I've spent the last eight years in search of the perfect sunscreen. The problem is, that even my favorite, all-natural brands contain ingredients that I don't love, so I've finally given in and decided to make some myself.
This homemade sunscreen is water resistant, made of all healthy ingredients, goes on like a dream, and really works. And best of all, it only took a few minutes to whip together. Easy-peasy goodness.
Why we need sunshine
While I make sure to always wear a big brimmed hat to ward off wrinkles, you may be surprised to learn that I actually think it's important to get sun exposure each and every day. I'm not a fan of slathering my kids in creams and sprays to block out every ray of sun.
Sunshine is the best way for humans to make Vitamin D, a super important nutrient required for a healthy immune system, strong bones and teeth, proper hormone function, and so much more. You can read more about the health benefits of sun-worshipping here, and about how to get Vitamin D when there's no sun in this post.
Despite the reasons why you shouldn't fear sunshine, it's still important to avoid burning your skin.
Being half Filipino and naturally brown, I've never had much of a need for sunscreen unless I'm in the sun for a long time or at high noon. My husband and kids, on the other hand, have strong English genes for white, burn-in-the-sun skin. Add that to our Southern California beach-hike-swimming-pool lifestyle, and as you can imagine, I tend to need sunscreen by the gallon.
Crafting the perfect homemade sunscreen
The problem with many recipes for homemade sunscreen I've found is that they don't really stay put while swimming in a pool or frolicking in the ocean. Not very helpful for my California babes.
So, I checked in with my friend Heather over at Mommypotamus.com, the unofficial queen of DIY. Starting with her non-toxic homemade sunscreen, I began to play with proportions of beeswax, solid fat, liquid oils, and zinc.
Like Heather, I chose uncoated, non-nano zinc which has a big enough particle size so that it is not absorbed into the skin where it can have toxic effects. Get uncoated, non-nano zinc here.
Beeswax gives this sunscreen its water resistance. Cocoa butter and coconut oil are made of stable fats so they don't go rancid quickly, and they both protect against the sun damage. Cocoa butter also imparts its delicious chocolatey scent.
To make the sunscreen spreadable even on a cooler morning, I added a small amount of liquid oil. I chose a combination of jojoba, carrot seed, and argan oils. Jojoba has a fairly long shelf-life for a liquid seed oil. Carrot seed and argan oil are both super rich in antioxidants, and carrot seed oil is said to have a natural SPF of 38-40. You could use these, or simply use extra virgin olive oil or another cold-pressed oil.
Because this lotion spreads easily, you can opt for a thin or thicker layer depending on how long you plan to be in the sun and water. We prefer a slightly thinner layer and then reapply every couple of hours as needed.
Finally, I found the awesome refillable silicone squeeze tubes, pictured above and below, which make a neat and tidy way to tote my new sunscreen to the beach or pool. They're even the perfect size for airport security so your homemade goodness can travel with you on distant, sunny adventures.
Homemade sunscreen ingredients & supplies
(makes 1 cup homemade sunscreen)
- 2 ounces beeswax – get it here
- 2 ounces cocoa butter – get it here
- 2 ounces coconut oil – I buy this one by the gallon
- 2 ounces liquid oil – total (I used a combination of these jojoba, carrot seed, argan oil)
- 2 ounces zinc – get uncoated, non-nano here
- Kitchen scale
- Double boiler (I use a metal bowl over a small pot of simmering water)
- Squeeze tubes, optional – I love these refillable, silicone tubes
Homemade sunscreen method
- Finely grate the beeswax and weigh the grated bits to 2 ounces.
- In a double boiler, melt the beeswax, cocoa butter, and coconut oil until liquid. Remove from heat.
- Slowing whisk in the zinc, stirring until all lumps are gone. When this mixture is slightly cooled, stir in the liquid oil until well combined.
- Use a butter knife to scoop the sunscreen into the squeeze bottles. Or store in a glass jar with a lid.
My homemade sunscreen experiment
My homemade sunscreen smells like chocolate cream, and while it's quite thick and white, it goes on fairly sheer.
After two hours of non-stop swimming between 1-3pm in May, my little white girl showed no signs of burn. My son, who would not hold still for the camera didn't pink up either.
Two days later, my hubby (and self-declared family guardian of white skin) tested it on all three of them while marching in a hot and sunny memorial day parade. It got the seal of approval as our family's official sunscreen for the summer. Woo hoo!
Planning a fun and sunny summer? Go grab these ingredients and get mixing!
Not ready to make your own? Get the next best thing here.
So, does this rub in or leave your skin looking ghostly white? 🙂 TIA
Hi Norabell – Thanks for your comment. It blends in very well 🙂
I have been making zinc, shea butter sunscreen for surfing and lotion, zinc sunscreen for daily use and beach volleyball. I always looked ghost white until I realized I could add unsweetented cocoa powder to the mix and then noone can see anything. I just look like I have a nice bronze tan. Just make sure you evenly rub it on or it looks like you have been beaten up.
Hi Emily, LOVE this! Question for you though. I saw this post about natural oils and spf http://www.hybridrastamama.com/2012/06/natural-oils-as-sun-protection.html
What’s your take? Wheatgerm oil looks affordable, so I was thinking of trying that
Thanks!
Jessica
Hey Jessica – Thanks for your comment. 🙂
I’ve seen these lists of oils with natural SPF too. Last summer we did an experiment with carrot seed oil, but unfortunately my kids got sunburnt – not necessarily because of the oil, but more because it is not waterproof or sweatproof and once it’s absorbed or comes off and the skin is no longer protected.
I’d also be concerned about wheatgerm oil because it’s likely to be rancid or go rancid quickly.
As for cost, this recipe is super affordable. You probably already have coconut oil and olive oil. And though you have to shell out a bit if you don’t already have cocoa butter, beeswax, and zinc, these ingredients will probably last you for years and won’t go bad.
What would you replace the cocoa butter with since my love does not like the chocolate smell? (I know he is weird lol)
I’ve done almost this exact recipe (excluding the more “liquid” oils) with Shea butter – almost no smell. I’d love to do this recipe but I’m wondering what other liquidy oils I can use because, without it, the sunscreen I made is quite thick.
Hi Lauren – I would try the liquid oils listed in the post 🙂
If you use coconut oil, its melting point is at 76 degrees.
Hi Julie – You can sub shea butter for the cocoa butter. 🙂
ok thanks Emily!
Hi Emily, i want to give your sunscreen a go however what can i use to get a yummy coconut smell?
Hi Sema, you could choose to buy a coconut oil that still smells like coconut and use shea instead of cocoa butter too to make sure the coconut isn’t overpowered. Let us know how it goes if you try it out – we’d love to hear all about it! xoxo Emily
Mango butter would work too! No smell at all.
Shea butter!
This is exactly the “recipe” I’ve been looking for! I’m rather pale and extremely thin-skinned, so I needed a sunscreen that will pass muster when I absolutely must forgo the sun-blocking clothing 😛 Many of the water-resistant recipes I’ve seen around are in solid form (far too hard to rub into my thin skin) or involved water (I don’t like using water in recipes). Thank you so much for this recipe! It’s perfect and I can’t wait to acquire some cocoa butter and zinc so I can try it!
This is wonderful. I’ve made up both Heathers’ sunscreen and Katie’s from Wellness Mama. I like the idea of adding in carrot seed oil!
Hi, I love the recipe,I’ll try it, how do you store it , it needs refrigeration ? Or at room temperature it’s ok? Thanks!
Fantastic recipe which i will try asap. I live in rural Australia on a grape growing property so sunscreen is a must. i am very aware of sun exposure and hubby has already had a melanoma. I do have some zinc oxide powder for that puepose bit havent been happy with other recipes thus far. I have dabbled in natural skin care for my family but have not done any for a while. Yours looks perfect. Thank you ;D
Is it 2 ounces of each oil (jojoba, carrot seed, and argon) or do we just pick one of the 3 you listed and use 2 ounces of one of them? Thanks!
This is very helpful. Thank you
What proportion of liquid oil did you use?
Hi Emily,
A silly question, in the recipe you list argon, carrot seed and jojoba oils, do you add 2 oz of each of these oils to the mix or just pick one? Looking forward to putting this together and trying. Thanks!!
Hi again. Ugh. I just read the recipe again and got the answer to my question. Duh. You used a combo of the 3 oils. That would sum it up. Can’t wait to try.
I have been researching a sunscreen recipe to try. This one looks great. My only question is if it’s a dry weight or liquid measurement for the zinc, coconut oil & cocoa butter? I’m never sure with these recipes. Thank you so much in advance for replying.
Hi Robin – Dry weight on a kitchen scale 🙂
Is it a weight measurement for the zinc, cocoa butter & coconut oil?
Hey Emily! I am new to DIY bodycare, and am eager to try this for my little ones and I that burn really easily. However, I already have shea butter that I am using for other recipes, can I sub that in for the cocoa butter so I don’t need to buy another butter? And would there be a benefit to using almond oil versus olive oil or would they have the same effect? (those are the two that I currently have). Thanks so much!
Hi Sarah – Yes, you can use shea butter in place of the cocoa butter.
Ugh! Can you just make this for me and sell it to me 😉
I make and sell non-toxic, personal care products, and I’m going to be adding this to my shop in a week 🙂
https://www.etsy.com/shop/ThriveHealthWellness?ref=hdr_shop_menu
I will buy this by the case if you start offering it on your Etsy store!!
It’s there! I have an option with olive oil, or a combo of carrot seed and argan oils. 🙂
Hi, I’ve been using another natural sunscreen but because its not waterproof, I have to reapply often and we usually burn a little when we go swimming so I’m really looking forward to making this! I was wondering what the spf is as a finished product in this cream? And does this have to be stored in the fridge? Thanks for this recipe!
Hi Angee – Thanks for your question. It’s hard to say, since the spf would depend on the oils you choose to use. If you’re going swimming, it’s definitely a good idea to reapply as needed and there’s no need to refrigerate it. Hope that helps!
Love this!! Just go through talking with my dermatologist about sunscreens and the horrible chemicals in them! I also had a question about the oils used…everything seems greatly affordable except the carrot seed oil. I know you said you could use olive oil instead– do you know if it would still have protection you want? I assumed most of the sun blocking comes from the Zinc and the oil is used as a delivery method….?… Any thoughts or do we Have to use carrot seed oil???? Thanks again for this experiment!!!
Hi Nicki – Thanks for your comment. The carrot seed oil does offer protection, but so do the coconut oil and cocoa butter. Let us know if you try it with the olive oil 🙂
Interesting that you are so careful to specify the types of oil to use and that you want non-nano zinc, but you fail to realize that “zinc” is not the same as “ZINC OXIDE”. Zinc is a grey metal that may or may not shield the UV rays and would probably give your skin a grey, zombie like color. Zinc oxide powder is white, nonmetallic, and a very good UV reflector.
If you click the link, it is zinc oxide.
I really want to make this sunscreen it sounds beneficial for the face of adults as well!
Looks like a wonderful recipe. I would definitely like to try at home.
What proportion of oils would you suggest ?
Emily,
When you say “2 ounces liquid oil (I used these jojoba, carrot seed, argan oil)” is this 2 ounces of liquid TOTAL? I just wanted to make sure that I didn’t mess this part up! I have been looking at lots of recipes. I am excited that this one is waterproof/resistant! We swim a lot every day so this will be great for my family. I already had everything except the scale and zinc which I have ordered!!!
Thanks so much!
Dawn
Hi Dawn – Thanks for your question. It’s 2 ounces total of liquid oil. Hope that helps!
Really great post 🙂 My side of the family is from Spain and I have olive skin that very easily tans – so far 2 of my girls have inherited that – the jury is still out on my newest additions’ skin- my hubby has the Irish genes very pink prone – so we’ll see! I will make some of this for my hubs 😉
Just made this recipe. What do you think about reducing the amount of beeswax just a tiny bit to make the consistency thinner?
Hi Olivia – Let us know if you try that. Or maybe adding a little more liquid oil would help to thin it out. 🙂
Emily! Thanks so much for this! I was just pondering what to do about sunscreen because I haven’t found one that I love. I also tried oil last summer and we all got burned. Having a sweat proof and water proof formulation is super important! Can’t wait to try this out!
xoxo,
Robin
Omg emily, thank you sooooooooooooo muech!
I am allergic to Sun screen. And when I say that I don’t mean I break out in a minor rash, I mean if grandma put it on my child’s three hours ago, I come to get them and they give me a hug, I instantly burst into invisible flames and need to shower with pure castle soap or my arms will fall of within ten min. I lived in Florida for eight years and even w worked as a life guard the whole time I just kept my skin hydrated and used randomish oils and I only got Sun burns at the start or the summer, once a year, for one day. I like that method but the skin of my blue eyed blond/ginger children doesn’t seem to appreciate it as much. I will have to give this a go and then send some with grandma so she can stop putting copertone crap on my babies
That’s great Mindy! Let us know how this works for you and your kiddos. 🙂
I know this seems like a really weird question but could this also work as a diaper cream with the addition of a calendula oil that helps heal skin?
Thanks for your thoughts.
Heather
Hi Heather – Thanks for your comment. I don’t see why not, and you could even use lavender oil or something soothing to the skin. However, I wouldn’t use carrot seed oil, as it might irritate a rash. Hope that helps!
Hi Emily-
what a great post and recipe!
I can’t wait to make my own.
Just an idea- and I would be the first one to buy 🙂 How about you put together those ingredients in packages, so we don’t have to sort out shopping for all those different ingredients all over the place…then you sell the whole package and one can make their own sunscreen based on your recipe.
🙂
Ciao, from Rome, Italy,
Gitta Sivander
I’ve just been thinking about what to do for sunscreen this summer. . . Totally going to try this-thank you! I have a question too. . .why would it be bad for our skin to absorb zinc oxide? Isn’t zinc a ‘calming’ mineral which most of need more of??
Approximately what SPF would this sunscreen be?
Thank you so much for sharing your recipe! I just made this (still waiting for it to cool completely) and though I was very careful to whisk the whole time, it came out lumpy. Is that normal or is there anything I can do the next time I try it?
Hi Anna – Thanks for your question. The zinc might clump together if added in all at once, so I might add it in slowly a little at a time next time. Hope that helps!
Thanks for the post! I just made this & can’t wait to test it out. The clean up was a pain but I am super excited to have non chemical waterproof sunblock for my husband & kiddos. Being part cuban I don’t burn easily but my husband & 1/2 my kids are almost transparent, haha. My daughter is sooo happy it smells like chocolate!
Can I use shea butter instead of cocoa butter and get the same result? (I thought I had EVERYTHING to make this TODAY but forgot the cocoa) :/
Hi Emily,
I’m really looking forward to trying this, but I have a couple of questions. I don’t have beeswax and thought I would use candellila wax instead. If I use it to replace beeswax in something like a lip balm, I only use half as much because it has twice the stiffening power. Would that be the same in this case? My other question is about the liquid oils. It says 2 ounces, but is that by weight or is it fluid ounces, meaning volume?
Thanks for the great post!
I have the same question, is this fl oz or oz by weight like the other ingredients?
Hi Amanda and Lakey,
Thanks for your question. The liquid oils are measured in fl oz. Hope that helps!
I too would love it if you would sell it.
Hi was wondering if you could leave out the coconut oil or use a substitute my son is extremely allergic to it.
Hi Shannon – If you try it using another oil, let us know how it turns out. 🙂
What about adding any essential oils to this mix? I wondered if anyone has and which ones would be good for scent + sun protection?
Thanks so much for this recipe. I’m gonna go make it right now!!!!
Hi Emily!
GREAT recipe! My kids love that it smells like chocolate 🙂 Mine came out quite thick so I added more liquid oils to thin it out a bit to spread it on. We’ve used it twice now, 2 hours at a time in the AZ sun and NO BURNS! Yay! Not even on our fair-skinned little blondie 🙂
May I share this recipe on my blog? (www.essentiallycarrie.com)
Thanks!
Carrie
Did adding liquid oil help thin it? Did you have to heat up the hardened mixture to add the oils? Mine is so hard!
Question, I made the not so smart mistake of adding the liquid oil in with the other oils at the beginning and then added the zinc oxide. Do I need to start all over, or should it still be usable? Thanks!
Hi Jessica – Thanks for your comment. Is it lumpy? If the texture is fine, I would still use it. Hope that helps!
Would avocado oil work for this? if so I already have all the ingredients minus the cocoa butter and beeswax, which I can find easily local.
Hi Danielle – I haven’t tried it with avocado oil, but let us know if you test it out!
I’m planning to make this tomorrow. I’m wondering approx how much of each oil you used. I have a toddler and baby that will be using this sunscreen, if that makes a difference. Thanks for the great recipe!
Hi Tiffany – Thanks for your question. I used an equal amount of each of the 3 oils. Hope that helps!
Hi, how long is a batch good for?
Hi Meli – Thanks for your question. It should last a year, since the carrot seed oil may go rancid after that.
If I only put small amounts at a time into the portable containers and leave the rest in a cool dark place, that should allow the shelflife to be longer, correct?
Hi Sunny, that would probably help as there’d be less exposure to sun and air. Let us know how it goes.
Thank you for the recipe. Much of the sunscreen that goes on my kids’ faces ends up getting wet when they enter the pool or ocean. Then it runs into their eyes and burns their eyes. Many of these also state that they’re waterproof. Do you know if this will burn my kids’ eyes when they go swimming, with the argument being that it may not be fully waterproof? I would also like to know how long a batch will last if unused. – Thank you!
Just thought I would give you my experience with this sunscreen–it seems highly waterproof to me. My 10 yr old highly fair-skinned child has been using it in the last couple of weeks since I made it, swimming and being outdoors. It does not seem to have an issue with running (it is very thick and the beeswax seems quite waterproof). He has not burned anywhere except when he has failed to ask for help with properly getting it on places he cannot reach! We are loving it.
I put it in a deodorant tube which works awesome for applying. We keep that inside so that it doesn’t have a chance to melt and I also filled 2 little jars for carrying places.
Hi Cara – Thanks for your question. My kids and I use it all the time at the pool and we haven’t experienced any eye burning. Due to the carrot seed oil, I would make a new batch after a year. Hope that helps!
Hi,
I was just wondering approximately what SPF this sunscreen would be?
Thanks!
Hi, I made a batch of this and love it. But after a week or so, it hardened and wasn’t easily spreadable at all. Have you had this happen?
Hi Windy – Thanks for your question! Mine hasn’t ever hardened. Are you storing it in a cool place? If so, the coconut oil might have solidified.
Hi Emily,
Is their a difference between carrot seed oil and carrot essential oil? If so what are they and which so I use? Thanks for sharing this great recipe!
(Sorry if this message was repeated I thought I posted it once but didn’t see it the next day)
Hi Emily, I wonder this, too. I have carrot seed essential oil.
Was jumping on comments to find the same answer. There is a difference between a carrot seed oil and a carrot seed essential oil. It sounds like the carrot seed oil she uses (and links to) is a carrier oil not the essential oil. You could add the essential oil to a carrier oil. I thin, I may use 1 oz of each of the other other two carrier oils she lists (jojoba and argon) and then add my essential oil. But I need to try to find the right dilution amount.
Hi Emily,
I made this, followed the recipe exactly and used the products you suggested. Twice. My sunscreen comes out very hard. Is this suppose to be a lotion consistency? Any advice on what I may have done wrong? (PS I love the smell though!)
Hi Heather – Thanks for your question. Mine hasn’t hardened, but your place might be cooler in temperature. You could also try adding more liquid oil to soften it. Hope that helps!
All clays contain heavy metals, and zinc oxide is no exception. I’m trying to find out the lead content as, although it is lowered in Pharma grade, it is still present. I’m also concerned about the non-nano claim. The only way I can check that is with an electron microscope, which I am fresh out of. So claiming its non-nano is something I’m never going to be able to check. And I have serious doubts that anyone is really. While I would prefer to make it myself, I’m not sure that components can be obtained from reliable sources, where as a product already made, like Badger, would be regulated. In theory they are regulated.
We finally made this squeezable sunscreen and it looks, feels and smells lovely but for the past 2 days since we started wearing it (one day at beach and one day at home in pool) we all seem to be attracting many, many bees. Is this just a coincidence or could the bees possibly be attracted to the cocoa butter? I searched online but I didn’t come up with much info. Thanks!!
Hi Angelica – I haven’t heard of that being an issue, so it could just be a coincidence.
I’m a beekeeper. Yes! Bees would LOVE this, as it has THEIR product in it: beeswax! I may be making this recipe, but we won’t be using it in our yard. Haha!
I just made some and it’s super runny does afterwhile doesn’t get more solid ?and also wondering about Essential oilswould like to add the vanilla
Hi Natasha – I haven’t had this problem, but if your place is on the warmer side, try sticking it in the fridge for awhile. Feel free to experiment using essential oils, and let us know how it turns out! 🙂
Hi, can I add essential oil to this recipe?
Everything I’ve read about argan oil says that it can make your skin super sensitive to the sun and it should be avoided prior to sun exposure. Have you come across different research?
Would raspberry seed oil be good for the other liquid oil? Just wondering since it has a naturally high SPF.
Hi Jessica – I don’t see why not. Let us know how it turns out if you try it. 🙂
I’m totally loving this! Thanks for the recipe. I made it using almond oil as my liquid oil (I had it and didn’t want to mess around with mixing oils!). Loving the smell and texture – mine hardened but is still totally spreadable once it warms up a bit. BUT, it turned bright yellow! Like, the whole jar. Is this something to do with the almond oil? I’m not really worried about it – just seems odd!
Hi Jaime – I’m so happy you love it! Mine hasn’t turned bright yellow, but you could be right about the almond oil being the cause.
Mine turned yellow too! I made it twice, using two completely different lotion recipes, and both times it turned yellow. I’m stumped as to what it could be.
I wonder why no one else seems to be having this problem?
Mine turned yellow as well! I thought it was because I added peppermint oil to the mix but if you ladies didn’t do that than I am not sure why it has happened! It does not seem to have messed with the quality of the sunscreen at all, just the color. I do have a question though, did either one of you use local beeswax in yours? I thought that may have had something to do with it
It probably depends on the beeswax you use. I use yellow beeswax pellets in my lotion bars I make and they turn out yellow, but there are also white beeswax pellets you can use as well! I’m not sure the difference of purity though.
I get that the carrot oil will go rancid after awhile… Could extra be saved long-term in the freezer?
Hi Fran – I haven’t froze carrot oil before, but if you give it a try let us know how it freezes.
Is there something else that can be used instead of coconut oil? My son is allergic to coconut oil.
Hi Monica – I haven’t made it without coconut oil, but I would imagine that you could increase the cocoa butter and liquid oils to 3 ounces each to replace the coconut oil. Let us know if you try it this way!
I was wondering when you talk about 2 oz that’s also the same as a 1/4 cup correct? I can’t wait to try this 🙂 thank you
Hi Deserie – Thanks for your question. I used my kitchen scale to measure out 2 ounces. Hope that helps!
Hi Emily! I am 100% Filipino but my kids are half-Caucasian so I too have tons of sunscreen on hand. Thanks so much for this great recipe, I actually have 3 different variations of it distributed all around the house (there are no excuses not to wear sunscreen in my household!). I made a version with sunflower wax and it turned out great as well! Still have to do more tests on how waterproof it is (I adjusted the amount) but so far so good. No burns!
I love this sunscreen. I have found it works very well for severe diaper rash from teething. My grandson breaks out horribly when he’s teething. It can go from perfectly calm skin to open wounds almost instantly. I have a healing salve that I use from camp wander. It wasn’t working and grabbed the sunscreen, it has zinc oxide so why not try it. It made a difference almost instantly.
We’ve been using this recipe for months now & it’s awesome! We live in Hawaii and spend most of our days outside in the garden or at the beach. I didn’t use carrot seed oil (didn’t have any). Ours is on the thicker side but the extra massage feels great! Thanks for sharing.
About how many drops of carrot seed oil do you use? Thanks!
Hi Shanna, thanks for the question. I didn’t really measure – just a few squirts should be fine.
I used about 60 drops of Young Living Carrot Seed oil in mine. Going on vacation soon and will let you know how good it works!
Great recipe, however this provides no protection against UVA rays. The carrot seed oil only protects against UVB, therefore I would recommend using raspberry seed oil which contains same SPF and UVA protection. Or use both oils. I get mine at http://www.berrybeautiful.com
The zinc oxide protects from both UVA and UVB rays.
http://consults.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/10/what-to-look-for-in-a-sunscreen/?_r=0
Can you use the zinc vitamins we take for colds and grind them up and use the powder?
Hi Jennifer, thank you for your comment. Unfortunately, the zinc vitamins would not suffice for this recipe as the two have different particle sizes and due to being made up differently, are used for different purposes. Hope this helps.
Hi Emily,
I was reading your article about the eczema cure and somehow ended here, but I guess this is a way to contact you so I might aswell stay here. I’m 14 years old and have eczema on most of my face and parts of my body (like my back or shoulders). I currently treat it with Dr.bauman scrubs and creams, it almost looks like its gone but I know it’s not because it only stays that way for about a day. I’ve went to a naturalist who prescribed these pills (fish oil was an example of one), we think the root of my eczema is from my immune system and can be cured from the foods I eat. I agree but I also think there might be more too it. This is because my eczema isn’t itchy and I do not have any allergies or asthma, nor does my family (like you talked about in the article). But to conclude, I’m a fairly healthy girl so I’ve never been one to diet. Is there any tips you could give me that I could use in my everyday life to make things a bit easier?
Hi Lauren, thank you for your comment. The root cause of eczema can usually be found in diet as your visit to the naturalist revealed. I would encourage you to read The Eczema Cure, my ebook, and if you still have questions, you can schedule a consult if you wish. I hope this helps.
Could I use olive oil and/or avocado oil for the liquid oils in this recipe?
Also, how many fluid ounces is the total recipe when combined? Trying to find a container to store it in.
Hi Jennifer, you could probably use any liquid oils to your liking. If you do, be sure to share your results with all of us. We’d love to hear. I didn’t measure exactly so I am not sure. I normally just use whatever I have on hand to store my homemade beauty products. Hope that helps!
I made this recipe yesterday and unfortunately my sunscreen is as hard as a rock! Great for lip balm or deodorant containers, but not for a squeeze tube. Do you have any suggestions as to where I may have gone wrong?
Hi Kate, depending on where you live, perhaps it is too cool? If you warm it up a bit, it should become easier to squeeze it out. If you find that it is a consistent problem, perhaps it would be better to use a bit more liquid oil than solid oil. Hope this helps.
Hi,
Can this be used on newborns? I have a nephew that’s 2 weeks old. Thanks for the recipe! It should work great on my toddlers!
Hi Miyuki, this recipe is safe for babies and kids through moderate exposure to sun. However, I wouldn’t recommend for a newborn to be exposed to too much sun, anyway. Hope that helps!
I just got done making this and followed it exactly. It is hard like a deoderant and the greasiest mess ever. I added another ounce of Jojaba to try to thin it out but it did not work and I didn’t want to waste any more oil. My skin must be too dark as it does leave a slight whiteness to my skin. I just spent $100 on supplies and am ready to throw it out! Hope everyone else has better luck!
I agree with the mess!!!! Some of the utensils I used didn’t even come clean in the dishwasher. But I did have the thought to pour the material into the squeeze bottles through a funnel while it was still liquid- it started hardening so quickly that I had to remelt and decided to add more liquid oil (I used olive oil). I think I ended up doubling or tripling the liquid oil.( I live in Ohio. ) parts of the tube now that it’s cooled are stiffer than others, but I should (I hope) be able to get it out. But what a MESS!!!!!
Do you have to be careful about breathing in particles of the zinc oxide when mixing? Is it true that even the zinc oxide contains heavy metals? Also, is there any safe noncomedogenic oils I could add to this for my toddler to replace joboba, argan, ect.? I have extremely sensitive skin and break out from oils, so when I make this I plan on including noncomedogenic oils with a 0 rating that needs to be safe to use on my toddler as well!
Hi Lacey, thanks for your question. Yes, you do need to be careful as it is a really fine powder. Pour carefully and/or wear a mask when doing so. As for the noncomedogenic oils, I would think that the oils I have mentioned would be fine but you are welcome to replace the liquid oils with other liquid oils you feel would work for you. Hope this helps!
I was wondering if I could use lavender as the oil, or in addition. I figured it would be fine, but I was just curious.
Can I substitute candelilla wax for beeswax? Anytime I’ve used a lip balm with beeswax, I have a mild reaction to it. It’s possible I’m in the minute population that is allergic. Because of my desire to forego chemicals AND not have this awful, red, dry, irritation all over my face, I started making my own lip balms, lotions, and deodorants about a year ago. This recipe looks great and I’m definitely going to try it.
Hi Maureen, I haven’t tried it with candelilla wax but we’d love to hear how it works out for you if you do try it. Please do let us know how it turns out.
Hello. I made this last night. I was hoping for some insight on the cleanup. I had a really tough time getting it off my whisk and dishes, so after I tried, I put them in the dishwasher. It ended up getting all over every dish in the dishwasher. So I ran it again. No luck. Is there something I can put in my dishwasher to get this stuff off? Please help… thanks.
Hi there, the cleanup on this can be tough. I would recommend always cleaning all your tools by hand, using hot water and dish soap. This usually works for me.
I need to get real here:
I just finished making this, and pretty much the only part that was not utter misery was the melting/mixing. Grating beeswax, are you kidding me? Torture. Clean up would be filed under torture as well. Filling the adorable tubes was only slightly less torturous. So did anyone have an easy time of it? Would you mind giving me helpful hints, or, better yet, making a video tutorial??? Apparently I could use a remedial course.
Hi, Faith! I just posted a comment below about adding white vinegar to your hot and soapy wash water. I used about a cup of white vinegar per gallon of joy, soapy water.
I also decided to pipe my sunscreen into the tubes using a plastic sandwich bag, and it was so much easier. I squoze out as much air from the lotion bottle as possible, to create a kind of vacuum, and then put the open tip of the bag into the bottle and squoze it in. Creating that vacuum allowed an easier flow of product between the two.
I hope that these ideas help! ☺
Buy beeswax pellets instead of a bar. Or I’ve read that some people put the bar – cut up – in their food processors. Melting is really no big deal, so I don’t understand your problem there.
Use vinegar for clean up like other commenters have done, or wipe everything with wet soapy paper towel ftist before washing.
Love the sunscreen it turned out great! I added a couple dropes vitamin E and 6 drops peppermint e. Oil. My question is how the heck do you clean your glass bowl and fork? Mine has a white waxy residue even after trying to wash with soapy hot water.
Hey Jessica, the cleanup is quite difficult! But glad you love the sunscreen! Just keep at it with the soapy hot water and it does eventually get clean again.
When I make my lotion bars with beeswax I always wipe everything with a paper towel as good as possible and then wash with soapy water that is very hot!
i made this and when it cooled it was WAY too thick! What can I add to it to thin it out some?
Add more oils. Next time don’t add as much beeswax. I never use the amount posted in a recipe, except sticks, because they all come out too thick for me.
I’m excited to try this. It filled up over three 3oz tubes when I made it in preparation for our beach vacation. I added Helichrysm essential oil to our batch because of its properties.
Like others, I, too, had a really difficult time with cleanup, and thought that these bowls and utensils were a goner, until I hearkened back to my cake decorating days, and remembered a clever trick I learned in class: add white vinegar to your hot, soapy wash water! It helps to cut through the grease, and made cleanup so much easier. In THIS case, I probably used at least a cup, if not two, of white vinegar for each gallon of my soapy water.
I have 2 fair-skinned redheaded boys, and I have been using non-toxic sunscreen (of various types) for several years. I have found a couple that I like, but the issue is that you have to wait 20 minutes for them to be absorbed enough or else there is risk of burning (we have experienced this to be the case). Is this homemade sunscreen one I could just rub in and let the kids go jump in the pool with? Because that would be awesome!
I am so excited to try this! What I am wondering is if there is a wait time from application to going outside? I am finding one of the biggest drawbacks to using non-toxic sunscreens is having to wait 15-20 minutes before being able to swim or play outside. Just curious what you have experienced with this?
I accidentally put twice as much zinc oxide in mine. Do you think I should doubtless the other ingredients also, or will it be okay?
Hey Tiffiny, I can’t really say but if I were you, I would probably double the rest too.
Hi, how do you clean out the silicon tubes to refill them? I can’t get in them to clean it out…
Hi Shannon – thanks for your comment. I use bottle cleaning brushes. I keep a collection of different sizes on hand for the various containers I use. You can get them here, if you like.
After reading many sunscreen recipes, yours looks like the creamiest, so I’m making yours first.
I’m wondering about adding something: arrowroot powder. I’ve read the following about it: “arrowroot powder helps the oils from the body butter to sink into the skin faster, leaving a less greasy feeling.”
Would I have to modify the recipe to use the powder? What are your thoughts about it?
Thank you! ~ Justin
Hi Justin, thanks for your comment. I haven’t tried this so I’m not sure, really. If you do give it a go, please do let us know how it turns out.
You would not have to modify the recipe; I use,it in my body butter. Just use a small amount (1-2 tbsp) and add it to a liquid oil in a small bowl with a whisk. If you add,it directly into the double boiler, the result might be grainy.
Just made this with my daughter. Super easy! However, she is not crazy about the smell. What about adding an essential oil to it, like grapefruit?
Never mind. Just read somewhere not to use citrus oils…
Some citrus oils are phototoxic and harmful if exposed to the sun while being worn. Not all of them are though. Look up which oils are phototoxic
Thanks for recipe, I wrote about it today in my blog at beckylegatt.com!
Hi there!
I made this sunscreen and I really like it bit it’s really thick! what should I add to this to thin it out a bit?
Thanks,Alexis
Hi Alexis. So glad you like it! More liquid oil should do the trick.
Can the additional oil be added after its already cooled an put in a jar? Should I heat it up again and then add the additional oil?
Hi Kelli, in order to mix it in properly, it would be best to heat it up again and then add the additional oil.
Have you tried adding in any essential oils for added spf?
No, but if you have any success with it, please feel free to share your results. I’d love to hear all about it!
Hi! 🙂
Thank for this great recipe, can’t wait to try it! I don’t have cocoa butter but I do have shea butter….should be fine to substitute right?
Hello, I made this last year and it worked great for all of us very fair skinned people, not one burn! Question, mine was very greasy and felt a bit icky to wear all day and was a disaster at the beach. The sand stuck to our skin and was almost impossible to get off. We also all looked very ghostly after applying it. So I love how well it worked but did not like some of the other things about it. Any suggestions on what I may have done wrong or how I could adapt it a bit better?
Hi! This recipe sounds excellent! Do you know how often we should reapply? I think SPF only tell you how often to reapply right?
Thanks!
Sarah
Any recommendations for cleanup after making this? It’s all over my pots and utensils and is obviously very waterproof.
Hi Kelli, warm soapy water should do the trick but it can be tricky.
I just made this and it came out solid. Not squeezable at all. I followed the recipe to a T and used a kitchen scale to weigh everything. I’m melting it back down and adding more liquid oil to try and fix it.
Hi Amber, depending on your room temperature, the oils can go back to solid. Otherwise, more liquid oil should fix it.
Hi-Thank you for sharing this recipe. Can I ask what makes it “waterproof?” I might think about tweaking it, but want to make sure I keep that quality intact.
Thank you so much!
Hi Amanda, the combination of the beeswax and cocoa butter are the components that make the sunscreen waterproof. It is usually the more “solid” fat or oil that will do this. Hope this helps and let us know how it turns out!
Should this be stored in fridge or room temp?? Thanks!
Hi Annetta, you can store it at room temperature. It will harden in the fridge.
Oh my goodness!!!! I just made a batch of this and tested it out at the pool. It’s amazing! Super thick. Too thick for me to put in my squeeze bottle, so I put into a glass jar. Works great with a little spoon to scoop it out. Little goes a long way. I absolutely love it! Thanks so much for sharing.
I am a believer and making some as soon as the ingredients arrive. My one question is about shelf life. It’s almost Aug and wanted to know if I have some left over til next summer, will it last? Thanks so much.
Mimi
Hi Mimi, it really depends on the environmental conditions and how it is stored. You’ll be able to tell if it isn’t usable by then, I am sure.
Super helpful, much needed safety tip for healthy fun in the sun all year round. Thank you for sharing!
I am allergic to shea butter, cocoa butter and mango butter. I’m fine with beeswax so do you think that I could just eliminate the butters? Would that mean that I’d need to use more beeswax?
Thanks.
Hi Heidi, you need some liquid oils such as shea butter or cocoa butter. So if you can find another substitute that is similar, that would be the best bet. Beeswax is more binding so more of the beeswax won’t necessarily be helpful. Let us know if you find a good solution – we’d love to hear about it.
You can try kokum butter. Idk if it has spf, but it is a harder butter than even cocoa butter, and adding it with oils should help to soften it up. Don’t know what the melting point is, but it’s so hard, you may not even need the beeswax.
I made this two summers ago. My son was starting a lifeguarding job and we knew he would need protection! We are not sunscreen users normally, but he is VERY fair complected and we knew he couldn’t take the long, unprotected hours of sun that lifeguarding lends itself to. That summer he did not burn ONE SINGLE TIME and he had the most gorgeous tan! Last summer I was out of sunscreen (I had shared the original batch with other people) and didn’t make a new batch. He used store bought sunscreen all summer. We hate the chemicals…but I just didn’t make it happen. Anyway…he was pink every single day he worked and didn’t tan either. He used 4 bottles of 50+ sunscreen last summer to no avail! We will NOT make that mistake this year! Making sunscreen today!!! Thank you SO much for sharing this recipe! We love it’s smell, it’s waterproofness, it’s ingredient and most of all it’s ability to WORK! 🙂
Can you double this recipe? my friends all seem interested and I would like to make it to sell and/or give away.
Hi Holly, yes of course – you shouldn’t have any trouble doubling the recipe. xxx Emily
I have read all the comments, but it seems like there are conflicting answers on how to measure the ingredients. So I just wanted to double check. Do you measure every single ingredient by weight on a kitchen scale or are the liquid ingredients like the jojoba, carrot seed, & argan oils measured by fluid ounces (therefore a 1/4 cup total)? Thanks!
Hey Danielle,
No scale necessary! Measure the ingredients with cups.
Emily xoxo
Hello I was wondering if you could sub the coconut oil for fractionated coconut oil since it’s less likely to clog up your pores? Thanks so much!
Hi Candice,
I haven’t tried this. If you do give it a try – we’d love to hear about your experiences! Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Emily
Do you need to use a presevative?
Hey Penny, no you shouldn’t need a preservative. I don’t use one. xoxo Emily
I’m not sure if someone asked this previously. I read a bunch of the comments but don’t have time to read them all so I apologize if this has already been answered. What can you use to substitute the coconut oil? My son and I have coconut allergies. Thank you!
Hey Robin,
You may want to try another solid fat, like shea butter or even tallow. I haven’t tried the recipe without coconut oil, so I can’t be 100% sure how it will turn out. Let me know how it goes.
Emily xoxo
I made this recipe three weeks ago. I typically go from white to red when I am in the sun and the store bought sunscreens appeared to enhance my skin’s reaction to the sun. It has worked wonderfully well. It has been used for three plus hour baseball games, kayaking, family reunions. swimming and mountain biking and more without a burn (where it was applied- I did get decently pink where I missed a spot on my shoulder when my shirt readjusted.)
Here are the modifications and notes I made:
– 1/4C = 2 oz for most (I was not an extremely accurate measurer)
– Beeswax had a higher melting point so next time I am planning on putting that in the double boiler first for a few minutes after the water is brought to a boil
– I added 3/4t of tea tree oil (bug repellent)
– I added lavender essential oil drops for added spf
– I omitted the carrot oil altogether (I did not want rancid sunscreen- it made a decent
sized batch that I am expecting to last til the end of next summer
– I used Shea butter instead of coconut butter
– I put it in a small jelly jar
I had no issues with clean up at all however I learned years ago to not put these dishes in the dishwasher (the oils and butters will clog).
This is the second year I’ve been using this on myself and my kids. I love this recipe so much, it has never failed us! My daughter loves the fact that it smells like a chocolate bar!
I just made this recipe right before the long 4th of July weekend. We spend the entire weekend at the lake outside and I have fair skinned, blonde kids who are impossible to remove from the water!
I have to say that I made them apply this in the morning and couldn’t pull them out of the water to reapply. They were outside from 10am-10pm and didn’t burn at all!
So impressed with this recipe! I have spent tons of $$ on natural sunscreen because I don’t want all the harsh chemicals. This goes on so much smoother, didn’t melt in the heat and kept my kids from burning, despite being in the water and sun all day!
If I added red raspberry seed oil this recipe would you add it on or replace the carrot seed oil with it?
Hi Lindsey, I haven’t tried it with an extra oil so I would suggest replacing it. Of course you’ll lose the benefits associated with the carrot seed oil but we’d love to hear how it works out for you. If you do try, please let us know how it goes. xoxo Emily
What is the shelf life of the sunscreen?
My skin tends to break out when I use coconut oil. Is there an alternative?
Hi Jory, coconut oil does tend to clog the pores if used on your face so perhaps a separate one for face/body would work. Otherwise you could sub shea butter or double the cocoa butter. Hope this helps! Let us know if you try it out and whether it works! xoxo Emily
I understand that coconut oil has natural spf, but isn’t it contradicting since it’s used as a natural tanning oil? Could i substitute with red raspberry oil?
Hi Tiffany, coconut oil does not have a very high spf. I’ve never tried red raspberry oil with this recipe but please let us know how it turns out if you do.
Hi, my name is Tammy K. I just made your sunscreen, & I really LOVE it. I made a triple batch, enough for my daughter & her 9 month old little boy, my boyfriend & myself. We just got out of the pool, we were in for probably 2 hours. It really was waterproof, & none of us were burned!!!! Thank you for a great recipe!!!
Sincerely.
Tammy K. Watson
This recipe is amazing! I’ve been using it all summer. It saves me so much money since I am fair skinned and work outside I go through alot of sunscreen!
Instead of the argan oil I used a combo of Carrot seed oil, jojoba oil, and tea tree oil as my loquid oils.
The reason I use Tea Tree is because Im very acne prone and this helps keep the sunscreen from breaking my skin out. It also has great antiseptic properties which gives the sunscreen a longer shelf life.
Thanks for sharing!
Hi Emily, thanks for sharing your recipe. 🙂 I’ve made the sunscreen but unfortunately it seems to be too thick. Have you a suggestion as to how I can thin it out? Many thanks.
Hi Alison, I would suggest adding more of the liquid oils if you are in a cooler climate. xoxo Emily