Homemade Sunscreen

This homemade sunscreen is a great natural SPF option, with just 3 ingredients, plus you can make a waterproof version! Learn how to make sunscreen at home, so you control the ingredients, and spend a lot less for a high-quality natural sunscreen!

When we lived in California, we didn’t worry much about sunscreen and chose other methods for avoiding sunburns when we were outside for a long period of time.

Nowadays, between farm chores, hiking, and just enjoying the weather, we spend a lot more time outside getting sun exposure. But with 50% of the family having fair skin that’s prone to burning easily, I needed to find a sunscreen that worked! And of course, I wanted one that had a simple ingredients list and didn’t cost an arm and a leg.

After a bit of research, the clear winner was learning how to make sunscreen at home!

REASONS TO MAKE HOMEMADE SUNSCREEN

The more often we use a product or eat a food, the better quality I want it to be (I want natural products and simple, real food ingredients), and we’re finally to the point where it’s time to upgrade our sunscreen.

My two main reasons to make homemade sunscreen are the toxic ingredients in commercial sunscreens and the high cost of quality sunscreen.

INGREDIENTS TO AVOID IN COMMERCIAL SUNSCREEN

Parabens

With the amount of sunscreen we use in the summer, our sunscreen needs to be free of toxins, and parabens are at the top of the list. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG),

The concern with these chemicals is that scientific studies suggest that parabens can disrupt hormones in the body and harm fertility and reproductive organs, affect birth outcomes, and increase the risk of cancer. They can also cause skin irritation.

Vitamin A

A study conducted by the National Toxicology Program (NTP) found that a form of vitamin A, retinyl palmitate, may increase the development of cancerous skin tumors and lesions.

This ingredient is found in all sorts of make-up and skincare items because it has antioxidant properties that slow the aging of the skin. However, this same ingredient can also cause greater sensitivity to sunlight, according to the NTP. Not something I want in my sunscreen!

Fragrances

The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t require the term “fragrance” to be broken down any further. Many companies hide their trade secrets behind this term on ingredient labels, and it might very well include something that is fragrant. But it can also include preservatives for the fragrance and other chemicals we have no way of knowing.

Because I don’t know what “fragrance” includes, I avoid it whenever possible.

COST OF HIGH-QUALITY SUNSCREEN

I’ve included some options for better quality sunscreens you can purchase at the end of this post, but the reality is that higher quality sunscreen from the store costs A LOT more than the lower-end stuff with the funky ingredients. Making your own homemade sunscreen can save you a ton of money, especially if you use it often!

PURE INGREDIENTS IN DIY SUNSCREEN

I’ve been trying homemade lotion recipes using various ingredients for a few years now and have been successful for Homemade Magnesium Lotion. However, for just plain lotion, my family hasn’t liked any of the batches.

So, it shouldn’t be a surprise that the homemade sunscreen recipes I tried that also use similar ingredients would create a texture that we wouldn’t like either:

• Some were way too thick.
• Others were sticky.
• Some smelled awful.
• Others wouldn’t rub in (at all).
• Some were too oily.

For one reason or another, every homemade sunscreen recipe I tried was a no-go.

However, one common thread I did find was that the homemade sunscreens with zinc oxide worked. And that’s what inspired me to create my own homemade sunscreen recipe with just 3 ingredients, using our favorite lotion as a base!

LOTION FOR DIY SUNSCREEN

As I mentioned, you want to avoid lotions that have parabens, synthetic Vitamin A, and fragrances. (Lotions that are scented naturally using essential oils and/or herbs are fine.)

My husband will confess to being a lotion snob, and for a long time, he only used one brand of lotion that DID have these ingredients. It took me YEARS to find a lotion that met his standards and didn’t have these awful ingredients.

For this DIY sunscreen, I’ve found that I prefer the lotion from Bend Soap Company.

When you’re shopping at Bend Soap Company, you can stock up for the year! Use these codes:

• SOAP35 saves 5% on orders that are $35 or more
• SOAP65 saves 10% on orders that are $65 or more
• SOAP100 saves 15% on orders that are $100 or more
• Orders that are $65 or more after discounts are also eligible for free shipping!

TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL HOMEMADE SUNSCREEN

Depending on the type of lotion you use, you might have to add other natural sunscreen ingredients to make it a bit more user-friendly as a sunscreen.

For example, my husband’s favorite lotion absorbs really quickly. This is fine as a lotion, but when I use it to make homemade sunscreen, it absorbs before I’ve had a chance to rub the sunscreen over the entire area. Adding 1-2 tablespoons of a carrier oil helps to thin the homemade sunscreen just a bit so I have extra time to rub it in.

Zinc oxide is famous for leaving a layer of white on the skin. Depending on how much zinc oxide powder you use, the layer might be thin and barely noticeable, or it might be thick and quite noticeable. You can tint homemade sunscreen though, to better match your skin. To do this, add cocoa powder ½ teaspoon at a time until you reach the desired color.

You can see the white sunscreen in the pictures above, and the tinted sunscreen after the instructions below. I used 1 teaspoon of cocoa powder in that batch and found it to be good for my fair skin.

HOW TO MAKE SUNSCREEN AT HOME

HOMEMADE SUNSCREEN SUPPLIES

• 4 oz of your favorite non-toxic lotion (I prefer the lotion from Bend Soap Company)
• 1 oz zinc oxide for about 20 SPF (2 Tbsp)
• 12 drops carrot seed oil (scant ¼ tsp)

Optional Ingredients (see “Tips for Successful Homemade Sunscreen” for how to use)

• 12 drops red raspberry seed oil
• 2 Tbsp jojoba oil or sweet almond oil or fractionated coconut oil
• 1-2 tsp cocoa powder

HOW TO MAKE SUNSCREEN

Step 1: Measure the lotion into a small bowl. Add the zinc oxide, oil(s), and any other optional ingredients as needed and mix well. Make sure not to inhale the zinc oxide.

Step 2: Store in glass mason jars or in a squeezable tube like this one. This recipe makes about ½ cup. Multiply as needed for larger batches.

HOW TO MAKE SUNSCREEN AT HOME WATERPROOF

The DIY recipe above makes a sunscreen that rubs in easily and doesn’t feel greasy. I attribute this largely to using a lotion that we already like.

If you want to make a sunscreen that’s waterproof and will stand up to time spent in the pool, use the following waterproof DIY sunscreen recipe.

HOMEMADE WATERPROOF SUNSCREEN SUPPLIES

• 1 oz beeswax pellets (about 2 Tbsp)
• 4 oz of your favorite non-toxic lotion (I prefer the lotion from Bend Soap Company)
• 1 oz zinc oxide for about 20 SPF (2 Tbsp)
• 12 drops carrot seed oil (scant ¼ tsp)

Optional Ingredients (see “Tips for Successful Homemade Sunscreen” for how to use)

• 12 drops red raspberry seed oil** (scant ¼ tsp)
• 2 Tbsp jojoba oil or sweet almond oil
• ½-2 tsp cocoa powder

**If you don’t have carrot seed oil, raspberry seed oil has similar properties. Use the same amount as you would for carrot seed oil.

HOW TO MAKE SUNSCREEN WATERPROOF

Step 1: Make a double boiler by placing a glass or metal bowl over a pan of boiling water. Measure beeswax into the bowl and allow it to melt.

Step 2: Remove the melted wax from the heat and let it cool just slightly. Add the lotion and zinc oxide and stir until it’s completely incorporated. Make sure not to inhale the zinc oxide.

Step 3: Add the essential oils and any other optional ingredients as needed and stir well.

Step 4: Scoop into your storage container of choice. Although I really like using these squeezable tubes at the pool, homemade waterproof sunscreen is easier to clean out of glass jars.

Step 5: Allow to cool completely to room temperature before using.

Tip: Working with beeswax can be messy. Be sure to use bowls and spoons you won’t care to get dirty. For tips on how to clean beeswax and butter off your kitchen gear, read the tutorial on this post.

CONTROLLING THE SPF OF NATURAL HOMEMADE SUNSCREEN

My homemade sunscreen recipe relies on zinc oxide to provide your sun protection factor or SPF.

You can increase the amount of natural SPF you want in your homemade sunscreen by adding more zinc oxide, or by using less, in relation to the amount of lotion you’re starting with. Here’s a general chart for zinc oxide recommendations:

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

If you wanted to make homemade sunscreen with an SPF of 20, you would calculate 20% of the amount of lotion you’re starting with. So, if you have 4 ounces of lotion, you would use 1 ounce of zinc oxide.

In theory, if you wanted to make homemade sunscreen SPF 50, you would use 50% zinc oxide. However, this would make a very thick, white paste that would be pretty impossible to spread (and of course, this isn’t FDA-approved or tested, but it’s a good estimate).

This is where a kitchen scale is very handy when making homemade sunscreen, although you can make do with measuring spoons if that’s what you have. One ounce is about the same as 2 tablespoons.

HOMEMADE SUNSCREEN FAQS

BEST NATURAL SUNSCREENS TO BUY

I was overwhelmed at the mere thought of making homemade sunscreen for a long time. If that’s where you are, there’s nothing wrong with going store-bought.

I still buy sunscreen for the times we’re traveling or if I just don’t have time to make more! It’s easy to toss into the pool bag or pack on vacation.

Here are some mineral sunscreens recommended with simpler ingredient lists:

• Badger
• Kabana
• Raw Elements

MORE SUMMER DIYS FOR NATURAL LIVING

• After Sun Spray
• Homemade Bug Spray (No Essential Oils)
• DIY Bug Repellent with Essential Oils
• Natural Home Remedy for Swimmer’s Ear
• DIY Citronella Candle
• DIY Homemade Shaving Cream
• Homemade Lotion Bar