Make your own sunscreen with this easy recipe.

Homemade Sunscreen

by scoochmaroo

Make your own sunscreen with this easy recipe.

Sunscreen is intended to shield your skin from harmful UVA and UVB rays. These can cause premature aging, and more tragically, skin cancer. But commercial suncreens often involve more nasty chemicals than necessary.

By making your own sunscreen, you control exactly what goes in!

step 1

Materials
You'll need the following ingredients to make sunscreen:8oz carrier. oil - olive, sunflower, jojoba, soybean - your choice1oz emulsifing waxSunblocking agent - zinc oxide or titanium dioxide - available onlineEssential oils of your choice (opt.) - I used geranium and sweet orangeThe following tools make the job easier:Mixer - either handheld mixer, submersible blender, …

step 2An Easier Recipe
If you want your sunscreen NOW, and you don't want to mess around with making your own lotion, just buy your favorite lotion from the store, and add your zinc oxide or titanium dioxide to that! This means you can make sunscreen that's sensitive enough to use on delicate skin, or is already your favorite scent or creaminess.8oz lotionZinc oxide or titanium dioxide (see …

step 3Mix oils and wax
Measure one ounce of wax into a microwave safe container. Melt on high heat (approx 1 minute for me). Add 8oz. oil, and blend well.Add a few drops of essential oils for scent.The mixture may need to back in the microwave for a bit if it starts to harden up again.

step 4SPF Table
Use the following table to determine your measurements.For example, 8oz. (weighed) of lotion + .8oz of titanium micronized dioxide (weighed) = SPF20+The Micronized TD is 10% of the original amount of lotion used (not the finished weight).If you used 8oz of lotion + .8oz of Micronized ZO, the SPF would be 11-12.If it's still too confusing, ask! Concentration of Sunscr…

step 5Add dry ingredients
Wearing your gloves and mask, carefully measure zinc oxide or titanium oxide into your blending container (see chart above). For this recipe, I weighed out .9oz of Micronized TO to make an SPF 20.Add the wax/oil mixture to the powder.Blend thoroughly.Scrape the sides of your mixing bowl and blend some more.Continue blending until the powder is thoroughly incorporated.

step 6Transfer into container
Use a silicone spatula to transfer your mixture into a pastry bag or plastic baggie with the corner snipped off.Squeeze the lotion into your new containers and label.Apply liberally and frequently!!

step 7Disclaimer
These recipes and instructions are for homemade use only. The concentration of TD/ZO in the lotion is approximated for ease of use. The variations in concentration will still fall within the SPF ranges set forth, and should not cause concern in small batches (approx 8-12oz)If you want to make and sell a skin care product, you must adhere to the regulations set forth by…

step 8An Alternative
In response to a lot feedback I've been getting, I'd like to offer a TD/ZO alternative.I haven't tested this out, but this is a recipe I found on Suite 101, and would love to get your opinions!Natural Protection Cream Recipe3 tbsp. unrefined sesame oil1 tbsp. unrefined avocado oil1 tbsp. unrefined jojoba oil1 tbsp. walnut or almond oil1 tbsp. shea butter2 tbsp. cocoa bu…