Skincare products, including sunscreens, are becoming more expensive. However, you can save money by learning to make them at home. While there is some controversy about whether homemade sunscreen can provide adequate protection from the sun, many people swear it works.
Why Make Sunscreen at Home?
How to Make Natural Sunscreen Lotions (How to Make Natural Skin Care…
- Miriam Kinai
- Kindle Edition
- English
There are several reasons why people take the time to make their own sunscreens. Many commercial sunblocks or sunscreens contain harsh chemicals that irritate skin. Others have been linked to serious diseases like cancer or cause hormone disruptions.
For instance, parabens, which most skincare products contain, have been linked to cancer. Oxybenzone, which is used in chemical sunscreens, causes hormone disruptions. Phthalates have been linked to fertility problems in women and poor fetal development.
By making these products at home, people can avoid dangerous chemicals and substitute them for natural ones made from flowers, plants, vegetables or fruits. It is also less expensive to create skincare products from items in your pantry. Instead of paying $10 to $15 for sunscreen, you can spend a few dollars and never run out of the stuff.
Vitamin D Deficiency
Commercial sunscreens do such a good job of filtering out sunlight that Vitamin D deficiencies are becoming an issue in many countries, including the United States. Although Vitamin D can be found in foods, the easiest source for it is the sun. However, if you are always wearing sunscreen, your skin won’t absorb it.
Vitamin D helps make it easier to absorb calcium, and it can reduce the risk medical problems like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and rheumatoid arthritis. It can also lower your blood pressure. A deficiency in this vitamin can cause muscle and bone pain and increase the risk of breast, colon, prostate and other cancers.
Controversy Regarding DIY Sunscreens
Although many homeopathic advocates recommend making sunscreens at home, most dermatologists are opposed to having people use it because they say it doesn’t properly protect skin. The main issue regarding homemade recipes is that the efficacy of their ingredients has not been tested.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has okayed the chemical ingredients used in commercial sunscreens, and most of the ingredients in do-it-yourself sunscreens use essential oils that are not made to prevent your skin from absorbing sunlight.
Due to the lack of research that has been done to some of the ingredients, there is no guarantee that the sun protection factor, or SPF, that is claimed on blogs is true.
However, when you buy a Natural Shampoo Brands, you can rely on their information because its ingredients have been tested and approved for use.
Also, there are claims that the oils used in many home recipes make it easier for skin to get sunburned. Experts say that the oils picked to use in DIY sunscreens absorb sunlight, which can cause burns, instead of filtering or blocking it.
However, if you’re concerned about how chemicals can damage your body and want to try making your own sunscreen, you can try these recipes.
Homemade Sunscreen Recipes
Waterproof Homemade Sunscreen: 35 Safe Sunscreen Recipes for Different…
- Julianne Lukas
- Kindle Edition
- English
Homemade Sunscreen Recipes: DIY Organic Sunscreen: (Natural Cosmetics,…
- Christine Charles
- Kindle Edition
- English
To make this first recipe, you will need to get the following ingredients:
- Almond oil or olive oil, if you prefer it. If you’re making it from fresh herbs, they can be infused first.
- Coconut oil
- Zinc Oxide
- Red Raspberry Seed Oil
- Carrot Seed Oil
- Shea Butter
Most of these ingredients can be found in stores selling homeopathic ingredients, pharmacies or online. Many health food stores stock essential oils.
Each ingredient has an SPF reading, with zinc oxide providing the most at SPF 2 to 20 depending on how much of the ingredient is put into the recipe. The measurements to make the sunscreen are:
- A half cup of almond or olive oil.
- A quarter cup of coconut oil.
- A quarter cup of beeswax.
- Two tbsp. of zinc oxide. Buy the non-nano version to use in recipes. Also, wear a mask when working with it as it shouldn’t be inhaled.
- Up to one tsp. red raspberry oil (optional)
- Up to one tsp. carrot seed oil (optional)
- Two tbsp. of shea butter (optional)
You can also add vanilla extract, essential oils, or other extracts if you prefer. However, stay away from citrus essential oils because they heighten sun sensitivity, so they can make your skin burn.
Recipe Instructions
- You will need a pint size or larger glass jar with a lid, like a Mason jar or an old pickle jar. Place all the ingredients in the jar except the zinc oxide.
- Pour about two or three inches of water in a medium-sized saucepan and put over medium heat.
- Place the lid on the jar loosely and place it inside the pan.
- As the jar becomes warmer, the ingredients will begin to melt. Shake the jar to mix the ingredients. After they have completely melted, add the zinc oxide and stir well. Then, pour everything into the container that you’ll use for storage. However, do not use a pump container as it doesn’t work well for this recipe.
- As the mixture cools, make sure to stir it well to incorporate the zinc oxide fully.
- It should be stored in a cool, dry place or your refrigerator.
Three Ingredient Homemade Sunscreen
This recipe only needs three ingredients, but you can add more if you prefer. The zinc oxide will control how much SPF is in the Organic Coola Sunscreen. If you want a higher number, use a little more zinc oxide. When working with this ingredient, use a mask to prevent inhaling it.
For this recipe you will need:
- Four ounces of a natural or organic lotion.
- An eighth of an ounce, which is about one tablespoon plus two teaspoons, of zinc oxide. It will make the sunscreen about SPF 20.
- 12 drops, or about a quarter teaspoon, of carrot seed oil.
Instructions for the sunscreen:
- Place the lotion and other ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well using a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Place the mixture in a jar or a squeezable tube. It will make about half a cup, which is four ounces. You can double the ingredients to make a full cup of sunscreen.
Since this recipe isn’t water-resistant, you can add an ounce of beeswax pellets, which is about two tablespoons. The beeswax will need to be melted, and it can be done with a double boiler or by placing a metal or glass bowl over a boiling pot of water.
Once the beeswax has been melted, remove it and allow it to cool just slightly. Then add the other three ingredients and stir well to incorporate them with the wax completely. Once it has cooled some more, place the mixture in a container. It is then ready to use whenever you go swimming.
Homemade Organic Sunscreen: 30 Waterproof Sunscreen Recipes 15-40 SPF…
- Julianne Lukas
- Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
- Paperback: 40 pages
Homemade Sunscreen: 15 DIY Recipes of Organic Sunscreen: (Essential…
- Carren White
- Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
- Paperback: 30 pages
Optional Ingredients
There are many optional ingredients that you can add to sunscreens, including:
- Red raspberry seed oil
- Jojoba oil
- Sweet Almond oil
- Cocoa powder
You can also add anything else that you prefer, but again, stay away from citrus oils to prevent sunburns.
Natural DIY Sunscreen Recipe
Here is a third recipe to make and try next time you plan to be outside. The ingredients you’ll need are:
- An ounce of coconut oil.
- An eighth of an ounce of shea butter.
- One-tenth of an ounce of jojoba oil. (Sesame or sunflower oil can be used instead).
- One-tenth of an ounce of Vitamin E.
- 30 drops of essential oils. Try a combination of oils like lavender, peppermint, and eucalyptus or another combination that you prefer (except for citrus oils).
- Zinc oxide powder, enough for about two ounces of lotion.
Instructions to Make Sunscreen
Add the coconut oil, shea butter and the jojoba oil (or whatever you chose instead) to a glass or metal bowl set over a pan of boiling water as a double boiler. Allow the ingredients to melt, then remove the bowl from the pan. Let cool slightly.
Homemade Safe Sunscreen: 25 Sunscreen Recipes For Adults And Children…
- Gina Alldridge
- Kindle Edition
- English
DIY Non-Toxic Sunscreen: 20 Homemade Sunscreen Recipes + 10 After-Sun…
- Carol Bates
- Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
- Paperback: 40 pages
Cover your mouth with a mask to work with the zinc oxide and place it into the bowl, along with the Vitamin E and the essential oils. Stir everything together until well combined. Place it in a jar for storage in the refrigerator. A dark jar will work best.
When you use a homemade sunscreen, apply it liberally to cover your body. Then, reapply it after swimming or if you’re sweating excessively and after two hours to protect your skin. If you want to know more about the ingredients used in these recipes and how they can protect your skin.
You can easily save money and avoid harmful toxins by making sunscreen in your kitchen using these three recipes.