Raspberry seed oil is often said to be an amazing ‘natural sunscreen’, but is there any truth to it?
We understand why this has become such a popular idea. Who wouldn’t want to use a 100% natural sunscreen that offers the same protection as expensive sunscreen? But is it too good to be true?
Before you go out in the sun with just raspberry oil on your skin, we urge you to read this blog!
Contents
- What Is Raspberry Seed Oil?
- Understanding UV Rays
- How Sunscreen Protects Your Skin
- What Are The Claims?
- Does Raspberry Seed Oil Provide UV Protection?
- Conclusion: Why Raspberry Seed Oil Is Not A Safe Sunscreen Alternative
What Is Raspberry Seed Oil?
Raspberry seed oil is extracted by cold pressing from the seeds of the red raspberry. This natural oil is rich in vitamin E and essential fatty acids like linoleic acid.
It has amazing hydrating properties which helps to improve overall skin health and moisture retention. Raspberry oil also has a comedogenic rating of 0, meaning it won't clog pores. It is suitable for all skin types including dry skin, oily skin and mature skin.
Understanding UV Rays
We’re going to talk a lot about UV rays, so before we go any further it is really important to get a better understanding of what they actually are.
UV rays are made up of 3 different types of UV. This includes UVC, UVB and UVA rays.
Each of these rays have different effects on the skin, so let’s have a look at what they are and how they may damage your skin…
UVC - UVC rays are the most dangerous rays, but they are completely blocked by the ozone layer and they never reach the earth's surface. So you don't need to worry about these!
UVB - UVB rays aren't blocked by the ozone layer and they do reach our skin. These rays will damage the skin's outer layer and they are the main cause of sunburn. Exposure to these rays are also linked to most skin cancers. However, most windows and glass will block these rays, so usually they won't damage the skin when inside.
UVA - UVA rays penetrate the skin deeper than UVB rays. These rays contribute to skin tanning, skin ageing and they may cause sunburn. These rays may also cause skin cell damage that can lead to cancer. UVA rays are present most of the time, even in the mornings and late afternoons. They can also reach through windows and glass, so they may cause skin damage to some people when inside.
How Commercial Sunscreen Protects Your Skin
There are two ways they can protect the skin from UV rays: with physical blockers and chemical absorbers.
Physical blockers involve using minerals like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide to reflect UV rays away from the skin.
Chemical absorbers contain ingredients that absorb the UV rays before they reach the skin.
Many sunscreens use both physical and chemical blockers to reduce risk of skin damage and to provide broad spectrum protection against both UVB and UVA rays.
Why Making Sunscreen at Home Doesn’t Work
It is extremely difficult to make sunscreen, even for big companies. It has to be done right otherwise you risk exposing skin to harsh UV rays.
The sunscreen has to be tested to ensure it complies with strict safety laws and this can cost thousands! These tests also need to provide strong evidence to support the SPF levels put on the labels.
Not only does the sunscreen need to be tested for protection, it also needs to be tested for stability. If the ingredients split or melt under the heat of the sun, then the zinc oxide will be dispersed unevenly over the skin, leaving patches of skin without UV protection.
In addition to this, zinc oxide is extremely difficult to evenly disperse in a product. It’s not as simple as just mixing it in with a spoon. Zinc oxide forms microscopic lumps in a mixture, which would leave areas of skin exposed to the sun. You would need special equipment like a homogenizer and additional dispersing agents to evenly disperse zinc oxide.
What Are The Claims?
The claim is that raspberry seed oil can be used as a sunscreen. Many articles state that raspberry oil has an spf of 30 to 50 and that it will absorb UV rays, specifically UVB rays.
Does Raspberry Seed Oil Provide UV Protection?
To put it simply, no. But these are big claims that deserve in-depth answers. So let’s go through each part of the claim in detail…
Does raspberry seed oil have an spf of 30 to 50?
This claim came from a study published in 2000 by Oomah et al. In their study, they measured the light absorbance of raspberry seed oil which suggested it had an spf of 28-50 for UVB and 6.5-7.5 for UVA. However, to test the spf of a product, it must be tested on human skin. This test was not done on humans, it was done in a lab. So this study is inaccurate.
In addition to this, other studies have been conducted and discredited the study by Oomah et al. This 2021 study tested the spf of a few different vegetable oils (both in a lab and on human skin) and found that they were all much lower than previously thought. Raspberry seed oil was found to actually have an spf value of 2.6 when tested on human skin.
Does raspberry seed oil absorb UV rays?
Raspberry oil does contain a high proportion of bioactive compounds that offer natural sun protection. This means it can absorb some UVB rays.
While this sounds great, it doesn’t mean it will protect your skin from the sun. UV rays are made up of UVC, UVB and UVA rays. UVB, that raspberry oil may protect you from, only makes up 5% of UV rays. That’s it.
UVA makes up 95% of UV rays. So that’s 95% of UV you are getting no protection from!
Conclusion: Is Raspberry Seed Oil A Safe Sunscreen Alternative
The bottom line is, raspberry seed oil is not safe to use as a sunscreen.
It does not protect the skin from harmful UVA rays which make up 95% of the sun's UV rays. The claims that raspberry oil has a high spf have been discredited.
If you want to protect your skin from the sun, you must use an effective and well tested sunscreen that offers broad spectrum protection from UVA and UVB rays.
Continue Reading
Now you know raspberry oil can’t be used as sunscreen, why not learn more?
- Learn about whether essential oils can be used for cleaning with this in depth blog!
- Heard of the claims that rosemary oil will make hair grow faster? Read our in depth review to find the truth!
- Want to soothe sunburn? Make your own aftersun with this simple recipe!
Let us know your thoughts on using raspberry seed oil as sunscreen! Tag us on Instagram or Facebook or use our hashtag #thesoaperyuk
