Do you want to protect your skin from the sun without applying chemicals to it? Then it would help if you considered making your own homemade sunscreen with natural ingredients.
Below I will show you 3 straightforward recipes to do step by step to make the sunscreen yourself at home; this way, you will be sure that you are not exposing your skin to any unknown chemical or drug.
Dangers of a home sunscreen
Although it is a natural solution with no added chemicals, keep in mind that a homemade sunscreen cannot guarantee the same protection as a commercial sunscreen.
Natural products can help take care of the skin, hydrate it, or protect it from inflammations, but it is not the same as a product that blocks ultraviolet light and will preserve you.
This article explains in detail why you can’t rely on a home sunscreen.
If you’re going to be exposed to the strong sun, use certified sunscreen. Nuria has prepared the comparison of the best sunscreens, with information to choose the most suitable for your skin.
Aloe vera sunscreen
The first recipe has as a star ingredient aloe vera (also known as aloe vera), which has moisturizing and cell regeneration properties, so adding it to sunscreen will help you avoid the effects of the sun but will also soften your skin.
To do so, you need 6 tablespoons aloe vera,1/2 cup coconut oil,2 small tablespoons of beeswax,3 capsules of vitamin E,5 tablespoons of zinc oxide powder, and the essential oil of your choice (it can be coconut, lavender, sandals, among others).
The step by step is as follows:
- Start by passing the aloe vera crystals through the blender until they take a liquid form. If you use aloe vera gel for the recipe, you can skip this step.
- In a container to the water bath, place the coconut oil and beeswax until they melt, stir constantly.
- Remove from the heat and add the vitamin E and a few drops of the essential oil you have chosen. Mix until the ingredients are joined.
- Place the aloe vera in another container, mix it with zinc oxide, and then pour it into the container where the other ingredients are. It would help if you stirred until you form a homogeneous mixture.
- Add it in a container with a lid and let it stand for at least 1 hour until it takes a firm frame and will be ready to use.
Olive Oil Sunscreen
The second recipe that I will show you carries olive oil, ideal for giving elasticity to the skin and fight against premature aging of it, one of the consequences of prolonged exposure to UV rays.
The ingredients you’ll need are as follows: 1/2 cup olive oil,2 teaspoons beeswax,3 tablespoons zinc oxide powder, and a few drops of the essential oil you like the most.
The preparation begins like this:
- Place coconut oil and beeswax in a container in the water bath, stir until melted, and remove them from the fire.
- Add zinc oxide and essential oil to your liking, mix the ingredients until they come to one, and form a paste.
- Now place it in a lidded container and let it sit for 1 hour before use.
Carrot and coconut sunscreen
The latest recipe contains carrot and coconut,2 ingredients that will bring interesting benefits to your skin. The carrot prevents the appearance of wrinkles and decreases redness in the skin, while the coconut keeps the skin moisturized and helps fight diseases such as psoriasis and dermatitis.
The ingredients you require to make this protector are 1/2 cup coconut oil,2 tablespoons beeswax,1 teaspoon carrot powder, 3 tablespoons zinc oxide, and a few drops of the essential oil of your choice.
To prepare carrot powder, you must follow the following steps:
- First, wash and peel 1 carrot, then chop it into skinny slices.
- Place the carrot in a tray and put it in the oven at the lowest possible temperature (never exceeding 90 °C). Do not close the oven door completely to prevent the temperature from rising further.
- Let the carrot dry for 1 hour and then take it out of the oven.
- When it is cold, pass it through the food processor until it becomes a fine powder.
Having the carrot powder ready, you can make the sunscreen, and these are the steps to do it:
- Melt the beeswax and coconut oil into the water bath, stirring until they are joined.
- Remove the container from the heat and add carrot powder, zinc oxide, and essential oil. Mix until all ingredients have been integrated.
- Pour into a container with a lid and let it sit for 1 hour before use.
As you may have noticed, all recipes carry zinc oxide and beeswax.
- The first ingredient will give the SPF (Sun Protection Factor) value to the home protector: each tablespoon of zinc oxide equals an SPF of 10. So, for example, if you want to prepare a protector of an SPF 50, you only have to add 5 tablespoons to the recipe.
- On the other hand, beeswax gives the protector water resistance, something handy since it will allow you to use it while swimming.
Both ingredients can be obtained in pharmacies, health food stores, and online stores such as Amazon.
If you are interested in taking care of and protecting your skin to the maximum from the sun, do not miss these articles:
- Umbrellas with sun protection: indispensable if you will spend several hours on the beach or even in your patio or garden of the house.
- Clear all your doubts about how often you should apply sunscreen.