We saw a tinted liquid sunscreen recently, so it is time for a tinted sunscreen stick.

There are times the days are really long in summers and sunscreen cream or lotion won’t cut it or you might prefer stick sunscreen as it is easier to apply, is waterproof and lasts longer. Whatever your reasons are, we have a sunscreen stick recipe for you.

The best thing I like about this recipe is that it isn’t greasy and easy to apply. So, let’s take a look at the recipe first. Shall we?

Ingredients

Mango Butter – 60 Grams
Illipe Butter – 20 Grams
Beeswax – 2 Tbsp.
Avocado Oil – 1 Tbsp.
Raspberry Seed Oil – 1 Tbsp.
Vitamin E Oil -1 Tbsp.
Organic Soya Bean Oil – 4 Tbsp.
Zinc Oxide – 2 Tbsp.
Brown Oxide Powder – as needed.

Instructions

In your double boiler, add the wax and butters and let it melt.

When fully melted, stir and remove from heat.

Once it cools down a bit, add the oils and stir to combine.

If it is cooled down, stir in the zinc oxide powder and iron oxide – I prefer mixing the iron oxide with zinc oxide and then adding to get even blending.

Done!

Transfer to sunscreen stick dispensers and let it set – I use the dispensers that are larger the lip balm dispensers, the ones that are for deodorant.

Why These Ingredients?

We have already seen about most ingredients and the new ingredient here in this recipe is Illipe Butter.

So, what’s special about this butter? It has a high melting point so ideal when you don’t want your products to melt – ideal for lip balms, lipsticks, stick foundation or concealer, sunscreen stick, etc.

It is a moisturizer and emollient, making it ideal ingredient here to prevent skin dryness. It forms a protective layer on the skin and improves moisture retention and skin’s elasticity.

It is also regenerative and protects your skin from both UVB and UVA rays.

How to Use the Sunscreen?

Once set, you are all set to use it as a sunscreen. Apply it at least 30 minutes before stepping out.

You don’t have to hide away from early morning or late evening sun – in fact you get the much-needed Vitamin D from sunlight for free.

Use the sunscreen when the sun scorching and you don’t want to burn your skin going out midday.

So, if that’s got you thinking that’s some contradictory information right there, let’s dig a little more. Shall we?

We were told as kids to go out and play in the sun – we could play either before school or after. Right? That’ when it is safe to go out in sun – when the sun is mild, when the ozone is high and when the sun isn’t so scorching. Now that’s cleared up, let’s talk about SPF.

SPF is short for Sun Protection Factor. It is nothing but your body’s natural tolerance for sun. Say if you go out in sun, when does your skin really start reacting? Those who are fair or have very sensitive skin would probably start turning pink really quick, but some it would take a few minutes before it starts tan. That is the duration you need to count – the time it takes for your skin to react.

Now that you have it, you need to multiple it with the SPF rating you see on the sunscreen. Say, your skin is reacting in 10 minutes, and the SPF you chose is 30 SPF, then you would be good for 10 * 30 = 300 minutes, which is 5 hours.

Even so, it also depends on your skin type, the ingredients used the sunscreen and various other factors. So, you could go with the protection SPF offers, say for example SPF 50 means 98% protection, while SPF 30 is supposed to be 96%. However, I have found SPF 30 isn’t offering that kind of protection and SPF 50 works best for me. I don’t beyond 50 as there’s not much difference in percentage of protection yet, the cost is really steep post that 😉

I like keeping my calculations easier and hence go with the coverage based on SPF – more straightforward and less Math, right? Mineral-based sunscreens are different from chemical-based ones, so if you are buying one off the shelf, make sure you understand how the ingredients work like.

So, try out this recipe and let us know how it goes. Don’t have time to prepare your beauty recipes? Try Gaya Cosmetics – Hypoallergenic, Natural and Organic Mineral Makeup that’s affordable. You’re worth it!