Pulse logo
Pulse Region

Homemade Natural Sunscreen is Dangerous and a Bad Idea

People often create home remedies to fight colds, hangovers, and stomach aches. But there is one thing you should definitely just buy at the drug store: <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/grooming/a19526911/best-sunscreens-for-men/" id="eb919f71-af21-3223-aca5-6025a6625a16"> sunscreen </a> , according to a new paper published in the journal <a href="https://www.nielsen.com/content/dam/nielsenglobal/de/images/WP-CH/Nielsen_2018_the-future-of-beauty-report.pdf" id="3e4af46a-3ef1-34bf-a45e-e63...
DIY Sunscreen is Dangerous and a Bad Idea
DIY Sunscreen is Dangerous and a Bad Idea

Over the past few years, natural skincare products have become popular. In fact, products that marketed themselves as "natural" generated more than $1 billion in sales in 2017, according to Nielsen . Some research shows that certain sunscreen ingredients seep into your bloodstream, which causes concern among consumers. This has forced worried consumers to bypass store-bought products completely and make their SPF using recipes found on social media sites like Pinterest.

About 95 percent of Pinterest sunscreen recipes claimed to protect your skin against harmful UV rays, according to the paper. However, nearly 70 percent of the recipes were ineffective at providing sun protection.

Making an effective SPF at home is virtually impossible, says Dr. Jennifer Stein, dermatologist at NYU Langone.

As a refresher, SPF measures how long you can stay in the sun before UV rays damage skin, compared to not wearing any protection. So, SPF 30 allows you to enjoy the sun 30 times longer than you could without any sunscreen. Since SPF is regulated by the Food & Drug Administration, companies need to show their products actually work.

Recommended For You
Lifestyle
2025-03-18T12:40:12+00:00
Rachel Ruto is no stranger to making bold yet elegant fashion statements, but during the state visit of the Dutch royals on March 18, 2025, it wasn’t just her outfit that stood out—it was her shoes. The Kenyan First Lady stepped out in a pair of brown suede block heels adorned with a gold emblem.
The Sh83K shoes that completed Rachel Ruto’s State Visit look

"Its hard to know whats actually in the sunscreen unless its been tested," Stein tells Men's Health. "The bottle is going to be sitting outside in the heat, so it has to be stable at high temperatures. The sunscreen itself has to be stable in sunlight."

Many ingredients break down when exposed to the sun's high temperatures and light, making them ineffective, she says.

"When something is manufactured by a company thats regulated by the FDA there are standards so that every bottle of sunscreen you buy should have that SPF."

Of course, sunscreen is just one way to protect yourself from the sun . Stein advises seeking shade, and wearing hats and t-shirts at the beachat the risk of getting color.

"There is no such thing as a safe tan," she says.

Subscribe to receive daily news updates.