DIY All Natural Sunscreen

Sunscreen blocks UV rays which can lead to a vitamin D deficiencies. Vitamin D has been shown to reduce the risk of many cancers and for someone like me with osteoporosis it's essential to keep my brittle bones strong.   

Married to a redhead shows me just how easy it is to damage the skin and having spent my life in the sun baking myself slathered in cocoa butter; I am now rather obsessive about sunscreen. I see pasty white men riding shirtless around Phoenix and it makes me worry about their skin!  

However the chemicals in sunscreens I am not so thrilled with.  The pool chemicals are enough - our skin needs some natural protection and moisture.  So I did some research, found some recipes and directions then modified it.  Here goes!

DIY Natural Sunscreen

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

1/4 cup Shea Butter

1/4 cup Grated bees wax packed

2 Tbs Non nano Zinc Oxide Powder

A few drops of Vitamin E-Oil(optional)

10-20 drops Essential oils (for sun protection use carrot seed, mryhh - fot bug repellant option use Citronella, Cedar Wood, Lavender, Peppermint)

Start with 1/4 cup of organic Shea butter and 1/4 cup of grated organic beeswax.

Directions say to put those with 1/2 cup coconut oil into a double boiler.  Except here in Arizona our coconut oil at room temp is already liquid. 

 Also, it's over 100° at 11AM and I don't want to heat anything so the butter and wax are going outside by the sun tea to melt. 

Then we'll continue.

Just set out.....

After 15 minutes

An hour into it.

90 minutes of solar heat later.....getting closer!

4 hours in the Arizona heat later it's ready

Once melted, take mason jar out and GENTLY  mix in coconut oil, vitamin E, carrot seed oil, myrrh and you have the sunscreen oils added.  Then I added citronella, cedarwood and lavender for insect repellent.      

 This then got whipped up in the mixer.I sprayed the mixer and whisk with olive oil for easier cleaning.

While it's whipping, add the Zinc Oxide - (be careful NOT TO INHALE ZINC OXIDE). 

Allow to cool for a few minutes.  Pour sunscreen into a squeeze bottle like this one, an old deodorant tube, or a mason jar. Keep stored in a cool dry place!