while a third warned, "Y'all are going to fry this summer with this concoction." The skepticism is strong — but is it deserved? Skin health isn't to be trifled with, so Glam spoke exclusively to Miami and Beverly Hills-based board-certified cosmetic dermatologist Dr. Mariano Busso, who explained the differences between DIY and store-bought sunscreen, plus the potential risks of going down the homemade route.
Homemade sunscreens can't compete with commercial products
As shown in Nara Smith's viral video, DIY sunscreen requires ingredients you probably don't have lying around, so why would anyone bother? "DIY sunscreens are typically desired by those seeking a non-chemical alternative to the commercial brands," Dr. Mariano Busso explained to Glam. He then detailed the typical makeup of a homemade sunscreen, which commonly includes coconut oil, shea butter, beeswax, raspberry seed oil, non-nano zinc oxide, carrot seed oil, jojoba oil, propolis extract, and strawberry extract.
However, Dr. Busso also warned that their potency is less than ideal. "While some of these ingredients may contain mild protection (e.g., shea butter has a natural SPF of 6 and coconut oil offers slight protection due to its high concentration of fatty acids), they are not sufficient to block the harmful effect of ultraviolet rays from the sun," added Dr. Busso. The biggest issue, though, is that homemade sunscreens "don't contain the necessary ingredients — particularly titanium dioxide and zinc oxide — to do the job, thus giving users a false sense of security," according to Dr. Busso.
Long story short, most DIY formulations are missing key ingredients that make commercial options reliable, putting homemade sunscreen in the category of at-home beauty hacks you should probably skip. "Most homemade sunscreens are not effective, and few, if any, have been tested for their effectiveness against cancer-causing UV radiation," Dr. Busso explained. Essentially, homemade sunscreens are largely "ineffective," as Dr. Busso described them, and they may even leave you vulnerable to the sun's biggest dangers.
DIY sunscreen invites serious health hazards
As Dr. Mariano Busso exclusively told us, "Without titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, or some other proven protective ingredient(s), the user is leaving themselves at significant risk." But how bad is it? "The two major health concerns for those not using adequate sunscreens (minimum 30 SPF) are skin cancer and premature aging, as the UVA rays damage the skin's elastin causing wrinkles and sagging," Dr. Busso explained.
This risk can vary depending on your complexion. In fact, Dr. Busso clarified that "those with lighter skin are more vulnerable to the damaging effects of the sun because they lack sufficient melanin, the protective pigment in our skin." That said, even folks with darker skin tones need to protect their skin with proven SPF.
Of course, some people have concerns about the ingredient list in your average sunscreen. If this sounds like you, don't jump ship for TikTok's equally dangerous anti-sunscreen movement. Instead, Dr. Busso recommended looking for safe, regulated sunscreens that match your personal ethos: "There are plenty of products on the market that purport to be 'natural' or 'non-toxic,' and most of them are quite effective." And if you've ever felt tempted to make sunscreen of your own, maybe reconsider. "Don't bother. The very purpose of using sunscreen is to protect your skin from potentially deadly UV rays. Don't upend your own goal ... despite what you might hear from friends off the internet," Dr. Busso concluded.