All over social media this summer (as last), homemade sunscreens are being promoted by friends and family.
Here's the good news: they do work. Here's the bad news: They don't work much.
Researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's Hospital and the Brooks College of Health at University of North Florida concluded that most homemade sunblock recipes on Pinterest make unsubstantiated claims about their efficacy. The study was published in May 2019.
Searching Pinterest for the phrases "homemade sunscreen" and "natural sunscreen," researchers sampled every fifth pin to collect 189 relevant pins. Of those, 68.3 percent used ingredients that offered low UV radiation protection. Meanwhile, a third of the pins made SPF claims ranging from SPF 2 to SPF 50. In other words, a lot of big claims, but how much truth?
Sunscreens involving coconut oil, shea butter, lavender oil, essential oils, and other ingredients provide an SPF range of 1 to 7 — far below the SPF 30 recommended by The American Academy of Dermatology.
Instead, you can find an FDA-approved sunscreen in store or online to meet your needs whether it's traditional or labeled as natural. The Center recommends finding one that is water resistant and is broad spectrum (protects against UVA and UVB rays) as well as SPF 30 or above.
If you don't want to use sunblock, you can always cover up. Consider a lightweight fabric to cover arms and legs and a large-brimmed hat to shade the face. Next, head for the shade and avoid those prime blistering hours from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m.
