A TikTok tradwife made sunscreen from scratch. It didn’t go over well.

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TikTok tradwife Nara Smith made her own DIY sunscreen from scratch. Experts say it’s concerning.iStock / Getty Images

Nara Smith, the TikToker best known for her tradwife lifestyle videos where she makes elaborate recipes from scratch, has enraged a new subset of viewers: dermatologists.

The model and content creator is known to raise an eyebrow or two when she makes her own Cinnamon Toast Crunch for her kids or boils fresh bagels for her husband, Lucky Blue Smith, in elaborate outfits. Still, the content creator has found success, with more than 8 million TikTok followers and a devoted base of both fans and hate watchers.

But in a post on Wednesday, Smith pivoted from making homemade lollipops or boba tea to sunscreen. And people are heated. Here’s what went down.

What happened in the video?

“We’ve been spending a lot of time outside by the pool and I realized that we ran out of sunscreen,” Nara says in a voiceover while her husband stands in front of a butcher block with a metal bowl in front of him. “I asked Lucky to make me some.”

The TikTok, which was viewed more than 13 million times in less than 24 hours, shows the couple combining coconut oil, shea butter, zinc oxide powder, and other ingredients before refrigerating the white concoction in a jar.

Smith ends the video by saying, “It went on so smooth and didn’t leave a white cast,” while cutting the segment before showing the sunscreen on anyone’s skin.

Who is Nara Smith?

Nara Smith, 22, is a popular lifestyle blogger and TikToker living in Dallas. Her social media presence took off around late 2023 as the “tradwife” movement, highlighting women who embrace traditional homemaker roles, picked up steam.

She’s best known for her DIY videos, where she’ll make intricate scratch-made recipes for her husband and children, ranging from bubblegum to toothpaste.

She was born in South Africa, raised in Germany, and later moved to California to pursue her modeling career. She is married to Lucky Blue Smith, who is Mormon — a sticking point in rumors where viewers have raised concerns over Smith’s level of autonomy and if she’s pushing “Morman propaganda.”

Smith has addressed those concerns in past videos, saying that cooking is her “love language” and is still exploring her own relationship with religion.

She is also known for her high-fashion outfits and her children’s eccentric names: Rumble Honey, Slim Easy, and Whimsy Lou

How was the homemade sunscreen TikTok received?

The video was viewed with mixed reactions, with most viewers suggesting the Smiths had taken things too far. “Homemade sunscreen is wild,” said several comments.

Still, at one point skincare company Kiehl’s weighed in, commenting “we love to see it.” Following several comments pushing back on Kiehl’s, suggesting the TikTok was potentially dangerous, the brand appeared to delete its comment but hasn’t commented publicly. Kiehl’s couldn’t be reached for comment.

What’s wrong with DIY sunscreens?

The homemade sunscreen TikTok has been stitched dozens of times by dermatologists and other health-care professionals on the platform.

“Every sunscreen on the market undergoes rigorous testing and that’s to make sure it’s actually protecting you from UV rays and most importantly it’s stopping you from burning, said Aamna Adel, a London-based dermatologist, in a response on TikTok. Adel added that making a DIY sunscreen means consumers have no idea how much protection the product is providing.

Other dermatologists have also weighed in, saying that there wouldn’t be a way to ensure the homemade product’s efficacy meets the same standards as FDA-approved sunscreens on the market.

The concerns come amid recent extreme heat, including in Philadelphia, and a time where skin cancer — the most common cancer in the country — remains on the rise, with one in five Americans being diagnosed in their lifetime.

A survey this year from the American Academy of Dermatology found that nearly 30% of adults ages 18 to 26 are more concerned about their tan than preventing skin cancer.

Still, Smith’s video is the latest in a rising trend of wellness influencers driving consumers away from Western medicine and toward holistic alternatives instead. Medical experts caution against allowing TikTokers to drive important personal health decisions.

What sunscreen should I use instead?

There are tons of different sunscreens on the market depending on usage needs.

Dermatologists recommend purchasing one that contains a minimum of SPF 30, contains broad-spectrum protection against UVA and UVB rays, and is water resistant.