Certain seed oils are very high in Omega-6 fatty acids which can cause an imbalance that leads to inflammation when consumed, especially in excess. Many seed oils like olive oil, avocado oil, rosehip seed oil, etc. are very beneficial for the skin when used topically though. If you want to avoid plant based oils you could try mixing the zinc oxide with tallow balm. https://wellnessmama.com/beauty/tallow-balm/

It should last about a year if stored away from extreme light and heat. Since sunscreen is often used in warmer weather, the oils will likely oxidize faster, but it should at least last the summer. You can always keep it in a small cooler at the beach.

Many thanks

I did find a 2021 study, Zinc oxide-induced changes to sunscreen ingredient efficacy and toxicity under UV irradiation. In this study though they tested different mixtures of small molecule UV filters like avobenzone, which is known to degrade under sunlight anyway unless stabilized by the chemical octocrylene. The zinc oxide was added to other chemical mixtures, it wasn’t tested on its own here. So the concern is that using certain sunscreen chemicals and zinc oxide together may be harmful. The tests were also done on zebra fish embryos, not human skin, so there are some limitations there.

Hi I just thought I would point out as you all seem to be unaware that zinc oxide although it is a safe in it’s natural state when it co es into contact with uv rays it changes it’s chemical make up and becomes highly toxic and carcinogenic. This is what all the hype lately as been regarding sun cream and how it is bad for you. Look it up and read the scientific papers for yourself. I have been looking for sun cream without any of the nasties in and have so far only found one called tropic but it is extremely expensive at £25 for only 15 ml that would probably only suffice one use of the body.

Zinc oxide can be more noticeable for those with darker skin tones, but it depends on the person. This sunscreen likely doesn’t have a lot of SPF protection and you’ll have to experiment to see what works best for your needs. If you’re looking for some skin protection and still want to tan, then you may want to try this tanning oil recipe. https://wellnessmama.com/beauty/sandalwood-tanning-oil/

Glad to hear!

Pharmaceutical grade products are held to a higher standard and must meet certain guidelines for safety and purity. As long as it’s non-nano and uncoated zinc oxide though it should work.

The SPF question is addressed in the article text.

You could try replacing the coconut oil with 3 TBSP of a liquid carrier oil and 1 TBSP beeswax.

Depending on what oil you use, it can have a yellow-ish cast. I used olive oil (100% Italian EVOO) and it has a really dark green color- therefore, my sunscreen has a yellow color to it. And also, beeswax has a yellow color as well! Just a thought 🙂

Thanks, Jamie! Came out perfect!

Cocoa butter is harder than shea butter so you’d end up with a firmer sunscreen. You could try reducing the beeswax a little to make up for it.

Since coconut oil is solid at room temperature and melts in the heat (like when taken to the beach) using only coconut oil as the oil would create a sunscreen that doesn’t hold up well to moderate temperature changes. If you stir the sunscreen as it cools this works well to keep the zinc oxide mixed in.