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Nara Smith and her husband’s DIY sunscreen contains coconut oil, beeswax, shea butter, cocoa butter, olive oil and zinc oxide powder. Claiming that her whole family ‘burns pretty easily’, the duo decided to make their at-home suncream with ‘a little bit more SPF’ in the formula. This is completely inaccurate. You cannot just ‘add’ SPF, you add the UV filter – more on this below.
Watch the Nara Smith video here
Before we go into the specifics about how (very) wrong this is, this is how sunscreen actually works.
How does sunscreen work?
Sunscreen works by preventing UV rays (UVB and UVA) from the sun from damaging your skin – either by absorbing or reflecting and absorbing UV rays. There are two key types of UV filters – mineral and ‘chemical’ – which you can read more about below.
Debunked ‘Chemical’ vs Mineral sunscreen
How are sunscreens formulated?
In order for sunscreen to work effectively, it needs to create a film on top of the skin. If a sunscreen is not formulated properly, it can result in patchy, uneven and inadequate protection. Sunscreen products are also rigorously tested against set specific standards, to ensure they are giving sufficient protection to the skin (this is what ultimately determines the on-pack Sun Protection Factor and UVA protection claim).
"When formulating a SPF, the due diligence required to ensure it provides the claimed protection is thorough. On top of the usual cosmetics testing, we must substantiate the Sun Protection Factor (SPF) being claimed through multiple tests. In the UK/EU, this is the only claim with a set method of substantiation, which encompasses SPF (UVB) and UVA protection variables. Chemists use experience and often multiple rounds of testing to combine different approved filters to meet the testing standards. During development, the complexity of SPF warrants considerable lab benchwork and investment from brands." – Ashley Hamilton-Prout MSci, Biochemist and Head of Product and Education
Would you make your own paracetamol?
Nara Smith’s viral TikTok video is not only a complete fad, but actually a very dangerous video to go viral.
"There are many considerations when looking at home formulations, and in summary, it simply should not be done – especially with an SPF, whose efficacy must be substantiated. All cosmetic products on the market are required to follow the Cosmetic Product Regulations for consumer safety. They will also be produced by a manufacturer who follows cosmetic GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice), and each batch must match a set specification to ensure you get the same product every time. This is not something that can be controlled in the home environment. Products developed in line with the cosmetic regulation also undergo testing to ensure the product meets a certain shelf life as well undergoing a strict safety assessment." – Ashley Hamilton-Prout MSci, Biochemist and Head of Product & Education
Not only does sun damage lead to a range of skin concerns such as premature ageing and hyperpigmentation, but more seriously, sun damage, incorrect sunscreen usage and overexposure to UV rays can cause melanoma. That is a fact. By using DIY sunscreen, you are categorically putting yourself and your children at risk of skin damage. There is a reason sunscreen products are among one of the hardest cosmetic products to formulate, and there is no reason why a TikTok star should be making them from their own kitchen. Please stick to food, Nara, and let the cosmetic chemists and formulators create safe sunscreen products that actually work.
Words by Ceyda Faik-Yildirim MSci – Team Skin Rocks
Qualifications – MSci Chemistry (Hons), VTCT Level 2 Facial Massage and Skincare
Commentary by Ashley Hamilton-Prout – Team Skin Rocks
Qualifications – MSci Biochemistry (Hons), Diploma of Personal Care Formulation
All Think Science™ content published by Skin Rocks is researched, written and reviewed by qualified scientists.
