Sometimes TikTok can really hit it out of the park. We’ve found many quality skincare recs and recipe ideas on the app.
But it’s important not to take everything at face value, especially when it comes to the current SPF “tip” popping up on our FYP: Use natural oils like coconut and raspberry instead of sunscreen.
We asked Valerie Grandury, founder of Odacite, to explain if this is fact or fiction.
“I’ve seen a lot of misinformation floating around TikTok recently, encouraging people to swap out their sunscreen for plant oils that claim to have natural UV protection instead,” she says. “Unfortunately, this is not a clever skincare hack. It’s a choice that may put you at greater risk of sun damage and skin cancer.” Yikes.
Even though we’ve seen a rise in sunscreen safety concerns recently, natural oils are not a good replacement for SPF, fam. The key is to choose physical SPFs versus chemical ones—so, ones made with ingredients like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.
“I’ll be the first person to tell you about the remarkable potency of botanical oils when it comes to skincare. Ancient Ayurvedic healers have been using oils to heal the body, mind, and spirit for centuries. But when it comes to UVA and UVB filters backed by science and approved by global health agencies in the modern day, nothing can or should replace your sunscreen,” Valerie says.
“While some studies have tested and measured the natural UV protection of plant oils, such as raspberry, coconut, or castor oil, the results have been low and inconsistent. Meaning, these oils provide insufficient UVB protection and often lack UVA protection entirely,” she explains.
What that means: Well, UVB rays affect the top layers of skin and cause sunburn. UVA rays penetrate deeper, and there’s about 500 times more UVA rays in sunlight than UVB rays. So even if they did have sufficient UVB protection—which, again, they don’t—they’d still be lacking in critical protection from the most harmful rays.
“I think this heightened concern about sunscreen also speaks to an overall dissatisfaction with sunscreen formulation and innovation that goes beyond the ingredient list,” Valerie says. “The reason we decided to start formulating sunscreen at Odacité was because I kept hearing that many of our clients were skipping or avoiding their daily sunscreen because they couldn’t find an SPF that they enjoyed wearing.”
“According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, you should look for a water-resistant, broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 or higher for any extended outdoor activity,” she says. “While SPF 30 is your baseline protection, I would even recommend opting for a sunscreen with an SPF 50 rating that will offer protection against 98% of UVB rays, as well as a PA++++ rating, which will offer the highest anti-aging protection against the effects of UVA rays.”
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