I have been gradually learning how to replace chemically laden items in my home with more natural ingredients. For awhile I have been wondering what to do about sunscreen. I have heard friends say that they aren't sure which is more harmful, UV rays from the sun or the carcinogenic ingredients in many commercial sunscreens. So, for the last few summers I have been searching for more natural ingredients in our family sun protection. Goodness Me carries some great natural brands and they have sample bottles which allowed me to test whether they left a pasty white residue which my guys are not a fan of. We go through a lot of sunscreen, though. My oldest son has been a counsellor at camp this summer and often has a cabin of 6-8 boys all needing to be coated before heading out for a swim, a hike to the low ropes course, or paddle around the lake.
So, for my budget I am experimenting with homemade sunscreen. Here's a recipe from one of my team-mates, Krista Laposi.
Homemade sunscreen can seem intimidating, but it's actually pretty easy! Zinc Oxide powder has a natural SPF of 20-25 and can be bought in health food stores (we found ours in Goodness Me) or can be purchased on Amazon. Carrot Seed oil also offers a level of protection with a natural SPF of 30-40.
I have added beeswax pellets for a little water resistance and shea butter to nourish the skin, but this recipe can easily be made without them if you don't have those ingredients on hand.
Essential Oil Sunscreen
+ 1/2 cup coconut oil
+ 4 tbsp olive oil
+ 2 tbsp beeswax pellets
+ 2 tbsp shea butter
+ 2 tbsp zinc oxide powder
+ 30-40 drops carrot seed oil
Melt coconut oil, olive oil, beeswax pellets and shea butter in a double boiler (I used a glass bowl set on top of a pot of boiling water). Remove from heat and stir in zinc oxide powder, being careful not to inhale the powder. Once the mixture is slightly cooled, stir in carrot seed oil. The mixture will firm up in the fridge or can be stored in a squeeze-bottle at room temperature.
As with all sunscreens, please remember to apply liberally and often, especially after swimming and sweating.
I took inspiration from Krista's recipe and changed a natural sunscreen I purchased that was really pasty white (in fact it is called pasty white babies by Kynk Naturals). It already had incredible ingredients - shea butter, rice bran, jojoba oil, zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, & seabuckthorn oil.
To change the texture, I added 2 tbsp of coconut oil, 30 drops carrot seed oil, and 20 drops of lavender oil (great for skin and scent - so far the flies and mosquitos have left me alone with the lavender added). It now goes on smoothly without the pasty look. It has needed a stir each time I open the container to apply. I'm not sure if my boys will use it, but it did make me able to use a sunscreen that I'd purchased but found a little thick. I tested it as we went for a game of mini golf last week in the sun. My skin felt nourished and safe. So far so happy.
Another sunscreen recipe I want to store here to try:
20 drops Myrrh EO (15 SPF)
30 Drops Carrot Seed EO (28 SPF)
2/3 cup coconut oil (4-6 SPF)
1 cup shea butter (5 SPF)
Mix and apply liberally. Store in a cool dark place to maintain freshness.
SPF stands for sun protection factor which increases the length of time exposure to UV rays would take to burn skin. 15 times means if you burn after 15 minutes you can last 15x longer before burning.
Time to get outside.
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