Protecting our skin from the sun is really important, but have you checked the ingredients in your sunscreen lately??? According to the environmental working group, many conventional sunscreens contain toxins, carcinogens, hormone disruptors and allergens! And yet we feel we have no choice but to slather ourselves and our children with these ingredients as the lesser of two evils (nobody wants skin cancer!!!). And don’t get me started on the dangers of spray on sunscreens! Finding a non toxic alternative that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg has been on my mind lately, especially with my new baby being born. I need to protect him from the sun without covering him in poison. Last year I made a pretty successful homemade sunscreen, but it was in a jar that was awkward to carry around, so this year I experimented to get it into DIY sunscreen stick form. So far, I am thrilled with it. We have tested it on family and friends with great success. I can’t say for sure what the SPF is, although I am guessing between 25 and 30. If you burn easily, please use at your own risk.

DIY Sunscreen Stick recipe:

½ cup coconut oil (where to get)

½ cup beeswax (where to get)

3 TBSP shea butter (where to get)

¼ cup almond oil (where to get)

2 TBSP Zinc Oxide (non-nano, so it doesn’t absorb into bloodstream… this is the ingredient giving the big SPF power kick) where to get

Optional:

50 drops of carrot seed essential oil 

25 drops of geranium essential oil

10 drops of frankincense essential oil

You will also need deodorant tubes (get here)

First, melt the coconut oil, beeswax and shea butter in a double boiler over medium heat until they are liquid. Remove from heat and stir in the almond oil and Zinc Oxide (be careful not to inhale zinc oxide powder) until mixed thoroughly. Finally add the essential oils and mix well. Pour into deodorant tubes (makes about 4 tubes) and let cool until they become firm.

The DIY sunscreen stick will spread on smoothly on the skin and is somewhat water resistant, although like any other sunscreen, I would reapply every hour to 90 minutes spent in the sun.

The initial purchase of the ingredients may be a small investment, but I know these ingredients will last my family al summer long, making many batches of sunscreen. If I were buying expensive non toxic sunscreens, I know I would end up spending way more in the long run, so this is actually saving us a lot of money.

Please only put therapeutic grade essential oils on your skin. Many essential oils sold as “100% pure and natural” at health food stores are not what they claim and my children have had terrible skin reactions when I tried using them. This is how I get good quality oils at wholesale prices.

Please let me know how this DIY sunscreen stick works for you!

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DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor and the statements on this blog have not been evaluated by the FDA. Any products or techniques mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. I am just a mom who shares what works for me!