Have you ever wondered what your really applying to your skin, or even worse your children’s skin when you “spray” or rub on over the counter sunscreens? Well I sure have and so last year we made the switch to an all natural sunscreen that didn’t contain the toxic cocktail most sunscreens offer. With switching I noticed a few things…. Number 1- The price was way more expensive than your run of the mil sunscreen and Number 2. The sunscreen was pretty opaque and left a white residue all over our skin. I can get past the latter but the price was really hard for me to swallow, I mean $20 dollars for 87 ml (ouch). So after doing some research about what main ingredients are in the natural sunscreens I decided to make my own. In Nova Scotia the weather has been very summer(y) so I thought no better time than the present to whip up a batch of home-made sunscreen.
I believe that our bodies need some vitamin D, but our skin also needs to be protected during the suns most aggressive times of the day and of the year.
All Natural Sunscreen
1/4 cup of unrefined organic coconut oil
5 tbsp zinc oxide (I bought a no name brand without fragrance and 40% zinc content) * The higher the zinc content the higher the SPF
2 tbsp of grated local beeswax
3 small sections off my Aloe plant (squeezed and added to warmed distilled water)
1/2 cup distilled water
few drops of 100% Vitamin E oil
few drops of unrefined Grapeseed oil
* Heat coconut oil and grated beeswax in a double boiler and melt down completely
Remove from heat and add vitamin E oil
In a small pan warm distilled water and add natural aloe
add Grapeseed oil
blend in 5 tbsp of Zinc to the mixture, I used a mini food processor
let set in fridge for 10 minutes, repeat blending/ refrigeration until reaches desired texture.
Apply and go!
* Store in fridge for longer shelf life, approximately 2-4 months (re-apply after being in the water for proper protection)
Sunscreen just applied to cheeks
sunscreen blended:)
Tested on my oh so sweet little lovely who has super sensitive skin and no reactions:) Try it out and let me know what you think. Enjoy the sunshine friends!
* I have no real way of detecting the SPF, I assume that it is at-least 20+SPF, based on the zinc content.
Very cool post. Im so glad someone else is into organice sunscreen! I found some at our local organic shop and love it
All natural is so much better, it’s just usually way more expensive so when ever I can I make my own stuff!
Great idea! Thank you so much for sharing.
m.
Your welcome:)
What a great idea… I am just getting going with making my first batch of cleaning products, but will have to talk my hubby into doing things like this… do you have a cost comparison? Was it actually cheaper?
I would say it was way cheaper, you need to purchase a few things but I use my coconut oil and beeswax for many other raw beauty recipes, the zinc was $3.99 and I used half the tin. It makes 2 small mason jars that should get you through the season. So the initial investment may seem higher to purchase the ingredients but for me I had many of them already and the amount you use of each would make the sunscreen under $10 dollars for sure:)
Thanks Melissa… do you think it will last? Not go rancid? I don’t know much about these things…
Where do you get your zinc?
I like the idea of an all-natural sunscreen, however, I’m a bit hesitant to try this, just because I like to know that I’ve got a really high SPF. The kids and I are so fair that I use 50 or 60 on us in summer. So far the kids have never had a sunburn, but I’ve had plenty in my life and I’ve learned my lesson!
I know what you mean Pam, the sunscreen I used on us all last year was all natural and the zinc content was 18.75% and had an SPF rating of 30, so I think this one if you found the zinc with 40% content it would be higher than the 30 SPF, but without a laboratory you can say for sure:) I will let you know if we burn this summer using it!
From a Dr. Oz episode…they say that anything above an SPF30 you are wasting your money anyway. Can’t exactly remember why, but I do remember that they did say not do bother wasting your money on anything above a 30. Thought I would share. Hope this helps in some way.
I can’t wait to make this! Often, we just use coconut oil. I know that sounds crazy (esp since, as a teenager, I used to fry in the sun with vegetable oil slathered all over — which is now embarassing to admit). For whatever reason, the coconut oil is like sunscreen.
I have never thought to use coconut oil for sunscreen before- neat!
I was in the cook islands a few years ago and a local guide on my quad bike trip noticed i was getting burned. He literally went up a coconut tree and smashed it then wiped the coconut flesh on my shoulders. He said “you whities throw money away on chemicals… All you have to do is look in the bush!” I tell you i was so burned everywhere else but not on my shoulders! So you are right but he said its not the coconut you drink from, its the other long type.
Where did you find zinc oxide to use?
I found a no name brand in the diaper isle, it was 40%- just read the labels as they all have different levels of zinc, and some have fragrance and such too:)
My kids are very fair skinned. I have read it doesn’t pay to use anything higher than SPF 30 but it does seem to matter for my kids. We always use at least an SPF60. Anything less and they burn.
this is fantastic! thank you for posting the receipe to this much needed, all natural option, sunscreen! xx ~ http://www.tresorsdeluxe.wordpress.com