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How to Make a Natural Sunscreen - Cover

How to Make a Natural Sunscreen

Commercial sunscreen is full of ingredients that, while blocking the sun and protecting us from harmful rays, don’t nourish, heal or soothe our skin. There is no natural cooling action in commercial sunscreens. I am using all-natural ingredients; cocoa butter, olive oil, glycerin, beeswax granules, peppermint, and lavender essential oils. And the great thing about essential oils is that they have multiple actions.

Ingredients:

  • Beeswax is a humectant which means it adds moisture to whatever substance it is added to. Beeswax hydrates and protects the skin, and has exfoliating properties.
  • Cocoa Butter: I am using cocoa butter in this recipe because it is high in fatty acids. Hydrates and nourishes the skin. It can improve elasticity and protects the skin from harmful UV sun rays. The fat in cocoa butter forms a protective barrier over the skin to hold in moisture.
  • Olive oil: If you can get it, organic extra virgin olive oil is the most preferable. I love olive oil and use it every day on my skin. It is my preferred base oil. Olive oil is a very nourishing oil for the skin and hair, and we can use it in our food. I have chosen it in this recipe because we need to look after our skin in the sun, and olive can help.
  • Glycerin is a natural component of healthy skin. It’s also known as glycerine and glycerol. Glycerin is a humectant, and it works by drawing moisture from the deeper levels of the skin and from the air around us to the skin’s surface and locking it in. It’s an odorless and colorless compound that’s derived from a variety of plants.
  • Lavender Essential Oil: Lavender heals multiple issues throughout our mind, body, and soul. Lavender is non-toxic and is a non-irritant making it a safe choice every time. Lavender heals sunstroke, sunburn, dry skin, and most skin conditions, and that is why I have chosen it as one of the active ingredients in this recipe.
  • Peppermint Essential Oil is good for anything to do with heat, radiation, cooling the body. It helps with menopause symptoms of hot flashes as well. Like lavender essential oil, it has multiple healing properties. I used to live in the middle-east where the summers are long and uncomfortably hot. And I suffered terribly in the heat. Towards the end of my time there, I succumbed and used an umbrella to protect myself from the sun. Before that, I filled a glass spray bottle with water and several drops of peppermint essential oil, which would be my saving grace during those intense summer months. I am using peppermint essential oil because I know that it is good at cooling the body down during hot weather.

Recipe: 

Ingredients:

How to Make a Natural Sunscreen - Ingredients

  • 44 grams of cocoa butter 8 tablespoons with coca butter because it comes in lumps it is hard to get an exact measurement so don’t worry if your cocoa butter weighs a bit less or more.
  • 4 teaspoons of beeswax
  • 3 teaspoons of glycerin
  • 3 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 15-20 drops of lavender essential oil
  • 15-20 drops of peppermint essential oil

Step 1: Boil water in a saucepan and simmer.How to Make a Natural Sunscreen - Step 1

Step 2: For a change, I put the ingredients directly in a glass. I think it is easier like this than making several transfers.

How to Make a Natural Sunscreen - Step 2
Step 3: Here you can see the cocoa butter and beeswax. I put the lid of a jar in the saucepan base and placed the glass with ingredients on top. This stops all the noise. The boiling hot water causes the glass to move around.How to Make a Natural Sunscreen - Step 3

Step 4: The beeswax and cocoa butter are melting slowly. Make sure to put the water up to the level of the ingredients.How to Make a Natural Sunscreen - Step 4

How to Make a Natural Sunscreen - Step 5

Step 5: I gave a quick stir to make sure the beeswax and cocoa butter are mixed together well.

Step 6: Essential oils of peppermint and lavender.

How to Make a Natural Sunscreen - Step 8

Add 15 drops of lavender essential oil.How to Make a Natural Sunscreen - Step 9

Then add 15 drops of peppermint essential oil. Gently blend with a wooden spoon or stickHow to Make a Natural Sunscreen - Step 10

Step 7: Adding glycerin hard to see in this photo as it is a clear liquid. Mixture staring to solidify slowly.How to Make a Natural Sunscreen - Step 11

Step 8: Solidifying slowlyHow to Make a Natural Sunscreen - Step 13

Don’t let the mixture solidify like thisHow to Make a Natural Sunscreen - Step 14

the secret to a creamy texture is to keep whipping the oils till you get to….How to Make a Natural Sunscreen - Step 15

Yes, I know it looks a bit messy but you have to keep stirring to get the texture right. I kept walking away from the cream and going back every so often so I can’t give an exact time as to how long to whip the mixture for.

How to Make a Natural Sunscreen - Step 16

Step 9: Store in a dark glass jar. The recipe can fit into a 60ml jar. You may get a little bit extra.

How to Make a Natural Sunscreen - Step 16

I put some on my skin so you can see the texture. This sunscreen can also be nourishing for dry hands especially if you are working outside in the garden.How to Make a Natural Sunscreen - Applying

Hopefully, you can see that the cream creates a nice protective barrier on my skin. Some people don’t like the sheen that oil creates on the skin you can add less olive oil to the mixture if you prefer.

It is an excellent rich, intense creamy experience.  The cream leaves a nice sheen on the skin. Massage into areas that will be exposed to the sun: face, hands, arms, and neck.

This recipe has a low SPF. These ingredients will give you a much higher SPF in your sunscreen if so require:

  • Red Raspberry Seed Oil- 25-50 SPF
  • Carrot Seed Oil- 35-40 SPF
  • Zinc Oxide- 2-20 SPF (depending on how much you use)

Please do not add any citrus fruit essential oils; lemon, lime, orange, and grapefruit. When you use these oils you should not go out into direct sunlight or at least avoid going into direct sunlight up to 12 hours after use.

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So where is the SPF – the oils? Those won’t give you at least a 25 spf

I agree. If there is nothing – like a powder or mineral that is physically blocking the UV light from the sun, then regardless of how much beeswax, oil and other really good stuff you use, the sun will still burn the skin. I would not call this a sun SCREEN, b/c there is nothing screening the sun. It would nourish and moisturize the skin and could be a great after sun cream to use to prevent long term sun damage.

I do something similar to this but I add non-nano zinc into the mixture

Add the zinc it works great

She states that the cocoa butter protects against UV rays. (Not a specific spf, but that is the main protectant)

Thank you that was my question as well.

The ingredients list olive oil, but in the directions I don’t see where the olive oil is added?

Yes, this was my question too ~

hi Carol, I agree- coconut oil blocks only an estimated 20 percent of the sun’s damaging rays. like an spf of 7? Beeswax may provide more solid texture and the sunscreen waterproofing power but, would Nicole please tell us how this is a sunscreen? I would love to use a natural product.

She didn’t use coconut oil though. She used Cocoa butter.

I use this base but I add Carrot seed essential oil and also Red Raspberry seed oil. Non-nano Zinc and Coconut oil. Gives an SPF average of @25-30.

Would you mind sharing the amounts of each of these extras added? Thanks!

I just made this recipe and added about 15 drops of red raspberry seed oil and then weighed my ingredients and added 30% of that weight in zinc oxide (non-nano) powder. Does anyone know what the total SPF would be?

Can you explain the SPF in this recipe?

Hi Theresa,

Thank you for your comment.
This recipe has indeed a low SPF.

These ingredients will give you a much higher SPF in your sunscreen if so require.
Red Raspberry Seed Oil- 25-50 SPF
Carrot Seed Oil- 35-40 SPF
Zinc Oxide- 2-20 SPF (depending on how much you use)

God bless!

Please explain how this works as a sunscreen and what degree of SPF, if any, this provides.

Hi Cassady,

Thank you for your comment.
This recipe has indeed a low SPF.

These ingredients will give you a much higher SPF in your sunscreen if so require.
Red Raspberry Seed Oil- 25-50 SPF
Carrot Seed Oil- 35-40 SPF
Zinc Oxide- 2-20 SPF (depending on how much you use)

God bless!

i think i missed when the olive oil is added. after glycerin?

It is not mentioned when to add the olive oil, but I would add it to the beeswax and cocoa butter to make it easier to mix.

You can also add red raspberry seed oil which has natural SPF in it.

Do you know the level of SPF protection your recipe has? Aside from the beeswax I don’t see any other ingredients with SPF.

Over 20 minutes of my life I will never get back. Never did watch to the end. Why would he waste my time instead of giving the short version. After all I will not continue until the end to find out in 4 easy payments I too can make my mouth healthier.

Where do I find beeswax and the cocoa butter at?

I found beeswax at Michael’s (a craft supply store in Southern California) and cocoa butter at The Vitamin Store.

I purchased mine from Bulk Apothecary.

lol what ingredient provides or what is the sun protection factor on this preparation?

Hi Erin,

Thank you for your comment.
This recipe has indeed a low SPF.

These ingredients will give you a much higher SPF in your sunscreen if so require.
Red Raspberry Seed Oil- 25-50 SPF
Carrot Seed Oil- 35-40 SPF
Zinc Oxide- 2-20 SPF (depending on how much you use)

God bless!

Thank you- that’s such valuable information and greatly appreciated. Have a magical day!

Unfortunately, coconut oil blocks only an estimated 20 percent of the sun’s damaging rays. like an spf of 7? Beeswax may provide more solid texture and the sunscreen waterproofing power but would you tell me how this is a sunscreen? I would love to use a natural product.

I’m confused. If we’re making sunscreen, why can’t we go out in the sun? What’s the point?

“When you use these oils you should not go out into direct sunlight or at least avoid going into direct sunlight up to 12 hours after use.”

I think that was in reference to Citrus oils.

Thats for when you use the citrus essential oils:
“Please do not add any citrus fruit essential oils; lemon, lime, orange, and grapefruit. When you use these oils you should not go out into direct sunlight or at least avoid going into direct sunlight up to 12 hours after use.”

When you use CITRUS oils, you should not go in direct sun for 12 hours, not when you use THIS sunblock with the oils SUGGESTED in this recipe.

this look really nice. I am anxious to try it. I do like to get some tan though. Is there anything homemade for tanning, that still has some protection in it?

like many on this thread, i also would love to know more about the SPF <3

The SPF is important. I hope writer addresses this factor.

Hi Nancy,

Thank you for your comment.
This recipe has indeed a low SPF.

These ingredients will give you a much higher SPF in your sunscreen if so require.
Red Raspberry Seed Oil- 25-50 SPF
Carrot Seed Oil- 35-40 SPF
Zinc Oxide- 2-20 SPF (depending on how much you use)

God bless!

Could you add some zinc oxide powder to this recipe for added SPF?

Hi Meghan,

Yes, definitely. Zinc Oxide will ad an extra- 2-20 SPF depending on how much you use.

God bless!

You absolutely can. I would also cut out the EVOO as oils tend to cause sunburns in my experience.

Had anyone actually tried this sunscreen recipe?

Took it to the beach with me. No burns and I’m as white as a sheet!

I agree with others. What is SPF? I battle skin cancer and do not like over the counter sunscreens but I live close to the desert and need a high SPF.

Processed Cocoa butter has a minimum spf of 15. But raw cocoa butter is a much higher spf because all the fats are present.
Raw cocoa butter has been used as sun protection and skin treatment in hot countries for longer than we’ve been keeping a record, so that, coupled with beeswax gives you decent protection.
Nowhere did she mention coconut oil, not sure why that keeps being stated.
Also she was warning about not using citrus oils and certain essential oils, not recommending them.

If you want a sunblock, then add a little zinc oxide powder or titanium dioxide powder… these are the only true sunblocks according to my dermatologist. Then you have a block instead of a screen.
The only drawback is you will have a white coating on you skin and it can get messy.

I made the sunscreen but since it didn’t include the olive oil I didn’t add that until it was off the stove and out of the water bath. I mixed it like instructed so as to be whipped and not solid. Apparently, I didn’t stir long enough because it did get hard. There are also tiny hard pieces in the sunscreen when I emulsify it in my hands before I applied it. What did it do wrong?

Good morning Ladies! Thanks or all the good information. I modified the recipe based on your suggestions. Does anyone have an idea of how much nano-zinc, coconut oil, carrot seed oil and red raspberry oil to add. I uses proportional amounts: 3-tbsp coconut oil, 1-tbsp zinc oxide, 5 drops carrot seed oil and 5 drops of Red Raspberry oil. I have been stir occasionally for the past 30 minutes and the concoction will not solidify. Any ideas? Thanks! Phil

Zinc oxide or titanium dioxide should be used at 1.2 to 2 oun es. It should be blended with a liquid oil(I use a electric frother) to make sure it is all incorporated and smooth before adding to my products. I also use non-nano zinc & Titanium dioxide, and they works just fine.
*After you whip your butters & oils, cover and let sit overnight. Whip again the next day to make sure your ZO or TD have not separated.

Thank you Paula!

hi! i made this concoction and added coconut oil, zinc oxide, carrot seed oil, and red raspberry oil. it was a beautiful consistency at first—really creamy. it was like that for the first few days and then i didn’t use it for awhile. when i came back to it, it’s really solidified. any clues as to what to add or subtract next time so it stays creamy? thanks!

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