For many years now I have preached about the benefits Safe exposure to sunlight. The key word here is safe! And although it has a lot of benefits, sometimes, I will use my homemade sunscreen on occasion. Many of you have been asking for a lip sunscreen with SPF, so I finally got to work in the kitchen and came up with one.
Why you shouldn’t (and should) use lip sunscreen
I’m usually not a fan of sunscreen for a few reasons. We need the sun to produce the hormone vitamin D, It has a strong immune system, regulates hormones, and much more. Even something as seemingly simple as sunglasses can interfere with this signal by blocking the photoreceptors in the eye.
Most of the time I will seek shade or cover up when my body gets enough sunlight throughout the day. While I think the science is clear about the benefits of the sun, it’s also clear that sunburn is harmful! However, if you live in a really sunny climate and are outside a lot, on the boat, surfing, etc., sunscreen can sometimes be helpful.
for me Homemade sunscreen recipe It’s a fan favorite, but many of you have asked if it can be used on the lips. Technically yes, but it can leave a white cast, be difficult to apply, and taste funky. Even if you don’t eat it (even though the ingredients are clean), eat small amounts of it lip balm It still ends up in the mouth. But we probably all knew that one kid in elementary school who loved to eat lip balm…
Mineral lip balm with sunscreen ingredients
A lot of store-bought brands use a ton of artificial ingredients that I don’t really want in my mouth (or my kids!). Some of the UV-fighting ingredients go smoothly on the skin and absorb quickly, which feels great. However, such sunscreen ingredients as oxybenzone and avobenzone are also present Toxic to coral reefsWhich are essential for life in the oceans and life on land. Not to mention what they do to us once we internalize them.
This sunscreen instead uses non-nano and uncoated zinc oxide. It creates a skin barrier and sits on top of the skin/lips, reflecting UV rays. It is one of the safest UV barriers. In fact, it’s one of only two that the FDA considers safe and effective sunscreens. I don’t always agree with the FDA, but I’m with them on this. The concentration of zinc oxide is 20%, which translates to about 10 sun protection factor (SPF) when all ingredients are added. SPF 10 may not sound like a lot, but it blocks about 90% of UV rays.
I also added red raspberry seed oil. It has a slight SPF and is packed with antioxidants that protect lips from sun damage. You’ll also find this ingredient in my homemade sunscreen recipe. Shea butter is soft and creamy, nourishes lips and helps lock in lip balm. Beeswax provides a protective layer over the lips.
Finally, avocado oil provides the bulk of lip balm and supports collagen to prevent weak skin cells. Avocado oil also helps soothe inflammation, regenerate skin cells, and protect the skin barrier. It is also rich in carotenoids, which provide some protection from ultraviolet rays.
Sunscreen tinted lip balm
My original sunscreen recipe is white because of the zinc oxide. Some people are okay with having a white cast on their lips, but there is an easy solution. You can add iron oxide and/or mica to give it a little color. Mica reflects light so it will give it a little sparkle.
Iron oxides are nature-identical pigments and impart a rich burgundy red color. The oxides that come naturally directly from the soil also come with lead and other heavy metal contaminants. Things I don’t want in my lip balm! This is why iron oxides are now being manufactured in the laboratory to be identical to nature.
If you don’t have iron oxide on hand, Pink kaolin clay Provides a similar effect.
DIY natural lip sunscreen
This soft and creamy sunscreen helps protect lips from UV damage.
fruit: 1.7 ounce
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Add beeswax, shea butter, and avocado oil to the top of a double boiler or glass pot. Stir occasionally until it dissolves.
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Turn off the heat and add the raspberry seed oil and essential oils.
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Add the powders: zinc oxide, iron oxide, and mica.
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Remove from heat and stir occasionally until cool. The powders will want to sink to the bottom so they will need to stay mixed.
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Once most of your lip sunscreen has cooled, but is still smooth enough to pour, pour the mixture into your bowls.
Iron oxide adds a pink color and mica adds a little sparkle. You can use both or neither, but it will have a white cast without any iron oxide.
An important note about photoessential oils
Some essential oils can increase the risk of sunburn and skin damage. It goes without saying that they should not be used in lip balm! Photogenic essential oils include bergamot, lemon, lime, and grapefruit. Learn more about This topic is here.
More sun protection
Here are some sunscreen recipes you can make yourself, as well as information about the pros and cons of sunscreen.
What is your approach to sun exposure? Leave a comment and let us know!
