Australia’s blazing hot sun calls for some serious sun smarts. Commercial sunscreens can do the job but you may also like to give this DIY natural mineral sunscreen recipe a try.
Sun safety is an important issue in Australia and concerns about sun exposure have led to the development of a booming sunscreen industry, with many brands and various strengths available on the market today.
The stats are staggering; two in three Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer before age 70 and 81% of all new cases of cancer in Australia are skin cancer! The primary cause of skin cancer is over-exposure to Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight.
To combat this Australians have been told to ‘Slip, Slop, Slap’ for more than 30 years with the Cancer Council driving the message home that everyone should apply an SPF 15+ sunscreen daily.
SPF Rating and how it is regulated
SPF rating is determined by a combination of how much UVA and UVB radiation is blocked and how adhesive or waterproof the sunscreen is to your skin.
An SPF of 15 means that only 1/15th of the UV radiation will reach your skin within a time period compared to not wearing any sunscreen. The higher the SPF rating, the less damaging rays can reach your skin.
In Australia, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) regulates claims of SPF ratings.
Active ingredients and nanoparticles
The active ingredients in sunscreen are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, which are naturally occurring minerals that have been used in sunscreen for thousands of years.
These mineral oxides reflect, absorb and scatter UVA and UVB rays away from the skin, but are visible and give the skin a lighter or white appearance.
Now many commercially produced sunscreens are being made with ultra-fine nanoparticles to increase the appeal of sunscreen by reducing the lightening effects.
While toxicity of zinc and titanium oxides in their naturally occurring forms and size are unlikely to occur, nanoparticles may be of concern to humans and aquatic life.
Once inside your cells, nanoparticles of zinc and titanium can cause photo-oxidative stress and damage. However, some studies have shown that naturally occurring particle sizes of these minerals do not leach into the body when applied to the skin.
If you have concerns about using these minerals or want to know more about nanoparticles, check out this study on titanium dioxide.
Other ingredients commonly found in commercial sunscreens that consumers may wish to avoid include sulphite preservatives and chemical absorbers of UV rays like oxybenzone. However, we urge you to do your own research, and above all, speak with your GP about sun protection to ensure you and your family are protected.
An alternative to using commercial sunscreen is to have a go at a natural mineral sunscreen recipe yourself!
DIY Natural Mineral Sunscreen Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 teaspoons (24g) Coconut Oil
- 6 teaspoons (36g) Vegetable Glycerine
- 2 teaspoons (6g) Titanium Dioxide
- 2 teaspoons (6g) Zinc Oxide
Method
Measure out dry ingredients into a small mixing bowl and add the glycerine one teaspoon at a time while stirring until evenly combined. Titanium and zinc have a tendency to clump, so mix well.
Add the coconut oil to the mixture and combine. This will make a thin sunscreen with lotion consistency.
In hotter regions of Australia, coconut oil will be liquid most of the year and a thicker formula may be needed. For a thicker sunscreen with better durability, replace the coconut oil for shea butter.
All of the ingredients in this natural mineral sunscreen recipe are available at Green Living Australia (online and in store).
– Angie Pearson, BHlthSci, GradDipPubHlth, MPubHlth (Ongoing)
