Yes, make your own and avoid smelling like you live on the beach. This stuff has almost no odor at all! I also found that the commercial creams made my skin sting terribly when it got hot and I started to sweat. This stuff is far, far better in that regard.

I have been making my own zinc oxide sunscreen using a commercial cream/lotion base from Nature's Garden (opens a new window), plus micronized zinc oxide from, Somerset Cosmetics Co (opens a new window) Be sure to get the micronized zinc so it will be transparent - otherwise you are making white clown makeup!

You will also need some containers like this Tottle (a squeeze tube) (opens a new window). If you can find a 4 ounce size, this recipe will just about fill it, otherwise get the 2.2 oz size here. With this recipe you'll get 2 tottles full of the 2.2 oz. Good to have one with you and one at home. Order 4 of these so you'll always have some clean and ready to go. They can be washed out and reused. You'll also need distilled water. Look in the grocery store for gallon jugs of it. People use it for ironing.

This recipe makes enough for about a month of daily hands and face/neck use. I suggest that you buy 2 tubs of the cream base and the 8.8 oxz/250 gram package of micronized zinc oxide. That should keep one person going for a year, easily. You save on shipping this way, and it comes out cheaper than buying the commercial stuff at the drug store anyway.

To make approx 100 grams (just under 4 fluid ounces):

1 sandwich size plastic "zip" bag - preferably heavy duty "storage" type
2 2.2 ounce tottles
A pair of scissors

30 grams of cream concentrate (2 LEVEL Tablespoons US or about 15ml)
60 grams distilled water (1/4 US Cup or 4 Tablespoons or 60ml)
9 grams of micronized zinc oxide powder (5 LEVEL US teaspoons or about 25ml)

You can weigh this, or measure using teaspoons and Tablespoons or what have you. It's not rocket science. It'll come out a little thinner or thicker, but it will be fine. It's about a 9% zinc lotion.

First off, you want things to be clean. Use very clean utensils and keep your hands clean too. You don't want "stuff" to grow in your lotion, do you? OK then. You can rinse your tottles with isopropyl alcohol and drain them on a paper towel for extra security.

OK, let's get started! Clean tottles and utensils and hands? Good.
Measure out the zinc and cream base and water and put them into the bag.
Seal the bag.
Carefully smoosh the bag around for a few minutes to mix everything well. Use the edge of the counter to slide the mixture to the bottom of the bag a few times.
Do this one last time and push the mixture down into one bottom corner of the bag.
Now pinch the corner of the bag a little to chase the cream out of the very tip of the corner.
Use the scissors to cut a very small end off the corner of the bag (resulting hole should be about the diameter of a pencil, easily small enough to fit into the open mouth of the tottle).
Take your tottle (with the lid unscrewed) and put the cut tip of the bag into it and carefully squeeze the cream into the tottle like you were using a pastry decorator. It helps to have somebody else hold the tottle!
Put the lid back on and toss the bag in the trash and clean up.
You are done!

This cream looks a little lumpy or grainy when you first squeeze it out, but it smooths out beautifully when applied to the skin. For the face and neck use about the amount you'd put on a toothbrush (you may need more for the back of the neck) and about half that for hands and wrists. I put it on in dabs all over first, then rub it around. Be aware that it will make white marks on clothing, so do this before you get dressed. It will wash out if you get it on your collar, so don't worry. Rub it in until it disappears. (don't forget the ears!)

Sorry that these are all US suppliers. If you know of others around the world, please do let me know.


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