Protect Your Skin from Sun and Chemicals
It's no secret that the chemicals in most standard beauty products are damaging to our overall health. And sunscreens are no exception! Chemical-laden sunscreens are also contributing to the deterioration of our coral reefs. Learn how to make natural sunscreen with Raspberry Seed Oil and Carrot Seed Oil from home this summer.
There are numerous reasons why the natural beauty community has been going out of the way to find natural alternatives to the manufactured products sold in stores.
Lots of Positive Stories
THE GOOD NEWS is that we're getting lots of stories of DIY recipes working! And our customers love them.We've got some real life stories farther down below.
Their stories share about how they've been using natural sunscreens for day-to-day activities, such as gardening and picnics in the park. And the best recipes incorporate two of our most popular products, Red Raspberry Seed Oil and Carrot Seed Oil.
Open Disclaimer - There are still many unknowns about whether or not homemade sunscreens work as well as commercial brands. Proceed with caution and make sure you're doing small tests first.
We always encourage best practices in the sun such as:
- not staying in direct sun for too long
- try to spend the majority of your time in the shade
- cover up as much as you can for long periods
- reapply sunscreen often
- always consult with a doctor if you have any medical conditions.
The safest option is to do a small skin test for a short period of time in the sun and see how your skin likes it. Always stop using a homemade recipe if your skin doesn't respond positively in any way.
Power of Raspberry & Carrot Seed Oil
Red Raspberry Seed Oil is a cold-pressed oil with a slew of incredible benefits for your skin:
Fatty Acids Aplenty
Red Raspberry Seed Oil has 83% Essential Fatty Acids, which are vital to proper skin function. They improve the rate of repair, moisturization, immunity, anti-inflammatory activity, and so much more.
Chock-full of Vitamin E
Vitamin E is an anti-aging godsend that protects your cells from those nasty free radicals that cause wrinkles, loss of elasticity, and age spots.
Antioxidants on Par With Green Tea & Red Wine
Red Raspberry Seed Oil has Polyphenols which protect your skin from Ultraviolet Radiation (sun protection!) and enhance cell regeneration, which improves tone and elasticity.
Natural SPF Properties
A study in 2000 showed that Raspberry Seed Oil has UVA and UVB protection similar to titanium dioxide, which is around 28-50 for UVB rays and 8 for UVA! Not too far off from what you can find in stores.
To be clear, the number next to SPF is a multiplier on the amount of time it takes to turn red in the sun. So, if you naturally turn red in 20 minutes, SPF 15 will protect you for 15x as long – 5 hours!
SPF Percentages
Another way to look at it is as a percentage. SPF 15 filters out around 93% of UVB rays, SPF 30 keeps out 97%, and 50 keeps away 98%. These may seem small, but if you have any sensitivity to light or a history of skin cancer in your family... it's huge.
One of our customers, Brandy Fitch, says:
“(I) have used the lovely pink raspberry oil for a month now and stopped wearing makeup. I put Lavender oil in it and my skin has even tone and brightness with a warm glow. I live in AZ and haven't noticed any sun burn on my face from driving or yard work and I am not putting sunscreen on. Will be buying more soon!”
Carrot Seed Oil, also a cold-pressed oil, has many similar benefits as Red Raspberry Seed Oil, as well as a few extra: Great Moisturizer Carrot Seed Oil has a ton of skin health benefits, not the least of which is as a natural moisturizer. A little goes a long way!
Alleviates Minor Skin Disorders
Carrot Seed Oil is known to nourish, tighten, and rejuvenate your skin, even as far as aiding recovery of healing abscesses, boils, or other skin disorders.
Terri T, one of our customers, said:
“I use this product in organic sunscreen...adds great skin softness and also protection from the sun...great product!!”
Using them on their own is wonderful, but here's a great recipe we've found to transform them into a healthy, chemical-free sunscreen.
Keep reading to see our favorite sunscreen recipe below!
Real Life Leven Rose Stories
DIY All Natural Sunscreen
The most popular formula our customers have used in the past involve 3 main ingredients:
- Red Raspberry Seed Oil
- Carrot Seed Oil
- Zinc Oxide Powder
Zinc Oxide Powder is a long-standing natural sunblock, lovingly known as “Surfing's original sunscreen.” If you've ever seen a picture of a surfer with a thick white substance all over their face, you've seen Zinc Oxide.
Anyway, here's a slight variation on a popular recipe from Wellness Mama, which you can customize with different essential oils! (Just avoid any citrus additions, as it increases sun sensitivity.) Be sure to read Wellness Mama's article on some other cool facts related to this great recipe.
Protect Yourself From the Sun ... Safely!
With this recipe, you now can make your own healthy, natural sunscreen for all occasions.
As always, we urge you to use extra caution with this. Don't spend a long time in the sun and don't use it on children without consulting a pediatrician first. Our customers have loved these products, but it's important to play it safe.
Hope you enjoy the summer weather and fun times in the sun! Let us know in the comments how you like this sunscreen recipe and what's worked for you.
* Important Disclaimer: Always check with your doctor if you have any skin conditions before trying new homemade blends. Also, sunscreens are considered a pharmaceutical product and as such, are regulated. The ingredients in chemical-based sunscreens will provide some different benefits over simple natural blends so it's always wise to do your own research. Not all harmful effects of the sun may be covered by various homemade recipes, the one shared above included. Sun damage can still make you prone to cancer, so taking an active stance on your skin's health is always important!
ABOUT LEVEN ROSE
Leven Rose is an all natural beauty company based in Colorado Springs, CO making the best in chemical free skincare and haircare products that you can trust. Our best selling items have been rated #1 on Amazon and featured in GQ magazine. Learn more about Leven Rose and their full line of organic beauty products at LevenRose.com. Be sure to follow us on social media for the latest releases.
Sources:
Oils Facts: Wikipedia
Raspberry SPF Scientific Study: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/215523935_Characteristics_of_raspberry_Rubus_idaeus_L_seed_oil
Sunscreen Explained: http://www.skincancer.org/prevention/sun-protection/sunscreen/sunscreens-explained
Zinc Oxide Facts: https://encyclopediaofsurfing.com/entries/zinc-oxide
Sunscreen Recipe: https://wellnessmama.com/2558/homemade-sunscreen/
