5 Amazing Home-made Sunscreen Recipes

Protecting your skin from the sun is very essential to maintain healthy skin. More and more people are waking up to the importance of sunscreen. In fact, you will find many people who swear by sunscreens and won't step out of the house without a protective coat of it.

Here is the thing. Summer is not the only time you need sunscreen. You need sunscreen all through the year, no matter the weather.

Prolonged exposure to the harmful sunrays can do a lot of damage to your skin. Fine lines, wrinkles, pigmentation and dull skin are some of the issues you may face if you don't protect your skin from the sun. And if you have dry or sensitive skin, the damage can be much worse.

It's true that there are tons of sunscreen out there. But remember, you use these every day and the chemicals present in them will harm your skin in the long term.

Having said that, we also know that you can't do without a sunscreen. So, in this article, we have some home-made sunscreen recipes to protect your skin from the sun and the damage it can cause.

1. Coconut Oil, Shea Butter And Olive Oil Sunscreen

Coconut oil contains SPF to protect your skin from the sun. ^[1] Shea butter retains moisture in the skin. It soothes the inflamed and irritated skin. ^[2] Olive oil provides protection against the harmful UV rays and protects the skin from sun damage. ^[3] Adding lavender essential oil will soothe the skin and protect it from radical damage. ^[4] Last but not least, zinc oxide will oomph up the sun protection activity of this home-made sunscreen. ^[5]

Ingredients

• 1 cup coconut oil
• ½ cup shea butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/3 cup zinc oxide
• 15 drops of lavender oil

Method of use

• Put the coconut oil in a saucepan.
• Add the shea butter in it and put it on low heat.
• Give it a good stir and heat them up until both the ingredients mix together well.
• Once it is done, take it off the heat.
• Let the mixture cool down for a bit.
• Now add zinc oxide in the mixture.
• Lastly, add the olive oil and lavender essential oil and mix everything together well.
• Store the mixture in an air-tight container.
• Put in the refrigerator to solidify.
• Use this as a sunscreen as you normally would.

A word of caution: Zinc oxide must not be inhaled. Try to be quick and take out the required amount and re-seal the packet, making sure not to inhale the powder. Also, use gloves while dealing with zinc oxide.

2. Aloe Vera Sunscreen Lotion

Aloe vera protects the skin from the damage done by the harmful UV rays. ^[6] Adding clove oil and peppermint mint into it will increase the protection from sun and rejuvenate the skin to maintain healthy and youthful skin. ^[7]

Ingredients

• 10 ounces of a fragrant lotion of your choice
• 10-15 tsp bottled aloe vera gel
• 4-5 drops of clove oil
• 7-8 drops of peppermint oil

Method of use

• Take the lotion in a glass bowl.
• Add aloe vera gel and the clove and peppermint oil in it and mix well.
• Put the bowl on a double boiler.
• Let it heat until all the ingredients mix together well and the mixture becomes frothy.
• Take it off the heat and let the mixture cool down.
• Pour the mixture in an air-tight container.
• Store it in the refrigerator.
• Use this as your sunscreen whenever needed.
• You can store this home-made sunscreen for about 2 months.

3. Avocado Oil And Jojoba Oil Sunscreen

Avocado oil protects the skin from harmful UV rays and revives the dull and damaged skin. Widely used in cosmetic sunscreens, jojoba oil improves the absorption of the mixture into the skin. ^[2] Coconut oil and almond oil both add to the protection of skin from sun damage. ^[8] The powerful antioxidant vitamin E not only rejuvenates the skin but also protects the skin from UV damage. ^[9]

This remedy is a store-house of power ingredients that will protect your skin from damage while nourishing it.

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp pure avocado oil
• 1 tbsp jojoba oil
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tbsp pure almond oil
• 2 tbsp cocoa butter
• 1 tbsp shea butter
• 1 tbsp soya-lecithin
• 2 tbsp bottled aloe vera gel
• 1 tbsp beeswax
• 5 drops of vitamin E oil
• ½ tbsp borax powder

Method of use

• Put the shea butter and cocoa butter into a bowl.
• Grate the beeswax and add it into the bowl.
• Put the bowl on a double boiler.
• Stir the mixture gently until both the ingredients are melted and mixed together.
• Now add avocado oil, jojoba oil, almond oil, soya-lecithin, coconut oil and vitamin E oil into the bowl and give it a good mix.
• Take the bowl off the heat.
• Lastly, add aloe vera gel and borax powder into the bowl and mix everything together well using a blender.
• Store the mixture in an air-tight container.
• Keep it in the refrigerator.
• Use it as your sunscreen as and when needed. This can be stored for a month. ^[13]

4. Sunscreen Oil

As discussed above, coconut oil contains SPF that will protect your skin damage. Adding carrot seed oil and myrrh oil will add to the sun protection factor and protect the skin from sun damage. ^{[10] [11]}

Ingredients

• ½ cup coconut oil
• 15 drops of myrrh essential oil
• 7 drops of carrot seed essential oil

Method of use

• Mix all the oils together in a bowl.
• Pour the mixture in a jar, preferably amber-coloured.
• Use this as a sunscreen as and when you need it.
• You can store this mixture for about a month.

5. Peppermint Sunscreen

Peppermint oil has the best SPF content as compared to other essential oils. Thus, it is quite effective in protecting your skin from sun damage. [1] The antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of spearmint oil protect the skin from free radical damage and maintain healthy skin. ^[12] Peppermint and spearmint oil in combination with lavender oil will provide a wonderful treat to your skin.

Ingredients

• 4 ounce distilled water
• 4-6 drops of pure peppermint oil
• 4-6 drops of pure spearmint oil
• 12 drops of lavender essential oil

Method of use

• Blend all the ingredients together in a blender until the mixture becomes frothy.
• Pour the mixture in an air-tight container.
• Keep it in the refrigerator.
• Use as a sunscreen as needed.
• You can store this up to 2-4 months.