Homemade Sunscreen

After reading about sunscreens and the potential negative effects of many of the ingredients used in store-bought sunscreens, I purchased an all-natural sunscreen.

It was costly, about $20. And it was gone in 2 weeks!

So, I decided to make some of my own sunscreen.

And I'm never going back to store-bought sunscreen!

Supplies needed:

• Pyrex measuring container
• Empty sunscreen tube or glass jar to store the sunscreen
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Hand stick blender
• Stainless steel mixing cup  (Some hand stick blenders come with plastic mixing cups. However, it is better to use one that is stainless steel since you’ll be working with hot liquids.)
• Mask
• Funnel (optional)

It is a good idea to keep these supplies dedicated solely to making creams and kept separate from food.

NATURAL HOMEMADE SUNSCREEN

(adapted from this recipe)

• ½ cup Almond oil (or Grape seed oil for sensitive skin)
• ¼ cup Coconut oil (or Grape seed oil for sensitive skin)
• ¼ cup grated Beeswax or Beeswax pellets
• 2 Tbsp Shea Butter (natural SPF 4-5)
• 1 tsp Mango Butter
• 2 Tbsp Zinc oxide * (Be careful not to inhale the powder as it can be TOXIC if inhaled! Use a mask. This amount gives an SPF of about 20. Add more zinc oxide if you want to increase the SPF.)
• 1 tsp Vitamin E oil (optional)
• Essential oils (optional)

1.     Place the oils, shea butter, mango butter, and beeswax in a Pyrex measuring container.

2.     Put the Pyrex container into a pot of simmering water and let the ingredients melt together. When they are completely melted and mixed, take them off the heat.

3.     Carefully pour the liquid mixture into a stainless steel mixing cup.

4.     Carefully add zinc oxide. Be careful not to inhale the powder as it can be TOXIC when inhaled. Use a mask.

5.     Optional: Add vitamin E oil and essential oils.

6.     Stir a few times with a spoon to incorporate the zinc oxide, vitamin E oil, and essential oils.

7.     Allow to cool to room temperature. If you want to quicken the cool-down process, place the mixing cup into a bowl of ice water.

8.     Carefully blend with a stick blender until well blended.

9.     Pour into an empty sunscreen container tube (a funnel may be needed to do this) or a glass jar. Since these ingredients are fresh and no preservatives are used, it is best to store in the fridge and use within six months.

10. If using an empty sunscreen container (tube), just remove from fridge 15 minutes prior to use. This sunscreen is not as waterproof as store-bought sunscreen, so reapply more often than you would with store-bought sunscreen.

Additional notes:

Shea butter, mango butter, almond oil, avocado oil, and beeswax are available at Brambleberry.com and amazon.com.

* Zinc oxide is available on amazon.com. This particular product is non-nano, so it won’t pass through the skin.

The Big Boss Hand Stick Blender works great, which is also available at amazon.com.

Target has some great glass jars to store your creams, and they come in different sizes too. Amazon.com also sells these glass jars in larger quantities.