Easily make your own sunscreen

[Ziggy]

Commercial sunscreen  products often contain propyl compounds and other chemicals questionable for  your health (see http://www.ewg.org/analysis/toxicsunscreen);  and many of the all-natural products are overly expensive due to the addition  of exotic tropical oils for their scent. In addition, many commercial products  may have been tested on animals.
We all need cheap, safe protection from the sun's rays - but we pay a fortune for sunscreens when the essential ingredients are cheap nd available., try the following sunscreen recipe.I looked on the net for alternatives and found this simple recipe below:NOTE: I HAVE NOT MADE IT AND CANT VOUCH FOR IT IN ANYWAY!

This recipe will make 11 oz  of sunscreen.
Things  You'll Need
 

• 1 cup olive oil or another natural oil
• 1 oz / 28 g pure beeswax
• Pure (USP grade) zinc oxide or titanium dioxide
• Saucepan
• Spoon for stirring
• Gloves and face mask
• Stove, even a camp stove will work fine
• Glass or ceramic pot with lid for storage

                            Method
 Heat the cup of olive oil over a low flame

• Add 1 ounce of beeswax,       broken into pieces if possible (so that it melts faster).
• Stir constantly until the       beeswax is completely melted in the hot oil.
• Put on a pair of gloves and       a face mask. This is to protect you from direct contact with the zinc       oxide powder. Add one to two tablespoons of USP grade zinc oxide powder.       Add a little at a time, continuing to stir constantly. Ensure that it is       blended in well.
• Remove the mixture from the       stove. Pour it into a glass or ceramic pot that can be covered.
• Allow to cool to room       temperature before use. Keep stored in a cool, dry environment. Label and       date it.

    Tips
 

• If you cannot find the ingredients, buy zinc oxide cream from a pharmacy  and apply it in place of commercial sunscreen products.
  
• Try other edible, natural oils; just about anything that is safe to eat  ought to be safe on your skin.
• If wished, add a few drops of essential oil for a pleasant scent. If so,  check the properties of the oil to ensure it is suitable for wear in the  sunshine and has no side effects.
• Titanium dioxide may work as well as, or better than, zinc oxide. Either  oxide is what does the "work" of the sunscreen.
• The beeswax makes the resulting product viscous, like a skin cream,  holding the oxide in suspension. You can try varying the ratio of oil to wax.

               

[J-Rock]

 :shre: Great idea...

This will save us some money... More too spend on fishing gear

[Half-Pint]

Not to put you down Ziggy and thanks for sharing but R3500 on a rod R2500 on a reel R1000 on braid and we worry about R100 for our lives??? Personally I wouldn't skimp

[Ziggy]

Not to put you down Ziggy and thanks for sharing but R3500 on a rod R2500 on a reel R1000 on braid and we worry about R100 for our lives??? Personally I wouldn't skimp

Its not about the price as much as whats in it - some of the stuff they put in creams is bad for you - (see the web ref that I gave.) sunscreen should do to things  - protect you from the UV and keep your skin moistourised - so all you need is an oil (wax and olive - or any other oil) and zinc oxide which is the sun blocker.

My problem with the recipe is that it is oily  - I always use the non oil versions, that way I dont feel sticky, and my glasses dont always slide down my nose - I like the spray on ones best

[mervyn]

Isn' Zink Oxide toxic

[Ziggy]

Mervyn - just do a bit of research on this......

Zinc oxide is an ingredient in many products, including certain creams   and ointments used to prevent or treat minor skin burns and irritation.   Zinc oxide overdose occurs when someone accidentally or intentionally eats this medication.

As a food additive, zinc oxide is on the U.S. FDA's generally recognized as safe, or GRAS, substances.  Zinc oxide itself is non-toxic; however it is hazardous to breathe   zinc oxide fumes, as generated when zinc or zinc alloys are melted and   oxidized at high temperature. This problem occurs while melting brass because the melting point of brass is close to the boiling point of zinc. Exposure to zinc oxide in the air, which also occurs while welding galvanized (zinc plated) steel, can result in a nervous malady called metal fume fever. For this reason, typically galvanized steel is not welded, or the zinc is removed first.
Read these extracts from Wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zinc_oxide)

Zinc oxide as a mixture with about 0.5% iron(III) oxide (Fe₂O₃) is called calamine and is used in calamine lotion. There are also two minerals, zincite and hemimorphite, which have been historically called calamine. When mixed with eugenol, a chelate, zinc oxide eugenol is formed which has restorative and prosthodontic applications in dentistry.^[8][39]Reflecting the basic properties of ZnO, fine particles of the oxide have deodorizing and antibacterial^[40] action and for that reason are added into various materials including cotton fabric, rubber, food packaging, etc.^[41][42]   Enhanced antibacterial action of fine particles compared to bulk   material is not intrinsic to ZnO and is observed for other materials,   such as silver.^[43]Zinc oxide is widely used to treat a variety of other skin conditions, in products such as baby powder and barrier creams to treat diaper rashes, calamine cream, anti-dandruff shampoos, and antiseptic ointments.^[44][45]   It is also a component in tape (called "zinc oxide tape") used by   athletes as a bandage to prevent soft tissue damage during workouts.^[46]When used as an ingredient in sunscreen, zinc oxide sits on the skin’s surface i.e. is not absorbed into the skin, and blocks both UVA (320–400 nm) and UVB (280–320 nm) rays of ultraviolet light. Because zinc oxide (and the other most common physical sunscreen, titanium dioxide) are not absorbed into the skin, they are nonirritating and nonallergenic.^[47]However, many sunscreens use nano zinc oxide (along with nano titanium dioxide) which does get absorbed into the skin.^[48][49] This could cause as of yet unknown health problems and requires further study.^[50]Zinc oxide can be used in ointments, creams, and lotions to protect against sunburn and other damage to the skin caused by ultraviolet light (see sunscreen). It is the broadest spectrum UVA and UVB reflector that is approved for use as a sunscreen by the FDA,^[51] and is completely photostable.^[52][edit] Cigarette filtersZinc oxide is a constituent of cigarette filters   for removal of selected components from tobacco smoke. A filter   consisting of charcoal impregnated with zinc oxide and iron oxide   removes significant amounts of HCN and H₂S from tobacco smoke without affecting its flavor.^[36]Food additiveZinc oxide is added to many food products, e.g., breakfast cereals, as a source of zinc,a necessary nutrient. (Other cereals may contain zinc sulfate for the same purpose.) Some prepackaged foods also include trace amounts of ZnO even if it is not intended as a nutrient.

[Habib]

wear a long sleeve quick dry shirt and pants and a cap. it simpler and also keeps you cool.