Model and content creator Nara Smith makes cereal from scratch, makes homemade throat lozenges, tooth paste It’s made from bentonite clay, baking soda, and peppermint essential oil. But her latest video with husband Lucky Blue Smith has people wondering if she’s trying to get rid of the itch. Unique sunscreen?
Here’s what’s new:
Who are these people? Nala is a 22-year-old model, influencer, and mother of three, who is married to fellow model Lucky. While Lucky was already famous before, Nala gained a following on TikTok with her indulgent, comforting cooking videos. She has become synonymous with the so-called tradwife trend, an updated take on the traditional housewife. Lucky appears frequently on her page, which has a following of 8.1 million people.
The two posted a video sharing their homemade sunscreen recipe on June 25. “We all tend to burn easily, so we chose something with a slightly higher SPF,” Nara said.
The recipe called for six ingredients: coconut oil, beeswax, shea butter, cocoa butter, jojoba oil, and zinc oxide powder.
Nara claimed the product “applied very smoothly and left no white residue,” without mentioning how effective it was at protecting the skin or preventing sunburn.
The couple is the latest to be shared by many influencers. Sunscreen RecipesOne of the controversial figures, Dr. Paul Saladinohas previously come under fire for claiming that its animal-based sunscreen is “a trillion times better than conventional sunscreen.”
What’s wrong with homemade sunscreen?
There’s no way to know if it’s playing a role, and it probably isn’t.
“Homemade sunscreens are generally ineffective,” he said. Kopelman Plastic Surgery“A sunscreen’s effectiveness depends on its ability to block or absorb UV rays, which requires a precise blend of specific ingredients. Commercial sunscreens undergo rigorous testing to ensure they offer broad-spectrum protection and have a verified SPF rating,” Yahoo Life reports. Sun protection factorAccording to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), this is a measure of how well a sunscreen protects against sunburn. The AAD recommends using an SPF of 30 or higher, but you can’t judge this at home. “Homemade sunscreens don’t have this testing and regulation, so it’s impossible to guarantee consistent, adequate protection,” Kopelman says.
Regarding Nara and Lucky’s homemade sunscreen, Dr. Mina AminThe Los Angeles-based dermatologist says the ingredient “poses a lot of problems.”
“Coconut oil and jojoba oil absorb sunlight and can actually cause burns. Beeswax, shea butter, and cocoa butter are supposed to be moisturizing, but they don’t provide any protection from the sun,” she tells Yahoo Life.
The same goes for Saladino recipes, which contain tallow (animal fat), and while tallow may contain moisturizing properties and vitamins A, D, K and E, Kopelman says, “it doesn’t provide any sun protection.” There’s also the risk of bacterial contamination and skin irritation from the animal protein.
In these and most other recipes, zinc oxide powder is the only ingredient that can provide any protection from the sun, if used properly.
“Although zinc oxide is an ingredient in mineral sunscreens, you should not use it when making homemade sunscreen at home,” Amin says. “The formula is not the same as that used in sunscreens and will not provide the same protection as mineral sunscreens.”
One Chemist on TikTok Distribution of the zinc oxide is paramount, she explained, and optimal distribution cannot be achieved with the kitchen mixer and whisk that Saladino and Smith used, respectively. 2020 Survey It turns out that many of the sunscreen recipes you’ll find on the internet offer no sun protection whatsoever, with the most effective products having an SPF of less than 6, which is practically non-existent.
Other content creators are also making videos. Homemade sunscreen test Comes with a UV detection sticker.
Why this trend is a warning sign
Sunscreen is an essential part of your daily skin care routine. Dr. Anna Chacon“This is important for skin health and is a preventative product that should be applied daily. In the short term it helps protect your skin from sunburn and in the long term it helps with anti-aging and protects against skin cancer,” Eric Myers, a Florida dermatologist, tells Yahoo Life.
And perhaps even scarier than not wearing any sunscreen at all is the belief that homemade sunscreen will protect against those risks. Influencing TikTok followers to do so is irresponsible, Kopelman says.
“Sharing homemade sunscreen recipes online is dangerous because it can give people a false sense of security,” she says.
summary
When it comes to homemade recipes you find online, stick to baked goods.
But when it comes to skin care, it’s important to use tried-and-true products or consult with your doctor about the most effective options. You can also try Korean-made sunscreens, which are growing in popularity and are dermatologist-approved. Just remember to apply them properly for protection.
Health risks aside, a sunburn isn’t a good look for anyone—even Nara Smith.