Guest blogger Kaley Wirthlin is the creator of GreenBootLiving.com, a website dedicated to improving health through real food, farming, natural remedies, outdoor adventures, and non-toxic living. Below is a great article on making your own, effective sunscreen!
We live and Florida and love the beach. We’ll be going to Honeymoon Island once a week when summer is finally here.
Just a few pictures to help you understand why. :0)
It is beautiful and the boys love playing in the water and sand. If we are not at the beach, you can find us at the pool. There is a great pool right by us and we go often. I guess Florida is known for its outdoor recreation. We take advantage of it.
I have one son that is very tan, and one son is that is fair skinned. I am right there with my fair skinned son, even though we tan easily… we have to be careful. We mainly use natural sunscreen from the health food store. Many of the ingredients in regular sunscreen contain toxic chemicals and endocrine disrupting chemicals. These ingredients are especially bad for children and women during child-bearing years. Some sunscreens actually raise your chances of getting skin cancer. There are some good options out there, but be careful even natural sunscreens can have sketchy ingredients. Always read the LABELS. If you want to read more in details about the risks and benefits check out this article.
Since making my homemade facial cream, I have really wanted to try my own sunscreen formula. Many of the ingredients are the same which makes it easy. My boys are always in the sun, so it was a no-brainer. Experiment time!!! I love this part.
Another way to help build and strengthen the skin and keep from burning~ take fermented cod- liver oil regularly.
This sunscreen formula was adapted from Wellness Mama.
1/2 cup grape seed oil (coconut, olive, almond)
5 tsp zinc oxide (available online or in stores~make sure it is pure zinc oxide) Do NOT inhale!
1 Tbsp Beeswax
1 Tbsp distilled water
1 tsp Rosehip essential oil (optional~ use any for scent, just not citrus bc it is phototoxic)
Check out why rosehip oil is so great for the skin.
1. Heat Oil and beeswax in a mason jar sitting in a pan of low boiling water until just melted. I stir it occasionally with a long toothpick. Takes about 5-8 minutes.
2. Remove from heat.
3. Add essential oils.
4. Put into bowl that will not be used for food, and add zinc oxide powder, Mix well. Make sure you do NOT inhale zinc powder.
5. Add in 1 Tbsp distilled water. Whisk a little more…. Depending on the texture you like, you can add a little more or less water. More of a lotion or thick cream.
On my skin ~ nice consistency and texture. It rubs right in.
For application suggestions and further information about how much SPF is in this homemade sunscreen, please visit Kaley's blog at www.greenbootliving.com
