If you ever feel like there's something you can't do in life, 22-year-old model-turned-TikTok star Nara Smith will convince you otherwise. Widely known on the internet as a "traditional wife" (or "TradWife") influencer, she’s famous for sharing videos of herself crafting everything from Oreos to toothpaste at home—from scratch!
This time, she and her husband, Lucky Blue Smith, are going viral once again after filming themselves making DIY sunscreen.
Given the bizarre nature of some of her DIY recipes, viewers can't help but question whether this is satire. DIY projects are typically meant to save money and time, yet many consider her recipes impractical.
Netizens React to Nara Smith Making DIY Sunscreen
"How do you guys have everything to prepare an item and not the item itself???" questioned one user.
"I need a pantry tour [because] what shelf do you casually have 'zinc oxide powder' sitting on?" asked another.
"Just buy it," one user pleaded.
Many users also questioned whether this recipe would even work and how she could tell how much SPF their homemade sunscreen contained. A dermatologist on TikTok has also stitched Nara's video to comment on the situation, emphasizing that sunscreen is one of those things best left to the professionals.
Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Make Homemade Sunscreen
In a separate video, Consultant Dermatologist Dr. Aamna Adel explained why sunscreen is one of those things that you just aren’t supposed to be making at home. “Every sunscreen on the market undergoes rigorous testing and that’s to make sure that it’s actually protecting you from UV and, most importantly, it’s stopping you from burning,” she explained. “If you’re making a DIY sunscreen at home, you literally have no idea how much protection it’s giving you. It could be SPF 2. It could be SPF 10,” she continued.
For the uninitiated, the minimum SPF level required to actually protect your skin from sun damage is SPF 30. While most homemade sunscreen recipes found online and promoted by non-experts like Nara Smith contain zinc oxide, a well-known sunscreen ingredient, the Cancer Council states that effective sun protection requires correct concentrations and even distribution, which is unlikely to be achieved at home. Not to mention, homemade sunscreens lack testing and regulation, and the natural oils used in these recipes, such as the jojoba oil, shea butter, and beeswax that Nara used in her video, generally have insufficient UV-blocking ability.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlights that too much exposure to the sun can increase the likelihood of developing skin cancer. As a result, it is essential to apply sunscreen that has been thoroughly tested and proven effective whenever exposed to intense sunlight.
“So homemade bubble tea? Yes. But homemade sunscreen? No,” Dr. Aamna Adel concluded.
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