Homemade Sunscreen Recipe

Most sunscreens contain toxic ingredients or endocrine disrupting chemicals that in many cases may actually promote skin cancer growth and free radical production in the body. In fact, in the years since sunscreen use began, skin cancer rates have actually risen, and a 2007 document from the FDA stated that: “The FDA is not aware of data demonstrating that sunscreen use alone helps prevent skin cancer” In fact, many reports show that most sunscreens actually raise skin cancer risk.

Even natural, commercially available sunscreens often have toxic ingredients! Check out your brand here!

Considering many people these days are actually Vitamin D deficient, I consider lack of sun exposure to be a much bigger problem than too much exposure. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to many types of cancers including the most deadly types of breast cancer. Lack of Vitamin D has also been linked to problems during pregnancy including pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, premature labor, and more.

As a society, we’ve literally cut off our nose to spite our face when it comes to sun exposure. To avoid skin cancer, we’ve shunned the sun and the Vitamin D our bodies produce with sun exposure.

On top of that, sun exposure itself is not the only factor linked to skin cancer, and many other factors, such as Omega-6 Vegetable Oil consumption can have a big impact on skin health!

In most cases, my approach to sun exposure is to get adequate daily exposure, without getting close to the point of burning. Since most of us don’t work outside these days, it actually takes effort to get daily sun, rather than to avoid it.

In the event that I’m going to be out in the sun for much longer than my skin is used to, it is often easy enough to just put on a hat or shirt to shield my skin.

If none of these options are available, for instance, on a day at the beach in early summer before I’ve been in the sun much, I will very occasionally use natural sunscreen. I’m yet to use it this year, and hope not to at all, but I wanted to share my recipe so that if you are in the sun for extended periods of time this summer, you have a natural option.

This would also be a more natural alternative for really young children, those taking medication that increases sun burn risk, or those who burn very easily.

Just to clarify, even though this natural sunscreen smells great and is naturally moisturizing, I don’t recommend using it daily since the Vitamin D you get from the sun will be more beneficial in the long run!

Many of the ingredients in this recipe have a natural SPF but since this is a natural recipe and has not been tested by a regulatory organization, I can’t make any claims or even guesses as to the combined SPF. The individual ingredients that are naturally SPF are:

• Almond Oil- SPF around 5
• Coconut Oil- SPF 4-6
• Zinc Oxide SPF 2-20 depending on how much used
• Red Raspberry Seed Oil SPF 25-50
• Carrot Seed Oil –  SPF 35-40
• Shea Butter – SPF 4-6

The final version will have a varied sun protective ability depending on the amount of each ingredient used. For a simple version, even just coconut oil and shea butter with a little Raspberry Seed and Carrot Seed Oil or some Zinc oxide will work for moderate exposure.

As always check with your doctor or dermatologist before using any new products.

NOTE: This is an improved recipe since many people were having trouble getting the temperatures exactly right to get the lotion to emulsify (as per the comments below). This recipe will not have any of those issues!

Natural Homemade Sunscreen Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup almond or olive oil (can infuse with herbs first if desired)
• 1/4 cup coconut oil (natural SPF 4)
• 1/4 cup beeswax
• 2 Tablespoons Zinc Oxide (This is a non-nano version that won’t be absorbed into the skin. Be careful not to inhale the powder). This makes a natural SPF of 20+ or more can be added.)
• Optional: up to 1 teaspoon Red Raspberry Seed Oil
• Optional: up to 1 teaspoon Carrot Seed Oil
• Optional: up to 1 teaspoon Vitamin E oil
• Optional: 2 tablespoons Shea Butter (natural SPF 4-5)
• Optional: Essential Oils, Vanilla Extract or other natural extracts to suit your preference

How to Make Natural Sunscreen:

1. Combine ingredients except zinc oxide in a pint sized or larger glass jar. I have a mason jar that I keep just for making lotions and lotion bars, or you can even reuse a glass jar from pickles, olives, or other foods.
2. Fill a medium saucepan with a couple inches of water and place over medium heat.
3. Put a lid on the jar loosely and place in the pan with the water.
4. As the water heats, the ingredients in the jar will start to melt. Shake or stir occasionally to incorporate. When all ingredients are completely melted, add the zinc oxide, stir in well and pour into whatever jar or tin you will use for storage. Small mason jars (pint size) are great for this. It will not pump well in a lotion pump!
5. Stir a few times as it cools to make sure zinc oxide is incorporated.
6. Use as you would regular sunscreen. Best if used within six months.

Additional Notes:

• This sunscreen is somewhat, but not completely, waterproof and will need to be reapplied after sweating or swimming
• Make sure not to inhale the Zinc Oxide- use a mask if necessary!
• This recipe has an SPF of about 20, though adding more Zinc Oxide will increase the SPF
• Add more beeswax to make thicker sunscreen, less to make smooth sunscreen
• I recommend coconut or vanilla extract or lavender essential oils for fragrance
• Store in a cool, dry place or in the fridge
• I prefer to store in a small canning jar and apply like a body butter. It will be thicker, especially if you use coconut oil in the recipe.
• Remove the Zinc Oxide and this makes an excellent lotion recipe!

An Even Faster Way To Make Sunscreen:

• Get a bottle of your favorite lotion (that doesn’t contain citrus oils!)
• Add a couple Tablespoons of non-nano Zinc Oxide
• Mix well
• Use as Sunscreen

[via Wellness Mama]

Natural Homemade Sunscreen Recipe

Natural Ways to Protect your Skin

While we normally suggest allowing your skin to get a good amount of sunshine to provide your body with ample Vitamin D, we do not condone soaking up the sun until you are burnt to a crisp. In years past, people knew how to avoid getting too much sun by following some simple sunny day guidelines:

• avoid being outside during the middle of the day when the sun’s rays are the hottest
• seek shade under a tree, umbrella, etc., if being outside during peak sun is necessary
• wear a large-brimmed hat
• wear light, loose clothing to cover exposed skin

However, we understand there are times you will not be able to cover up or get out of the sun and may need to use sunscreen. But commercial sunscreens have been a hot topic lately, guilty of containing harsh chemicals and being counterproductive in maintaining healthy skin.

So let’s learn how to safely protect your skin when covering up or getting out of the sun is out of the question.

Ingredients for Natural Sun Protection

There are several oils, butters, essential oils, and other natural ingredients that provide natural sun protection. While most of these offer very low amounts of sun protection, when added to your homemade sunscreen they nourish the skin and offer some protection against the effects of excessive sun.

• Coconut oil - contains natural SPF properties
• Shea butter - naturally protects skin, making it perfect for use in a sunscreen
• Jojoba oil, sunflower oil, or sesame oil - these oils are easily absorbed into the skin and also provide some natural sun protection
• Eucalyptus and lavender essential oils - eucalyptus has very low natural SPF and lavender is great for soothing and repairing skin. DO NOT use citrus essential oils in your sunscreen, as they may increase sensitivity to sunlight.
• Vitamin E oil - nourishes and moisturizes skin, and helps naturally preserve homemade sunscreen
• Zinc oxide (non nano) - a non-toxic, usually non-irritating, effective broad spectrum sunblock. The particles sit on the outermost layer of your skin, scattering and absorbing UVA and UVB rays, protecting the skin below. Be sure to use non nano zinc oxide to produce a natural homemade sunscreen. We purchased ours here. (The smallest amount you can purchase is a container that will last you years!)

Important: Nano or micronized zinc oxide has been treated to reduce the size of its particles, creating an ultrafine powder. When added to sunscreens it does not leave a white film on the skin, thus making it a popular choice in many commercial sunscreens. The problem with this is that the particles are so small they can enter the body through the skin, causing potential health problems. When purchasing, be sure to purchase a non nano zinc oxide that has particle sizes as large as possible. (Anything with a particle size smaller than 100nm is considered a nano particle – the zinc oxide we found is 330nm.)

Choose your SPF

Different amounts of zinc oxide are needed depending on what SPF you would like your lotion to be. Once you have chosen the SPF a little math is involved. The zinc oxide must be a certain percentage of the weight of your ingredients (before adding the zinc oxide). For this reason, it’s easiest to use a kitchen scale when making your sunscreen. For example, if you have 2 ounces of lotion and you’d like to make SPF 10 sunscreen, according to the values below you will need to add .2 ounces of zinc oxide to the lotion. Use the zinc oxide recommendations below.

• For SPF 2-5: Use 5% zinc oxide
• For SPF 6-11: Use 10% zinc oxide
• For SPF 12-19: Use 15% zinc oxide
• For SPF >20: Use 20% zinc oxide

Homemade Natural Sunscreen

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. coconut oil
• 0.8 oz. shea butter
• 0.1 oz. jojoba, sesame, or sunflower oil
• 0.1 oz. Vitamin E oil
• 30 drops essential oils, optional – I use 15 lavender, 10 eucalyptus, 5 peppermint
• zinc oxide powder (determine amount for 2 oz. of lotion)

Directions:

Add coconut oil, shea butter, and jojoba/sesame/sunflower oil to a makeshift double boiler. (To make your own double boiler, place a Pyrex measuring cup containing ingredients inside a small pot filled with a few inches of water). Heat gently until shea butter is just melted. Remove from double boiler and allow to cool a little. Put on a mask that covers your nose and mouth (to avoid breathing in the fine particles of zinc oxide powder), and measure out your zinc oxide. Add zinc oxide, Vitamin E oil, and optional essential oils to the other ingredients. Stir well to combine. Store in a dark jar in the refrigerator.

To Use:

Apply liberally to exposed skin. Reapply every few hours, or more often if swimming or sweating.

Additional Notes

This homemade sunscreen has about a 6 month shelf life, and should be refrigerated when not being used. The oils it contains are photosensitive, so do not leave your homemade sunscreen sitting out in direct sunlight. Keeping it in a cooler will prevent it from melting in high temperatures when taking it to the pool or beach.

If you prefer to add zinc oxide to another homemade lotion you like, simply weigh a desired amount of lotion and add enough zinc oxide to achieve the preferred SPF, mixing thoroughly.

[via DIY Natural]

5 Fantastic Health Benefits of Peppermint Tea: Are You Drinking Enough?

Peppermint tea is more than just plain delicious. It has been proven to have some fairly amazing health and beauty benefits. From the tips of your hair to the tips of your toes and everything in between, let peppermint tea bestow its healing powers on you!

1. Stress Relief

When it comes to stress and anxiety, peppermint tea is one of your best allies. The menthol that is naturally present in the tea is a muscle relaxant; the relaxation of the muscles can be an enormous component of natural stress and anxiety relief... not to mention falling asleep!

Drinking peppermint tea before bed has been proven to give you a more restful sleep. Not only does the relaxation of the muscles lead to more restful sleep, the tea has properties that can even help you dream more vividly.

2. Sinus Relief

The season of constant colds and flus has begun, so let peppermint tea become part of your evening routine. Not only does the consumption of any warm liquid, such as tea, help you clear your sinuses and soothe sore throats, peppermint tea in particular is a known natural decongestant.

3. Weight Loss

When it comes to weight loss, there's no all-natural miracle. But you can get some help from peppermint tea! Peppermint tea can act as an appetite suppressant, making it easier to stick to your healthy eating goals. Drinking a blend of peppermint tea and green tea can help increase your metabolism as well, making it easier to shed extra pounds.

4. Skin-Clearing

If you suffer from hormonal skin problems such as acne, peppermint tea could be a natural solution. Peppermint tea offers a slight boost in estrogen levels to some drinkers, which can help curb these hormonal problems and aid in clearing up acne. If you really want to make sure that you’re reaping all the benefits, try adding peppermint tea to your bath water. It can help soothe burns and rashes as well as other skin inflammations.

5. Stomach Problems

If that wasn’t enough, peppermint tea is also a great natural remedy for certain stomach ailments, including bloating and gas. Having a cup of tea in the evening before bed can help soothe these problems, making it easier to digest and fall asleep.

[via Organic Authority]

3 Vital Foods for Vibrant, Youthful Skin

If you’re on the search for the Fountain of Youth like millions of other people, redirect your attention to these amazing functional superfoods that have been proven to slow the anti-aging process through their nutrient dense,
antioxidant-rich, and wrinkle-fighting compounds!

Raspberries:
Raspberries may be small, but don’t be fooled by their size; this tiny berry can do more for your skin than you think! Raspberries are a rich source of vitamin C, ellagic acid, and anthocyanin. Raspberries provide a stronger base for forming collagen with an extra 50% of the vitamin C content of strawberries. Ellagic acid inhibits the formation of cancer-causing cells reducing your risk of infection, and anthocyanins are a natural inflammation suppressant and collagen stabilizer—yes, all of these benefits are bursting out of this little berry!

Pumpkin Seeds:
Pumpkin Seeds are one of the many wrinkle-fighting seeds out there. Packed with essential amino acids, zinc, vitamin E, copper, and much more nutrients, pumpkin seeds are vital for vibrant skin. However, one of the greatest reasons to snack on pumpkin seeds is their high content of omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids reduce inflammation, redness, and leave your skin good as new!

Rhubarb:
Rhubarb is a great (and underestimated) source of elasticity building nutrients to prevent fine lines and promote the growth of hair and fingernails. This vegetable is rich in silica, which is known as the source of youth for healthy bones, nails, hair, and skin. Silica works as an anti-aging mechanism by allowing the body to better absorb nutrients, restoring collagen and elasticity, while fortifying blood vessels too.

[source: YogAnonymous]