DIY Tinted Sunscreen Recipe

With a summer packed full of activities – it is time for us to crack out the tubs of sunscreen.   We are a transracial family with six kids and use a TON of sunscreen!   Regular sunscreen has lots of chemicals, organic sunscreen is outside of our budget, and both leave white streaks on my chocolate boys.   Time to make our own tinted sunscreen! . Thanks to The Humbled Home Maker for collecting 5 Sunscreen Recipes  – we adapted ours from the recipes we found.   My chocolate kiddos are no longer white streaked and we have tested this cream for over a week with burn-instantly vanilla kids at our pool – this stuff works!!

Related: Easy Sunscreen Experiment Perfect for Preschoolers.

Ingredients for Your Tinted Sunscreen Recipe:

Note: Ingredient list contains affiliate links – clicking helps pay for our diapers – whoop!!   Help me blog more!!

• 2-3 Tablespoons Zinc Oxide Powder
• 1 Pound Shea Butter
• 1 ounce 100% Beeswax
• Lavender Oil to scent
• 1/8th a Teaspoon of Iron Oxide Powder (optional, to tint the cream brown)

Explanation of the ingredients:

Use the Shea Butter as your base.   It is really smooth as a carrier oil for the powder.   As we live in Texas and spend much of our day at the pool, we wanted a water proof sunscreen and we needed something that had a higher melt temperature (in case we left the cream in the car).   We used some beeswax to help solidify the cream.   If you live in the north you can probably use less (or none). If your sunscreen melts you will want to shake it up before using.   The zinc powder tends to settle to the bottom of the cream otherwise. **We added iron oxide to our sunscreen to make it a brown tint.   The oxide is also a sun protector.   BUT you can leave this ingredient out if you are worried about staining suits or if your kids are pale.**

How to Make Sunscreen:

Melt the shea butter and the beeswax in a double boiler.   Whisk it to blend the oils.   Then put a mask on to protect yourself from the zinc powders – they can be a health risk if inhaled.   Add the zinc powder and a pinch of the iron oxide.   Blend really well.   We whisked the cream for over two minuets.   Add the lavender oil (or any other oil to scent EXCEPT citrus ones). To use, rub the lotion between your hands to soften it before you spread it.   I hope you enjoy!