DIY Sunscreen

[Root]

Skin cancer is on the rise and is very serious. But we shouldn't forget that we get many benefits from the sun.
Livestrong.com

• Vitamin D - The most well-understood benefit of sunlight is the production of vitamin D. When skin is exposed to sunlight, a series of chemical reactions begin that converts precursors of vitamin D to the active form of vitamin D. Vitamin D is needed for the intestinal absorption of calcium and the maintenance of calcium and phosphate levels necessary for healthy bone formation. It is also important for proper immune function, cell growth, and nerve and muscle function. Some foods naturally supply vitamin D, such as fish and liver. Other foods, such as milk and cereal, are typically fortified with vitamin D
• Helps your mood http://www.livestrong.com/article/22440-mental-health-benefits-vitamin-d/
• Blood pressure and Heart health -Exposure to sunlight has a beneficial impact on blood pressure and heart health. A study published in the March 2010 "European Heart Journal" showed that the beneficial effects of sunlight on heart health and blood pressure may be related to the chemical nitric oxide, which acts on blood vessels to decrease blood pressure. Nitric oxide activity may be modulated by sunlight. The immediate effects on the heart and blood pressure appear to be short-term, lasting less than 24 hours without additional sunlight exposure.
• Cancer prevention -Vitamin D or sun exposure have been correlated with a possible role in preventing cancer and infection, and keeping the immune system balanced. It is unclear whether the production of vitamin D or another mechanism of sunlight is responsible for these associated effects. An article published in the September 2008 "Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology" noted a reported 30- to 50-percent reduction in the risk of certain cancers with an increase in sun exposure or vitamin D intake of 1,000 IU/d. The exact process leading to these outcomes, however, is not well-defined.
• Pleasant environment - http://www.livestrong.com/article/436651-the-effects-of-sunlight-fresh-air-on-the-body/

We can't and don't want to stay out of the sun, but we also don't want a sunburn.
There are many sunscreen and sunblock products on the market...some use chemicals that actually harm us worse than the sun!
Chemical sunscreens don’t sit on the surface of the skin – they soak into it and quickly find their way into the bloodstream. They scatter all over the body without being detoxified by the liver and can be detected in blood, urine, and breast milk for up to two days after a single application. That would be just fine if they were uniformly safe – but they’re not. Dr. OZ

Some of us already make rubs and creams, I was wondering if I could make a safe sunscreen and enjoy the sun.
I found that Zinc Oxide reflects the harmful rays of the sun, it sits on top of your skin and eventually falls off. Large particles of zinc oxide make a thick white paste and nano- particles are invisible.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/148069-sunscreen-with-zinc-oxide/
Zinc oxide may bring to mind an obvious layer of white on your nose and cheeks, but in fact, zinc oxide is the ingredient used in dense diaper rash creams that act as a barrier between an infant's skin and a diaper. However, in May 2008, the American Academy of Dermatology noted that new grinding technologies have made particles in zinc oxide even finer, resulting in sunscreens that look transparent on your skin. This also enhances the ease of application and the product's evenness on the skin and makes it "cosmetically acceptable."


Here are some nice DIY recipes
http://wellnessmama.com/2558/homemade-sunscreen/
http://www.mommypotamus.com/how-to-make-non-toxic-homemade-sunscreen/
http://www.diynatural.com/homemade-sunscreen/

I make my regular creams & rubs then use this guide from the last link for the amount of zinc oxide for spf
Choose your homemade sunscreen SPF

Different amounts of zinc oxide are needed depending on what SPF you would like your lotion to be. Once you have chosen the SPF a little math is involved. The zinc oxide must be a certain percentage of the weight of your ingredients (before adding the zinc oxide). For this reason, it’s easiest to use a kitchen scale when making your sunscreen. For example, if you have 2 ounces of lotion and you’d like to make SPF 10 sunscreen, according to the values below you will need to add .2 ounces of zinc oxide to the lotion. Use the zinc oxide recommendations below.
For SPF 2-5: Use 5% zinc oxide
For SPF 6-11: Use 10% zinc oxide
For SPF 12-19: Use 15% zinc oxide
For SPF >20: Use 20% zinc oxide

Two things to remember...Don't breathe in zinc oxide when you use it (it's not good for the lungs) and wear sunglasses to protect your eyes.

 

[Root]

I have made a batch of sun screen using grape seed oil, beeswax and zinc oxide.
It is out to testers...I do not like it - too greasy. I'm sure the coconut oil based will be better.

The zinc oxide product description is below...very important that you use NON-Nano zinc oxide.


A brain storm idea I had was to suspend the zinc oxide in a liquid to spray on your skin.
Coppertone has a Sports spray...Ingredients
Active Ingredients: Avobenzone 3%; Homosalate 10%; Octisalate 5%; Octocrylene 2%; Oxybenzone 4%. InActive Ingredients: Alcohol Denat. (75.3% V/V); Acrylates/Octylacrylamide Copolymer; Stearoxytrimethylsilane; Glycerin; Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate; Tocopherol (Vitamin E); Fragrance; Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A Palmitate); Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Yuck ^^^^

I added some zinc oxide to some Mag oil...mixed well.
What ever liquid I use, I want to add something like extra fine glitter...It will sit on top of skin and eventually fall off like the z/o.
The z/o is not visible...the glitter is...loose your shimmer apply sun spray.

This is the zinc oxide I use.

Product Description

Zinc Oxide (NON-Nano)

(Please note this particular zinc oxide is non-nano which is what most people are looking for when it comes to skincare applications among other things.)
Description
“Philosopher’s Wool”, “Chinese White”, and “Flowers of Zinc,” – these are some of the names given to a compound that’s uses range from rubber to ceramics; concrete to medicine; cigarettes to food; paints to electronics and everything in between. Its official name is Zinc Oxide, and its uses are expanding as fast as technology is advancing. Many of its uses take advantage of its ability to conduct heat, antibacterial and UV-protection properties as well as its ability to act as a binding agent when mixed with other substances.
Zinc Oxide can occur naturally as the mineral zincite. This rare crystal has been found the Franklin and Sterling Hill Mines in New Jersey. These crystals can also be formed artificially and are a natural by-product of smelting zinc. Both natural and synthetic crystals can be colored dark red, orange, yellow and green. However to keep up with a nearly one million tons per year industrial demand for zinc oxide, most is created artificially by several different processes:
The American process involves heating zinc composites (such as the above mentioned by-products of zinc smelting) with carbon in order to create zinc vapor. This vapor then reacts with the oxygen in the air to produce zinc oxide that, as it cools, can be collected. The more common method is the French process. This similar process utilizes metallic zinc heated inside a graphite container that can withstand extreme temperatures.
Specialized laboratory processes can synthesis zinc oxide for various niche applications (such as creating nanowire, thin film, or mass production). The white powdered form can be created by running an electric current through a solution of sodium bicarbonate with a zinc anode inside. The resulting zinc hydroxide gas produced is heated and decomposes into zinc oxide. Extremely pure forms of zinc oxide have exciting applications in nanotechnology. Compatible with well-developed silicon technologies zinc oxide nanowires have potential use in computing, solar energy and beyond.
A long but vague history
Thought to be used to treat skin conditions for thousands of years, without modern classifications and terminology it is impossible to know for certain what our ancestors were using. Our first known use of the product was in paints and pigments in 1834. Because zinc oxide doesn’t turn black in air contaminated with sulfur, it makes an excellent bright white permanent paint. It is also non-toxic and more economical than other available technologies at the time. One drawback was that zinc oxide itself becomes brittle as it dries. Art work from the late 1890’s and early 1900’s developed cracks over time.
Uses of Zinc Oxide

Zinc Oxide can be added to creams and lotions to add sun protection. This makes it perfect for the “do-it-yourselfer” who is concerned about the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation on the skin. It is the best broad spectrum UVA and UVB reflector approved for use as a sunscreen by the Food and Drug Administration. This is because zinc oxide does not absorb into the skin when applied with a lotion. Instead it sits on top of the skin and reflects both UVA and UVB light. Because it isn’t absorbed into the skin, it doesn’t irritate or cause allergic reactions.
Roughly half of the world’s use of Zinc Oxide is done in the rubber industry. It is an important ingredient in turning sticky rubber into more durable and form with an ability to resist the growth of mold and fungi as well as impart a resistance to ultra violet light. It is also used in the ceramic industry to create various finishes. Small amounts added to a finish creates a glossy shiny surface. While larger amounts create a matte and crystalline finish. Its high heat capacity and temperature stability combined with its low expansion make it perfectly suited for ceramics.
One of the most significant advances in concrete has found zinc oxide quite beneficial. Self-compacting concrete is a relatively new form of concrete that is able to be poured inside formwork, around reinforcements and through narrow passageways. Self-compacting concrete is then able to consolidate by itself without vibration, simply by its own weight. A study, “Sythesis of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles and Their Effect on the Compressive Strength and Setting Time of Self-Compacted Concrete Paste as Cementitious Composites,” by Mohammad Reza Arefi and Saeed Rezaei-Zarchi found that the addition of zinc oxide nanoparticles at different concentrations improved “the flexural strength of self-compacting concrete.” This addition also reduced the number of harmful pores inside the concrete thus increasing the mechanical strength.
Found in calamine lotion, baby powder, anti-dandruff shampoos and diaper rash ointment, zinc oxide has many medical uses. The basic antibacterial and deodorizing properties also result in it being used as an additive in cotton fabrics, rubber and food packaging. These characteristic isn’t exclusive to zinc oxide, but can also be found in silver. Both have fine particles with a relatively large surface area, but silver’s use is uneconomical.
Added to charcoal, it used in cigarette filters to reduce the amount of harmful chemicals from tobacco smoke. Added to food products (like breakfast cereals), it provides a good source of zinc. As a pigment in paints it has resulted in a color called Chinese white. It also is a primary ingredient in many mineral makeup products.
It is also long been used to add a corrosive resistant finish on metals, especially useful on iron which reacts with organic coatings resulting in a loss of adhesion. Zinc Oxide coatings are used on energy-saving and heat-protecting windows. The coating lets visible light through while reflecting infrared radiation. Applied on the inside of a window helps keep heat inside a room, while on the outside help keeps the heat out.
Many have expressed concern that zinc oxide may be absorbed into the skin, however scientific studies have found no evidence that any ill-effects of direct contact with skin. Try adding zinc oxide into your repertoire of homemade ingredients. From adding SPF to your lotions and lip balms, to helping preventing dandruff in your shampoos, zinc oxide might become your best friend.