Though commercial sunscreens are effective when it comes to protecting the skin from the sun’s harmful rays, they contain harsh chemicals which endanger the skin’s health. With a growing number of people desiring to look glamorous with their tanned skin through the use of varying self tanning products out there, it is important that this is complemented by effective sunscreen products that are counterproductive when it comes to keeping the skin healthy. This is where DIY sunscreen comes in.
Ingredients: One of the first few things that you should look for are natural or organic ingredients that provide the skin natural protection against the sun’s rays. While majority of these ingredients contain low amount of sun protection, they pose no risk to the skin’s health and help in nourishing it. Some of these are:
- Coconut Oil: This contains natural SPF (Sun Protection Factor) properties.
- Shea Butter: This naturally protects the skin and makes it one of the best choices when it comes to DIY sunscreen.
- Jojoba Oil, Sunflower Oil, and Sesame Oil: The skin readily absorbs any of these oils while offering natural protection from the sun.
- Eucalyptus and Lavender Essential Oils: The former has a very low amount of SPF however the latter complements that by providing nourishment on the skin and helps in repairing it. Note that citrus essential oils should not be part of your DIY sunscreen since the skin may end up becoming more sensitive to the sun’s rays.
SPF: Keep in mind that there are different values of zinc oxide that is needed depending on how much SPF you want your DIY sunscreen to have. This requires a bit of math on your part and the amount of zinc oxide is dependent on the weight of your ingredients and using a kitchen scale makes preparing it easier.
- SPF 2-5 requires 5% zinc oxide.
- SPF 6-11 requires 10% zinc oxide
- SPF 12-19 requires 15% zinc oxide
- SPF 20 or greater requires %20 zinc oxide
Final Note: Purchase a non nano zinc oxide that has particle size as large as possible. Though nano or micronized zinc oxide has been treated to reduce the size of its particles to create an ultrafine powder, which can potentially enter the body through the pores when applied which can cause potential health problems.
Self tanning has grown popular for a while now but it requires a reliable and effective sunscreen option to keep the skin healthy.
