Recipes : Skin Care

Decadent Cacao and Rose Mask | Homemade All-Natural Sunscreen

Decadent Cacao and Rose Mask

This mask can be used on the face and neck to tone and stimulate the skin.

1 Tablespoon rhassoul clay
1 Tablespoon cacao powder
1 teaspoon crushed rose petals
1 Tablespoon glycerin or honey
1 drop roman chamomile (optional, but very nice)
Rose water

Instructions
Mix the clay and herbs together, add the glycerin or honey, essential oil and enough rose water to moisten the powder into a thin paste. Apply to cleansed skin, sit back with a cup of sweet love tea and relax. When the mask is dry remove with a warm wet wash cloth and moisture your skin. We suggest a little rose hip seed oil or our precious face serum.

Make your own Homemade, All-Natural Sunscreen

By Faith Goguen Rodgers, certified clinical herbalist Zinc oxide is a natural mineral that forms a protective physical barrier over the skin and stops harmful UV rays. It is particularly valuable because of its ability to filter UVA as well as UVB light, giving broad spectrum protection. Zinc oxide is also quite water repellent. I find that it provides longer lasting protection than using just straight carrier oils.

The chart below shows the potential SPF (SPF-Sun Protection Factor) properties of various oils, feel free to sub other oils into the recipe depending on what you have on hand. In preliminary studies, these oils are demonstrating some significant SPF power, but it is important to note that they have not been tested or regulated by the FDA. You can also add essential oils if you want to add a scent to your sunscreen. Be sure to avoid citrus oils as they can increase your sensitivity to the sun. My recipe is made with 25% Zinc oxide (by weight). Using the chart below, you can adjust the amount of Zinc in the recipe to suit your needs. Remember that everyone’s skin is different!

When trying a new sunscreen oil, test it by staying in the sun for only short periods of time to see how your skin reacts. All of these lovely ingredients can be found right here at Rebecca’s Herbal Apothecary. Have fun!

Ingredients

1 fl. oz Carrot Seed Oil*
1 fl. oz Raspberry Seed Oil
1 fl oz. Calendula Infused Olive Oil
1 oz net wt. Coconut Oil
4 oz net wt. Shea Butter
1 oz net wt. chopped Beeswax (or beeswax pearls)
3 oz net wt. Zinc Oxide
1 tsp Vitamin E
*Make sure you are purchasing the carrot seed carrier oil rather than the essential oil

Blending Instructions

• Weigh the Shea butter and add it to a large mixing bowl. Break it up a bit with a spoon. I like to blend the Shea butter into the cream rather than melting it with the other oils because Shea butter will get a gritty texture if heated for too long. It is an extra step but very worth it in terms of the consistency of your final product!
• Weigh the Zinc Oxide powder and add it into the bowl with the Shea butter. Measure/weigh the oils
• Chop the beeswax, if necessary. Add the chopped beeswax and oils (Raspberry seed, Carrot seed, Calendula infused olive and Coconut) to a mason jar or heat safe measuring cup. Place in a double boiler and warm gently until the beeswax is completely melted.
• Pour the oil/beeswax mixture into the mixing bowl with the Shea butter and Zinc oxide powder. Blend with a stick blender or hand blender until smooth and creamy. Add essential oils if desired and mix again.
• Pour into clean jars. Allow the mixture to cool completely before placing the lid on the jar. This recipe yields about 16 fluid ounces of sunscreen and has a shelf life of 1 year.