The Most Incredible Homemade Coconut Oil Sunscreen Recipe

By Jessica Espinoza

When it comes to sun protection, would you be shocked if I said that I don’t use sunscreen? I haven’t for years. The main reason for stopping use of commercial sunscreen was because I was deficient in Vitamin D and was striving to get more sun on my skin in order to help boost my levels. Vitamin D deficiency has been proven to create a host of health problems, including increased risk of cancer. That is not to say that I go outside and lay in the sun, unprotected for hours. I am still cautious about my sun exposure and if I know I am going to be outdoors for a long stretch of time, I am careful to cover up with long-sleeve shirts, hats, pants, etc.

This recipe for homemade coconut oil sunscreen uses a variety of oils and the end product is more of a body butter. It is safe for the whole family, though you want to make sure children do not ingest any of it. The beeswax will help it be slightly water-repellent. When not in use, store the mixture in the fridge to help extend the shelf-life. You can use whatever essential oils you would like for scent, but make sure to stay away from phototoxic essential oils, which includes the citrus family and a few others. When these essential oils are exposed to the sun, they can cause the skin to burn faster. If you’re not already familiar with it, the carrot seed essential oil has a natural woody, earthy scent. This is a rich body butter, so a little goes a long way. You can find all of these ingredients online or at your local health food store.

Homemade Coconut Oil Sunscreen Recipe

Ingredients

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup shea butter

1/8 cup sesame or jojoba oil

2 tbsp. beeswax granules

1-2 tbsp. zinc oxide powder (optional)

1 tsp. red raspberry seed oil

1 tsp. carrot seed oil

Essential oils of your choice (lavender, rosemary, vanilla, and/or peppermint are nice)

Instructions

1. Using a double boiler (or a small pan over very low heat), melt your coconut oil, sesame or jojoba oil, beeswax, and shea butter together. The beeswax will be the last to melt.

2. When the beeswax is melted, remove the mixture from the heat and let cool to room temperature. If you’re using zinc oxide, whisk it in at this point, being careful not to create a lot of dust. If there are some lumps, that’s OK. They will break up when you whip the body butter in step 4.

3. Move the mixture to the fridge for 15-30 minutes. You want it to start to set up, but still be soft enough to whip.

4. Take the mixture out of the fridge and using a stand mixer or hand mixer, start to whip it. Drizzle in the red raspberry seed oil, the carrot seed oil, and any essential oils of your choice, and continue whipping until the mixture is light and fluffy.

5. Use as you would any regular sunscreen. Application rates will depend on your activity and exposure to water. Store in a glass container in the fridge between uses.

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