I was originally going to share a tutorial for making your own sunscreen today.
But then I changed my mind. Because I don’t plan on making my own sunscreen… yet.
I’ve jumped on board with a ton of DIY’s… toothpaste, powdered foundation, mouthwash… I’ve even stopped used traditional shampoo and use my own homemade conditioner.
But I’m drawing the line at homemade sunscreen for good reason –
I’m really not sure it’s a good fit for my family right now.
When We Don’t Use Sunscreen
For years we’ve been told that sun damage can cause skin cancer. Then the argument was updated to say that sun light itself isn’t harmful, but sun burns are.
On the flip side, our bodies need Vitamin D for healthy bones, a strong heart and a healthy immune system. While it’s added (often in synthetic form) to products, the American Medical Association admits in a 2009 report that “The human body is designed to manufacture vitamin D3 from sunlight.””
That same report also claims that our bodies get the minimal dose of Vitamin D needed in as little as 5 minutes of sun exposure between 10 am and 3 pm, twice a week. (Although this does NOT take into consideration extenuating factors like the season, cloud cover, the thickness of the ozone layer, skin pigmentation, age or the latitude of where you live.) (source)
We live in central California and get more than our fair share of cloudy and overcast days. Do the sun’s rays penetrate through the clouds? Yes, and my fair skin has unexpectedly become a bit too pink a few times to prove it. But in our area, these cloudy rays are sometimes the only rays we get for days on end.
Given the fact that wearing sunscreen with a minimal SPF 15 reduces my body’s ability to naturally synthesize vitamin D by 99%, (source) I’m not sold that it’s helpful my for family (key phrase there) to wear sunscreen on a daily basis. Your family might be different!
However, there are times when we always, ALWAYS wear sunscreen.
When We Do Use Sunscreen
I have fair skin and light hair. My daughter has also been blessed with what I affectionately refer to as “see-through skin” and if we’re ever in direct sun for longer than 30 minutes, or indirect sun for longer than 90 minutes, we wear sunscreen like nobody’s business.
We spent several weeks in Costa Rica earlier this year and putting on sunscreen was a required part of our morning ritual. Wake up, eat breakfast, brush teeth, put on swim suit, put on sunscreen.
Our summer tradition is to pack up our beach toys and spend Fridays at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk for the free concerts. Right next to our homemade lunchables are at least two containers of sunscreen. We apply as soon as we arrive, reapply after some time in the water, and then apply again when we’re setting up our spot for dinner and the show.
Why use sunscreen if your body needs sun?
There are studies abound linking sun burns to cancer, and there are plenty to refute the evidence as well. Whatever the final answer may be, suffice to say that sunburns hurt – and they are surface-level proof of damage to the skin – so we do what we can to protect ourselves when we know we’ll be in potential sun burn situations.
Natural Sunscreen Alternatives
Most homemade sunscreens are not waterproof, so it really doesn’t make sense for us to make homemade sunscreen only to not use it because it’ll wash off as soon as we get in the ocean.
It’s like cooking food and not eating it. Which is just plain ‘ol silly!
So for this season in our life – based on our outdoor activities and where we live – I’m choosing one of these natural sunscreen brands:
Why these brands? My long-time blogging friend Katie reviews sunscreens ever year and has compiled a MASSIVE list of 40+ sunscreens that she and her family have tested over the past several years. Although her methods aren’t 100% scientific (nor would mine be), they’re incredibly practical and true to life. She’s also very thorough in her research, so I trust her recommendations like I would any friend.
As for the “official” recommendations, the EWG published a list of 270+ recommended products, but that just feels a bit too broad to me and looking at all the brands is kinda overwhelming.
Preventing Sun Burn with What You Already Have on Hand
Another super-cool alternative to traditional sunscreens is food!
Another blogging friend Kimi totally caught my eye this past week when I stumbled across her post for preventing sunscreen with food. You’ll have to click over to read the details, but let me just say that fellow fair-skinned folks should start their day with green tea, feast on tomatoes, watermelon and salmon cooked in butter, and top if off with an indulgence in dark chocolate.
Beyond the food you eat, there are items you stock in your real food and natural living cabinets that have properties to naturally prevent sunburn too:
- Avocado Oil (SPF 4-10)
- Coconut Oil (SPF 4-10)
- Carrot Seed Oil (SPF 35-50)
- Diaper Rash Cream (that contains zinc oxide) (up to SPF 20)
- Eucalyptus Oil (SPF 3)
- Peppermint Oil (SPF 7)
- Raspberry Seed Oil (SPF 30-50)
- Sesame Oil (SPF 4-10)
- Shea Butter (SPF 6-10)
I prefer to buy my essential oils HERE.
Recommended Homemade Sunscreen Recipes
If I was going to make my own homemade sunscreen, I’d start with these ingredients first. I have most of them on hand, which means no additional expense and the ability to make more whenever I need to.
I will say that homemade sunscreen is a bit of science though. You can’t just dump without measuring and expect your concoction to magically repel the sun’s rays. As with any great homemade product, you should first start with a recipe and then tweak to your liking.
I REALLY like that this recipe starts with diaper cream instead of zinc oxide. Working directly with zinc oxide can be tricky, and I haven’t found an affordable source that doesn’t require me to buy a million pounds. I can get diaper cream (with the key ingredient zinx oxide) locally anytime, and I can buy just as much as I need!
This homemade sunscreen recipe would be next on my list since it only has four ingredients, but the notes at the bottom of this recipe seriously have me considering mashing my favorite lotion with diaper rash cream and adding some essential oils from above to thin as needed.
If I end up making my own sunscreen after all, I’ll let you know how it turns out!
How do you protect yourself from the sun’s rays? Do you make your own sunscreen?
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Original article and pictures take dontwastethecrumbs.com site
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