I am really into making my own skin care lately, when I decided to take a trip to BALI I wanted to keep up my natural skin care routine so I made my own facial sunscreen that won’t clog pores!

Up until recently I have always worn sunscreen on my face even during winter, because we are always told: “if you want to have beautiful skin and prevent skin cancer, protect it from sun damage.”  Little did I know that the sunscreen I was using was actually toxic.

The Dangers of Conventional Sunscreens
According to research from the EWG: Our review…shows that some sunscreen ingredients absorb into the blood, and some have toxic effects. Some release skin-damaging free radicals in sunlight, some act like estrogen and disrupt hormones, and several can cause allergic reactions and skin irritation. The FDA has not established rigorous safety standards for sunscreen ingredients. Sunscreens haven’t been regulated since 1978 in the USA, and the SPF factor only tells you how effective a sunscreen is against UVB rays which cause sunburn.

Unsafe toxic chemicals in sunscreen:

  • Para amino benzoic acid
  • Octyl salicyclate
  • Oxybenzone
  • Cinoxate
  • Dioxybenzone
  • Phenylbenzimidazole
  • Homosalate
  • Menthyl anthranilate
  • Octocrylene
  • Methoxycinnamate
  • Parabens

Read more about the toxic dangers of conventional sunscreen here.

Did you know that many plant based oils contain a sufficient amount of SPF and at the same time heal and nourish your skin? Here are just a few:

  • Red Raspberry Seed Oil – SPF value of between 28 to 60 for UVB wavelengths and 6.75 to 7.5 for UVA wavelengths. This is by far the winning oil for SPF, while most plant oils only protect against UVB rays, red raspberry seed oil protects against both UVA & UVB rays. The essential fatty acids and of antioxidants in this oil are also great for healing eczema and psoriasis.
  • Carrot Seed Oil – SPF of 38 – 40 when diluted with another carrier oil, and also acts as an antiseptic.
  • Wheatgerm Oil – SPF of 20, high in vitamins and minerals and prevents free radicals.
  • Avocado Oil – SPF of 4 – 10, super moisturizing and excellent for treating skin inflammation.
  • Hemp Seed Oil – SPF of 6, great for acne prone skin since it has a perfect balance of 3:1 ratio of Omega 6 (Linoleic) to Omega 3 (alpha-Linolenic) essential fatty acids, determined to be the optimum requirement for a healthy skin.
  • Jojoba Oil – SFP of 4, not actually an oil, jojoba is a liquid wax. An excellent moisturizer, jojoba is rich in iodine, which fights harmful bacteria growth that leads to breakouts.

Let’s take a deeper look into the ingredients I used in this recipe:

Non-nano Zinc Oxide: is a powdered mineral that sits on top of the skin, scattering, reflecting, and absorbing UVA & UVB rays. Non-nano means the particles are large enough they won’t enter  your bloodstream. *Be VERY careful not to breathe this in!

Shea Butter: has an SPF rating of 3 – 6, acts as an anti-inflammatory, very moisturizing, and stimulates collagen production. Comedogenic rating of 0.

Argan Oil: one of my favorite nighttime face oils for acne prone skin, argan oil has a comedogenic rating of 0, high in vitamin E, soothes inflammation, disinfectant and contains Linoleic acid which helps with cell regeneration and heals the skin barrier.

Frankincense Essential Oil: amazing for skin health, frankincense aids in cell regeneration, treats dry skin, reverses signs of aging, reduces the appearance of scars and helps speed healing of acne.

Lavender Essential Oil: another essential oil great for skin health, it helps calm and heal blemishes due to its high antibacterial properties.

This recipe turned out really nice and blends well without leaving a white residue on your skin!

*Do your research and use caution when using oils alone as an SPF; the rating is very inconsistent due to many factors such as quality of the oil, and exposure to light, which is why I decided to add the Zinc Oxide to ensure I had maximum protection.

Now back to my exciting new about my trip! I have never been outside North America or been on a flight longer than 6 hours, although I’ve been to Mexico but I still consider it North America.

Bali is raw food central which is why many raw/vegan foodies flock there. I had a desire to visit Bali long before I discovered my love for raw food but now it just makes it that much more exciting! I will be participating in many workshops, touring organic cacao farms, a Spurilina farm and of course, eating at a large list of restaurants!

What I hope to gain from this trip is lots of inspiration for creating beautiful raw dishes, learn some things about myself, get out of my comfort zone and become more social and just have some time to relax and reflect.

I will be sharing pictures and details of my travels on social media, if you would like to see what I’m up to, follow me on social media:

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DIY Face Sunscreen for Acne Prone Skin

DIY Facial Sunscreen for Acne-Prone Skin

A non-toxic non-comedogenic sunscreen for your face.
Prep Time 10 minutes

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Melt Shea butter and wax double boiler method until full melted.
  • Remove from heat and add argan oil, red raspberry seed oil and vitamin E oil.
  • Slowly add zinc oxide powder while whisking, make sure to remove all clumps. *And be VERY careful NOT to breathe it in! Wear a mask if you have to!
  • Add Essential oil and mix until combined.

Notes

Use a small amount, a little goes a long way.