Is Your Sunscreen Really Safe?
Let's talk about sunscreen. Sun protection is necessary, and as a result we use sunscreen. Did you know that we are using products that are filled with chemical UV filters and hormone disrupters. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG) "The most common sunscreens contain chemical filters. These products typically include a combination of two to six of the following active ingredients: oxybenzone, avobenzone, octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate and octinoxate. Mineral sunscreens use zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide. A handful of products combine zinc oxide with chemical filters." In addition according to the FDA (2019) "FDA has put the entire sunscreen industry on alert by proposing that in just two instances do we have enough safety information about ingredients to determine whether they’re safe and effective: zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. For 12 other ingredients, the FDA has said there isn’t enough data to determine whether they’re safe." The other factor is the so called 'inactive ingredients', they make up 50-70% of sunscreen!
So what can we do!? First, research the sunscreen you are using. The EWG link above is great, as well as this one for the Skin Care Edit. It is also surprisingly easy and inexpensive to make your own, like the one below from doTERRA!
If you are looking for a more natural alternative to store-bought sunscreen, why not make your own? With this homemade sunscreen, the inclusion of zinc helps to protect against the sun, while Hawaiian Sandalwood oil soothes and nourishes the skin. Using just a few ingredients, this Sunscreen DIY will get you ready for summer days and thanks to Hawaiian Sandalwood, you can promote smooth skin in the process.
Ingredients ¼ cup coconut oil (natural SPF of 4) ¼ cup Shea butter (natural SPF of 4-5) 1 teaspoon carrot seed oil (natural SPF of 35-40) 2 tablespoons of zinc oxide (look for uncoated non-nano powder it will not penetrate into the blood stream) 2–3 drops Hawaiian Sandalwood oil
***You may want to adjust this number for your family depending on the strength of SPF you are looking for. In further research I found that any sunscreen with 20% or more of zinc oxide provides complete UVA/UVB protection with an SPF of 32. There is also a SPF value to carrot seed oil (which does not contain Vitamin A), shea butter and coconut oil as well when you are working calculations.
Melt coconut oil and Shea butter in a bowl over warm water.Add carrot seed oil and zinc oxide and mix together. Add in drops of Hawaiian Sandalwood essential oil and stir.Place in a jar for storage. Allow to cool for 30 minutes in fridge.
Have you tried to make sunscreen before? Feel free to share your tried and true recipes in the comments!!