Sunscreens work because of two types of ingredients, chemical filters and mineral filters. Chemical filters act by absorbing the sun’s rays, and most sunscreens contain three to six of them. The most common chemical filter, used in 80% of sunscreens, is oxybenzone. Oxybenzone can be absorbed into the skin, and can cause allergic reactions and disrupt hormones. Research has found it may also lead to endometriosis, lower birth weight in baby girls, and even cancer.
Mineral filters act by blocking the sun’s rays, and include titanium oxide and zinc oxide. They’re not absorbed nearly as much as chemical filters; zinc oxide is known for producing white noses. Mineral filters don’t present the potential health problems that chemical filters do. Mineral filters also don’t produce free radicals that can age your skin, like chemical filters do.
However there is a solution! The experts from Skana spa of the New York resort Turning Stone have sent us a recipe for a chemical free sunscreen that you can make yourself with ingredients you probably have lying around the house.
1/4 cup Diaper Rash Cream – make sure it has zinc oxide
Put all the ingredients in a glass bowl and set it on top of a pan of boiling water until everything melts together. Let the mixture cool and store in the fridge.
The zinc oxide in the diaper rash cream provides the mineral filter. The coconut oil and sesame oil are also sunscreens. Cocoa butter and aloe vera gel make the mixture creamy and give it a nice scent. The beeswax is a thickener, and also provides some water-proofing, since wax and water don’t mix.
About the Author –
Michelle Pino, is a Spa Manager at Skana, a spa in upstate New York at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, NY. She enjoys DIY projects, healthy recipes, exercise, and all things related to skin care. Her hobbies include crafting, reading and learning about healthy lifestyles.
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