Tag Archives: homemade sunscreen

Personal Care Recipe: Homemade Sunscreen

Corn Free Products, Food / Recipes, Projects to Increase Self-Sufficiency 2 Comments

Frugally Sustainable posted a great recipe for homemade sunscreen and I think I’m going to borrow it and make a few adjustments.  We are not able to use beeswax or vitamin E oil and I am not 100% certain of the candelilla wax.  Instead of trialing that much candelilla wax without more of a buffer of oils and butter I think I will instead substitute the wax with extra shea butter.  I was going to use kokum butter, as it is harder than the shea, but time only permitted the use of shea butter.  I will substitute the vitamin E oil with…nothing.  I did locate a Vitamin E oil, supposedly sourced from sunflower seeds; however I think additional questions pertaining to processing and refinement need to be answered before trying the product.  Please ensure that your ingredients are unrefined and corn free (processing and manufacturing).

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Homemade Sunscreen

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Ingredients:

  • Organic Coconut Oil (unrefined) - 0.75 ounce
  • *Organic Shea Butter (unrefined) - 1.75 ounce
  • Organic Jojoba Oil (unrefined) - .25 ounce
  • (Substitute .75 ounce of shea with .75 ounce candelilla, carnauba, or beeswax if you can tolerate it)
  • Zinc Oxide – .3 to .36 ounce (~10%)
  • 30 drops of organic, steam distilled essential oils (we’re using lavender and tea tree)

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Procedure:

  1. Gather ingredients and kitchen tools. 
  2. Melt oils and butters in a “double boiler” over low heat.
  3. Remove from heat and allow to slightly cool.
  4. Add the zinc oxide powder.  Note: Wear a mask when working with zinc oxide. Although it has not been proven harmful when used topically, inhaling the substance can be dangerous.
  5. Return to “double boiler” for approximately 20 minutes (may need less time).  Stir constantly to dissolve zinc oxide.
  6. Remove from double boiler.  Add essential oils.
  7. Mix with an immersion blender until completely combined.
  8. Pour into a container (I’m using these.  It would have been nice to find a safe push up container).
  9. Allow to cool to just under room temperature, stirring every so often.
  10. Refrigerate until set (stir before refrigerating).
  11. Remove from refrigerator and let set / harden on the counter overnight. (Only if you use wax)

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*If you have kokum butter, then use .75 oz of kokum and 1.00 oz shea.