Jump to Directions
Summer is the best time of year for many families, so sun protection is important! Learn how to make easy homemade sunscreen bars using natural ingredients.
My family doesn’t go through a lot of sunscreen because we’re pretty good about staying out of the sun for extended periods during peak hours. However, we still use sunblock on days where we’re in the sun all day – like when we go for a hike or spend a day at the lake.
I find that most sunscreens expire before we ever use the whole tube, so the idea of sunscreen bars became very appealing. Since they are not water-based (or aloe-based), they have a longer shelf life.
Plus these all natural sunscreen bars are easier to make than you might think. If you regularly make DIY beauty projects, you probably have everything on hand except for the zinc oxide. Buy that ingredient once and you’re set for years.
Homemade Sunscreen Bars
Supplies
- ¼ cup shea butter
- ¼ cup beeswax pastilles
- ½ cup coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon vitamin E oil
- 1 tablespoon sweet almond oil
- 10 drops lavender essential oil
- 3 tablespoons non-nano particle zinc oxide powder
Tools
- Double Boiler
- Electric hand mixer
- Silicone mold of your choice
Instructions
- Add the shea butter, coconut oil and beeswax pellets to a double boiler over medium heat, and stir frequently until it’s melted and clear.
- Remove the pan from the heat, then stir in the vitamin E oil and sweet almond oil until well combined.
- Add the lavender essential oil, then stir until well combined.
- Whisk in the zinc oxide, slowly and carefully. It’s best to wear a face mask while you do this step so you don’t inhale the zinc oxide. If you need to use a hand mixer to get it fully incorporated, you can transfer it to a large mixing bowl.
- After everything is evenly incorporated, pour the mixture into your silicone mold and allow it to cool completely. You can place the silicone mold on a cutting board or cookie sheet and place it in the fridge for a couple of hours to expedite the process.
- Once the sunscreen bars are completely cooled, store them in an airtight container, like a mason jar, in fridge until ready to use.
Notes
Tips for Making Sunscreen Bars
Sunscreen and expiration dates
You can go by the expiration dates on your ingredients when you’re making things like lotion bars, salves and other DIY projects that don’t contain water-based ingredients (including aloe). Simply use the expiration date of the ingredient that expires first and you have the expiration date of your latest DIY goodies.
Calculating SPF in homemade sunscreen
While it’s impossible to perfectly determine the SPF of homemade sunscreen, you can get an approximate SPF by using these percentages of zinc oxide in your sunscreen recipe:
- For SPF 2-5, you’ll want to use 5% zinc oxide
- For SPF 6-11, you’ll want to use 10% zinc oxide
- For SPF 12-19, you’ll want to use 15% zinc oxide
- For SPF 20+, you’ll want to use 20% zinc oxide
Always use common sense in the sun and reapply sun block often, especially after going in the water or perspiring.
Purchase natural sunscreen instead
If you don’t want to fiddle with making your own sunscreen bars, but you want to buy something amazingly high quality, check out Earth Mama Organics. We’ve used their products for a dozen years now, and they have a great Mineral Sunscreen line.
However, I think you’ll enjoy the rewards of making your own sunscreen bars this summer. And be sure to whip up a batch of after-sun spray. Your skin will love it after a long day in the sun!
Hi.. this might sound silly.. how would you apply the suncreen to self using the bar?
It’s like using a lotion bar. You warm it in your hands, then rub it in as it softens.
Thanks for asking, I didn’t know either!
what is the SPF of what your recipe makes?
There is no guarantee what the SPF will be as I’m not sure of the quality of ingredients you’re using. As written, the zinc oxide accounts for about 14% of the volume of ingredients in this recipe, so it’s likely in the SPF 10-12 range. There is a chart in the post for customizing the percentage of zinc for SPF coverage to your preferences.
This looks so good! What a great way keep your skin free of chemicals and sunburns!
Thank you Suzanne!
Thanks for sharing! Do they keep long?
Since these sunscreen bars don’t have any water-based ingredients, I suggest using the expiration date of the ingredient that expires soonest. Exposing them to water and too much sunlight will make them expire sooner as well.