Science- Beauty and wellness TikToker Isabelle Lux went viral saying eating 3 carrots daily has made her tan.
- Lux used to eat 10 carrots per day, but was told by her doctor to cut back after getting "really sick."
A TikToker who said she was able to achieve a "natural fake tan" by eating three large carrots daily for years has gone viral for the unorthodox beauty hack.
And while a dietician confirmed to Insider that eating lots of carrots can make you tan, she cautioned against "overconsumption" of the vegetable, suggesting those seeking a glow might be better served by self-tanning lotion.
In July, @Isabelle.Lux shared that she's been eating three large carrots daily for several years, which had changed the "natural undertone" of her skin — causing her to glow, as she put it, "from the inside out."
Lux's two videos on the matter garnered a combined 6.6 million views, but the 32-year-old beauty and wellness influencer later clarified in an August video she didn't actually start eating carrots to get tan. She was simply "obsessed" with the vegetable, she said.
@isabelle.lux Carrots >>>>> #beautyfood #beautyhacks #carrottan ♬ original sound - Isabelle ⚡️ Lux
"I've loved carrots since high school, which is when my skin tone changed," Lux told Insider. "I didn't realize it at the time because I was doing a lot of spray tanning. It took me 10 years later to realize my palms were always on the orange side and my skin tone had changed to a more yellow glowing shade than my natural very pale pink/blue tone."
At one point, Lux said her obsession resulted in medical intervention. She said on TikTok that eating 10 carrots per day had made her "really sick" with "vitamin A poisoning," whereupon her doctor told her to limit her daily intake to three. "Too much is too much," she said.
Bonnie Taub-Dix, a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN), told Insider that while eating "bunches" of carrots can lend an "orange-like tan," overconsumption should be avoided.
While eating carrots on a "regular basis" provides vitamin A (for healthy eyes and skin), carotenoids (for immune system support), and fiber, Taub-Dix warned that "overconsumption of carrots may cause vitamin A toxicity, gastrointestinal discomfort, and skin discoloration, known as carotenemia."
"Just like any other food — just because it's good for us, doesn't mean we should binge on it," Taub-Dix said, noting a cup of chopped, raw carrots provides about 430% of the recommended daily value for vitamin A.
@glowbymarlowe Did you know there are certain foods that can give you a natural tan? Share this with a tan loving friend. #mariamarlowe #skincaretips #skincaretok #acnenutrition #acnenutritionist #acnesolutions #acnesolutions #naturaltan #naturaltanning #fyp #foryou ♬ original sound - Marlowe | Acne Nutritionist
Lux's tanning hack was also amplified by a self-described nutritionist Maria Marlowe, who goes by @glowbymarlowe on TikTok, in a video last week with 15.1 million views.
Marlowe noted that in addition to tanning, eating carrots daily for weeks "helps to protect your skin from UV rays." She also cited a 2009 study that claimed that a "carotenoid tan" was more attractive to the opposite sex.
"It's important to eat a wide variety of vegetables and fruit in a rainbow of colors," Marlowe told Insider.
"The beta carotene in carrots is a powerful antioxidant that can help protect the skin from damage," Taub-Dix said, concurring with Marlowe's former assertion, while still cautioning against excessive consumption.
"As far as attracting the opposite sex," Taub-Dix said, "if someone's favorite color is orange, that could be an interesting tactic! Otherwise, I'd look for someone who's attracted to you for more important reasons."