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We inherently associate sunscreens with summer, when they help us against sunburn. However, using a sunscreen with SPF has other benefits too. Find out more about both sunscreens and ingredients that have the ability to reduce the negative effects of the sun on your skin.
In addition to the visible sunburn, redness or itching of the skin after overexposure to the sun, the sun's rays have other negative effects on the skin. Overexposure to the sun is associated with a higher risk of skin cancer. Of course, sun exposure accelerates skin aging or the formation of pigment spots.
That's why it's also a good idea to keep sunscreen in reserve and use it ideally on your face or hands throughout the year. With the right protection, you can prevent excessive sun damage or slow down the signs of ageing.
Before we go any further with explaining the properties of sunscreens and the ingredients that exhibit certain SPF values, it's your turn to point out the downside of making homemade sunscreens. And this is a fact,that you cannot check the effectiveness of your product against the sun in the home, i.e. what SPF factor your product has. Accurately finding out the SPF value of a product requires laboratory analysis.
Also, if you are not sure that your product provides sufficient protection, combine it, if possible, with a verified product. And this is especially true in the case of skin conditions, sensitive, fair or children's skin, or skin prone to sun allergies, but also during days with intense sun exposure.
At the same time, working with titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, which are most commonly used to make home sunscreens, is very challenging. It is difficult to achieve a mixture in which the aforementioned oxides are evenly dispersed, without a balanced distribution of particles of these oxides you will not get an effective sunscreen.
One way to prepare a homemade sunscreen with a known SPF value is to use pre-made sunscreen bases. Such bases have a declared SPF and instructions from the manufacturer for mixing them with other substances (such as oils or creams). At the same time, you are told what SPF factor you will achieve if you use a given percentage of the base to make the sunscreen.
What to look out for when choosing the right sunscreen or preparing your own sunscreen product? Sometimes it is not easy to navigate the vast amount of information available. Below you will find an explanation of the terms associated with sunscreen products.
For natural cosmetics, you will most often come across mineral sun filters. The substances that provide such protection are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. These raw materials are commonly available for the production of cosmetics, so you won't just find them in commercially available products.
Both substances are fine white powders and so, after applying sunscreens containing mineralfilters, a fine white film is sometimes left on the skin (mainly due to the higher titanium dioxide content).
For this reason, brown, yellow and red sunscreens are sometimes added to products containing these substances. iron oxides, which tint the cream and thus, in one step, serve both as sun protection and as make-up. Therefore, mineral make-up that contains titanium dioxide and zinc oxide naturally exhibits an SPF factor.
Mineral filters most often work on the principle that they form a protective layer on the skin through which the sun's rays do not penetrate, or some of them are reflected. It is a good idea to choose titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, which have particles larger than nano (10-9 m), to minimize the penetration of these substances into the skin. The disadvantage of nano particles is that they are very small and can penetrate deeper into the skin layers, and the effect of such substances on the body has not yet been sufficiently studied in terms of long-term effects.
Chemical sun filters, unlike mineral ones, do not stay on the surface of the skin. On the contrary, they are absorbed by it . The advantage of chemical filters is that they are usually effective in lower concentrations and so the products are less greasy or sticky. At the same time, they do not leave a white film on the skin.
The disadvantage is that with time the chemical filters break down due to the sun and it is necessary to apply the cream frequently. In addition, some of the chemical compounds used as sun filters are combinedwith the development of cancer and have been observed to spread from the skin to other parts of the body.
Chemical sunscreens are usually difficult to come by in the manufacture of home products, which is also why home products concentrate on mineral filters and oils with protective properties.
Sun protection factor or sun protection factor describes how well a product or raw material protects against the sun, specifically UVB rays, which are slightly worse for the skin than UVA rays. It is a good idea to use sunscreen products with higher SPF values, ideally 30 or more.
At the same time, it is desirable that the product is always broad-spectrum, i.e. it should protect against UVB rays, which are associated with skin cancer, but also against UVA rays, which have a slightly less damaging effect on skin cells than UVB rays. Still, UVA rays can accelerate skin aging.
Various cosmetic raw materials also show protective effects against the sun. These are mainly oils and some oxides. As mentioned above, the exact SPF factor of the raw materials in question can only be verified in a laboratory and, at the same time, eacharage of oil is slightly different because it is made from the fruits of different plants that have faced different variations in weather, water and so on.
Moreover, the oils alone do not provide satisfactory protection against the sun. If you want sufficient sun protection, it is advisable to combine them with sunscreens. You will thus get the skin benefits of oils together with sun protection.
Zinc oxide is the most popular ingredient in homemade sunscreens, but you'll also find itin a range of commercially available products from natural sunscreens to decorative cosmetics. Zinc oxide plays an important role there too, so if you're making mineral make-up, it's the zinc oxide in it that provides a degree of sun protection.
Zinc oxide combines well with other oxides, especially titanium dioxide and iron oxides or chromium oxide, which are used together as colour pigments - they help match your makeup or sunscreen to your skin tone to avoid white streaks from otherwise pure titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.
The approximate dosage of zinc oxide is:- 2-5 SPF - 5% zinc oxide- 6-11 SPF - 10 % zinc oxide- 12-19 SPF - 15 % zinc oxide- 20 SPF - 20% zinc oxide
Again, these are only approximate values as it is not possible to verify the exact SPF in a home environment.
Titanium dioxide is another oxide used in mineral filter preparations. Due to the presence of titanium dioxide, creams cover well and mechanically prevent the sun's rays from penetrating or reflecting off the skin. At the same time, the higher proportion of titanium dioxide in the mixture causes the creams to leave a white film on the skin.
Titanium dioxide is an opaque white substance, it is also appreciated when making homemade make-up as it increases its covering power. It is available in a version for incorporation into oil or water mixtures.
Raspberry seed oil, or also known as raspberry oil, is one of the most commonly used oils in sun protection products. Its SPF ranges from 28 - 50 but can vary, as with other oils, due to the quality of the seeds from which it was pressed. Also, raspberry oil that has been stored too long, oxidised or exposed to the sun too often may have minimal or no sun protection effect.
Raspberry oil is a great complement to products containing oxides. You can increase the protective effect of your creams, oil serums or lip balms. You can also use it to dilute thicker commercially available creamswith mineral sunscreens if you feel they are difficult to apply to the skin.
Derived from a non-traditional source, this oil can also provide some sun protection for the skin, with an SPF of around 20. Wheat germ oil is rich in vitamins, especially vitamin E, K and B vitamins, and also contains minerals and unsaturated fatty acids. Together with other substances, it helps to protect the skin from free radicals produced by sunlight.
Virgin coconut oil also has some sun protection, but relatively little. Its SPF ranges from 2 to 8. However, if you like the smell of coconut, this oil is a great addition to body butters or products for dry skin.
If you want neutral, fragrance-free products, there is also a deodorized form of coconut oil, but some of the active ingredients responsible for protecting the skin may have been lost during the conditioning process. Coconut oil contains a higher proportion of saturated fatty acids compared to other vegetable oils and can clog pores, especially on acne-prone skin. Also, if you have oily skin, reach for other vegetable oils such as jojoba oil.
Jojoba oil is a great option to nourish even sensitive or acne-prone skin. Jojoba oil is rich in minerals, vitamins and unsaturated fatty acids, is well absorbed by the skin, and leaves behind less of a greasy feeling than most oils. Its SPF protection factor is 4.
Shea butter also has a sun protection factor, specifically its SPF is between 3 and 6. Because shea butter is a solid fat, you'll especially appreciate it in solid products such as lip balms and various sunscreens or whipped butters. It helps to ease the melting of whipped butters and balms on hot days (when it is recommended to combine with beeswax).
For exotic macadamia oil, the SPF is around 4. Macadamia oil is particularly suitable for mature skin, as it helps to smooth wrinkles and improve skin condition. However, its use is not limited by age. Oily skin will also appreciate it as it spreads well and does not leave behind an oily film.
Avocado oil is not only good for the kitchen, but also for your skin. Its SPF ranges from 4 to 10. Avocado oil is a great complement to many types of cosmetics, it has a darker colour, so be aware that it can change the colour of white creams or balms.
Even the versatile olive oil has a sun protection factor, specifically it comes with SPF 2 to 8. Olive oil is affordable, yet full of antioxidants and protective substances such as vitamins A, C, E, B1 or B6, as well as proteins or minerals. If you are choosing olive oil for its protective factor, reach for extra virgin olive oil.
Hemp oil impresses with its protection factor, which is around SPF 6. Hemp oil is obtained by pressing the seeds of the hemp plant. It contains valuable fatty acids such as gamma linoleic acid and improves the condition of wrinkles. It helps prevent moisture loss from the skin and is also appreciated by acne-prone skin as it is quickly absorbed.
Healthy sunbathing can sometimes be down to a science. We hope this article has cleared up all the concepts that are important to know if you want to make your own sunscreen.
Have you ever made your own sunscreen? How did you do?
You can write us the answers to these questions here in the comments, or email us at marketing@handymade.sk
Feel free to write your opinion, experience or questions that bother you. We will be happy to answer you.
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