Drinkable sunscreen is probably not a thing (but maybe someday!)

A lot of things are drinkable these days — like yogurt. But sunscreen?! Yep, one company has created a drinkable sunscreen, UVO. Um…

Like good old regular undrinkable sunscreen, you’re supposed to use (i.e., drink) the orange peach-flavored UVO a half-hour before you go in the sun. Then, it’ll give you 3-5 hours of sun protection, depending on your skin type (if you have fair skin, you’ll probably get fewer hours of protection than someone with darker skin.) And it not only protects your skin, but places like your eyes, too. (TBH, this seems like a perk since it’s tricky to apply a cream or spray sunscreen onto the eyes.)

Plus, it’ll supply you with over 30 vitamins, antioxidants and phytonutrients in the process — and zinc gluconate, too. There’s also no artificial flavors or preservatives, and it’s gluten-free.

Sound too good to be true? Or too way-too-out-there to be true?

UVO says that it also helps with overexposure to the sun and, if you drink it daily, it can “repair years of sun damage, provide anti-aging benefits, beautify the skin and promote overall health and wellness.”

While it sounds fascinating, the research on drinkable sunscreen would not exactly win Neil Degrasse Tyson’s approval.  More testing needs to be done before we all get a summer’s-worth supply of UVO. The company did do research, but just with 15 people. This tiny sample is definitely not sufficient for anyone to be tossing out their Coppertone just yet.

For skeptics, Uproxx spoke to UVO’s inventor, dermatologist Dr. Bobby Awadalla. He said UVO is aimed to supplement sunscreen as we know it, not replace it. “We’re learning that we don’t need paint to activate the body’s protection mechanisms,” Dr. Awadalla said. “The body knows how to protect itself. If it didn’t, we wouldn’t live as long and we’d be riddled with skin cancer…”

Uproxx’s Steve Bramucci even tried UVO for himself. Dr. Awadalla had him drink a 12-ounce bottle an hour before going in the sun, though Bramucci had two (and was not a fan of the saccharine taste). He then spent the day in the sun, having a third bottle of UVO in the afternoon and reapplying sunscreen just once to his face and shoulders.

The result? He thinks it worked, though he also acknowledged only trying it once. “My cheeks weren’t red or puffy. My back and shoulders didn’t have any hot spots, and I didn’t have to take a bath in aloe and coconut oil (as fun as that sounds)… I’m not going to bet my life on it. ”

Sounds like a good plan until more testing is done (a lot more!). Give drinkable sunscreen a shot if you’re a trendsetter, but don’t skip your traditional sunblock!