Make Your Own Natural Sunscreen

Summer is about having fun in the sun, but nowadays we have to protect our skin from the harmful UVA and UVB rays. We undoubtedly need some sort of sunscreen, but do we have to use something with chemicals that are neither beneficial to us or the environment. Here is a very simple way to make your own natural sunscreen at home. Keep in mind with the lack of ozone there really is no "safe" tan, however if you decide to not be a hermit this will definitely help like any other sunscreen.

The first ingredient you will need for this sunscreen is olive oil, or you can experiment with different kinds of oil that are safe for your skin like vitamin E rich avocado oil. Next you will need beeswax and zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, both should be available at many natural stores or online. Titanium dioxide works a bit better albeit somewhat harder to find. Either one is the "active" ingredient and is what actually protects you. The beeswax is what holds the oxide evenly throughout the sunscreen. You can change the ratio of wax to oil to your liking as well.

What you will need:

1 Cup olive oil or any natural oil

1 Ounce pure beeswax

2 Tablespoons pure (USP grade) zinc oxide or titanium dioxide

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a pan over low flame.

2. Add crumbled beeswax.

3. Keep stirring until the beeswax is completely melted.

4. While stirring add the zinc oxide or titanium dioxide slowly.

5. Carefully pour into a glass or ceramic container that can be covered.

6. Once cooled, its ready for application.

A couple precautions should be taken. First of all avoid breathing either the powdered zinc oxide or titanium dioxide as it may be a health risk. Second it might be a good idea to dedicate a particular pan, spoon, and any other utensils used for this purpose only, no longer to make food. Lastly, when applying, make sure the oxide has not settled during cooling. If the sunscreen looks translucent, stir up the oxide to get that opaque color.

Hope this provides an alternative to the chemical-laden sunscreens. It is a small step towards not using chemical products while, not to mention, saving some green in the process. And please remember that sunscreen is not a complete solution for the suns rays and is not an unlimited time in the sun pass.

Jerry Goode

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