How To Make Your 100% Natural Sunscreen.
Did you know that most sunscreens contain toxic ingredients?
And even endocrine disruptors?
These ingredients can increase the risk of skin cancer and the production of free radicals in your body.
In fact, the rate of skin cancer has increased since using sunscreens.
And beware: even brands that are supposed to be based on natural products also contain toxic products!
Luckily, here's how to make your own 100% natural sunscreen:
The sun: bad for the skin but good for the body!
Today, more and more people suffer from vitamin D deficiency.
Besides, I think the lack of sun exposure is a bigger problem than the risks of overexposure to the sun.
Vitamin D deficiency is linked to several types of cancer, including the deadliest forms of breast cancer.
Vitamin D insufficiency is also linked to several complications of pregnancy: preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, premature deliveries, etc.
Our company teaches us to avoid exposure to the sun. This is normal: we think we are doing well by avoiding skin cancer.
But, by avoiding the sun's rays, we also lose all the vitamin D that the body produces when it is exposed to the sun.
In addition, there are many other factors linked to skin cancer.
For example, consuming vegetable oil rich in omega-6 fatty acids can have a negative impact on the health of your skin.
For my part, I try to have a more moderate approach regarding my exposure to the sun.
Every day, I make sure my kids and I get adequate sun exposure - but be careful not to get sunburned.
In fact, it's harder to find time to be in the sun than to avoid it. Indeed, most of the day is spent indoors.
In the rare cases where I really need to protect myself from the risk of overexposure, I put on a hat or I cover my skin with a shirt or T-shirt. It's the best natural total sunscreen!
But sometimes these protections are not an option: the first few days at the beach, for example.
In these cases, I occasionally use a homemade natural sunscreen.
This year I haven't used it yet - and I hope I won't be using it for the rest of the summer.
But I still wanted to take the opportunity to share my recipe with you!
Like this, if you too want to stay under the sun for extended periods of time, you have a natural option to protect your skin.
In addition, this natural alternative is particularly suitable for all skin types:
- young children,
- people who take medicines which make the skin more sensitive to the sun and
- people who easily get sunburned.
But, once again I want to repeat my philosophy!
Yes, this sunscreen is highly effective, smells great and softens your skin.
However, I don't think it should be used every day. The production of vitamin D following exposure to the sun is extremely beneficial in the long term! Just don't overdo it.
Ingredients
- 12 cl of sweet almond oil or olive oil
- 6 cl of coconut oil
- 15 g of beeswax
- 2 tablespoons of zinc oxide
Warning: use a powder without nanoparticle, as it cannot be absorbed through the skin. Be careful not to absorb the powder while breathing.
- optional: 1 teaspoon of raspberry seed oil
- optional: 1 teaspoon of carrot seed oil
- optional: 1 teaspoon of vitamin E oil
- optional: 2 teaspoons of shea butter
- optional: essential oils, vanilla extract or other agents to flavor your cream.
How to do
1. Prepare a jar or glass container (capacity 50 cl).
2. Combine all the ingredients (except zinc oxide).
3. In a saucepan, heat the jar in a double boiler over medium heat.
4. As the water heats up, the ingredients begin to melt.
5. Shake the jar from time to time to better incorporate all the ingredients.
6. Once all the ingredients have melted, add the zinc oxide and mix.
7. Pour the final mixture into a container, to keep your sunscreen.
A small jar is ideal. Sprayers are not recommended because the cream is too thick to spray.
8. To make sure the zinc oxide is well incorporated, shake the mixture while it cools.
9. Use sunscreen like regular cream (you can keep it for up to 6 months).
Good to know
- This sunscreen is partially water resistant, but not completely.
Therefore, remember to put it back on after a swim or if you've been sweating.
- Warning: do not breathe zinc oxide powder! Use a mask if necessary!
- This sunscreen recipe has a sun protection factor of about 15. If you add more zinc oxide, it increases the sun protection factor.
- To thicken the sunscreen, add more beeswax. To make it more liquid, use less wax.
- I advise you to perfume your sunscreen. I use natural coconut oil, vanilla essence, or 1 or 2 drops of lavender essential oil.
- To store your homemade sunscreen properly, put it in a cool, dry place. You can also keep it in the refrigerator.
- Personally, I prefer to keep it in a small jar and apply it like sunscreen.
To do this, I put in a little more coconut oil, in order to get a firmer texture.
- If you remove the zinc oxide from the ingredients in this sunscreen, you get great body lotion.
What is the protection index?
Many of the ingredients in this recipe have natural sun protection properties.
But since this cream is 100% natural and has not been tested in a laboratory, it is impossible to calculate its exact protection factor.
Here are the ingredients in this sunscreen that naturally protect your skin from the sun.
Ingredient protection index
- Sweet almond oil (protection factor 5)
- Coconut oil (protection index 4 - 6)
- Zinc oxide (protection index 2 - 20, depending on the amount used)
- Raspberry seed oil (protection index 25 - 50)
- Carrot seed oil (protection index 35 - 40)
- Shea butter (protection factor 4 - 6)
Note: the final protection index varies depending on the amount of each ingredient used.
For the simpler version, a small amount of coconut oil and shea butter mixed with oil (raspberry seeds or carrot seeds) or with zinc oxide works for moderate sun exposure. .
Where to find these ingredients?
Most of these ingredients are easily found in organic stores.
To buy it now, we recommend the following products (click on the ingredients):
- cold pressed organic sweet almond oil
- organic coconut oil from fair trade
- 100% organic beeswax
- zinc oxide without nanoparticle
- raspberry seed oil
- extra virgin carrot seed oil
- vitamin E oil
- organic shea butter
- vanilla flavoring
For those who do not have the time or do not want to make their own natural sunscreen, we recommend these 2 organic sunscreens:
- Sun SPRAY Kids index 50 BIO
- Organic Baby Sun Milk - Index 50
Know of another homemade sunscreen recipe? Share it with us in the comments. We can't wait to hear from you!
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Also to discover:
Prepare your skin for the sun: 5 tips for a natural tan.
My 5 Self-Tanning Recipes for a Tanned Complexion Despite the Rain.
