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Coconut oil sunscreen
Did you know that coconut oil is a sunscreen? Seriously! If you’re headed out for a day of sun and want some UV protection all you need is to grab some coconut oil sunscreen from your kitchen!
Native pacific islanders have been using coconut oil sunscreen for thousands of years. So why should we subject ourselves to using toxic chemicals when we can just use coconut oil!
When I first considered giving coconut oil as a sunscreen a try, I thought I would end up burnt to a crisp with my fair skin. But actually, it worked amazingly well and I have never had a sunburn since I started using it.
Coconut oil is a natural sunscreen, it blocks about 20% of UV rays when applied.
Although this may seem like a lower amount of sun protection, when reapplied often and used in conjunction with limiting too much sun exposure, it should be all you need.
Getting some sun is beneficial for your health, you don’t want to block 100% of rays as it is a great way to increase your level of vitamin D!
Most Sunscreens Cause More Harm Than Good
Nearly every sunscreen on store shelves contain toxic and cancer causing ingredients. Dermatologists and the media are always pushing us to use high amounts of sunscreen to prevent skin cancer, when actually they’re telling us to slather on cancer causing chemicals! The most harmful chemicals in sunscreen include Oxtinoxate, Oxybenzone and Homosalate. Anything you put on your skin can be absorbed by your body, particularly these chemicals as they have a high absorption rate. It is best not use anything on your skin that you wouldn’t eat.
If you use sunscreens labeled as “all natural” , be sure to read the list of ingredients as many of those often still contain harmful chemicals. Which is why using ingredients found in your kitchen, such as coconut oil, are the best option.
How to Use Coconut Oil Sunscreen
All you need is a jar of coconut oil, the same one you use to cook with!
1. You can apply it when it is in its hardened form by just scooping out a couple of tablespoons and applying it to your skin. This is my favorite way to apply it as it rubs on as a cream.
2. Or you can use the coconut oil in its liquid form (when melted) and put it into a squirt bottle to apply to your skin.
How Often Should I Apply the Coconut Oil Sunscreen?
In general you may want to reapply every couple of hours to provide the most UV protection, but this can vary from person to person. For me, since my skin is very fair, I reapply about every hour or two. The coconut oil has been great as it allows me to obtain sun exposure without being concerned about getting burned.
*Coconut oil does only block 20% of UV rays: so, if you’re going to be out in the sun for a long period of time, you can add in some non-nano zinc oxide for increased protection.
Have you tried coconut oil sunscreen? How has it worked for you?
Sources: http://www.naturalnews.com/033261_natural_sunscreen_UV_exposure.html
Lori, I’m in VGN too. I’d love to include this post in a round-up post I’m working on featuring DIY, all-natural sunscreens. Ok to include a photo with full credit to you and a link to this page?
Hi Tracey! Sure you can, that would be great, thanks for including me. I’ll be sure to share the post on my facebook page.
I live in Florida and have used it while out at the theme parks and it worked great. This past weekend I used it at the beach and it was a disaster. I stayed under an umbrella most of the time but did spend a few 15 min spurts in the water and ended up with a horrible burn on my back (which never gets sun). I think for everyday minimal sun exposure it’s good but for a day (or even a few hours) at the beach I’ll stick with something stronger.
Sorry to hear that. I agree, I only use it when I know I won’t be out too long and sometimes add in a little zinc oxide for more protection.
I recently began using coconut oil to cook with. While researching recipes and such I came across an article about coconut oil and acne so I began using it on my face as a moisturizer and sure enough it cleared up my skin beautifully when 25 years of trying different acne products never worked! So I ended up in the hot sun one day for hours unexpectedly with my fair skin, without sunscreen, and of course was seriously burned everywhere except my face where I had applied coconut oil. Yes my face is a little red but I couldn’t believe my face was not as fried as the rest of me! So here I am looking into coconut oil and found this. I have no doubt the coconut oil saved my face from serious burn and after reading these articles, I am now off to rub coconut oil on my sunburn as well because it is also said it is the best relief for sunburn. So maybe it will not stop you from getting burned completely but it certainly proved to be a natural preventative for me!
Thanks for sharing!
People, use your brains. Don’t buy into this natural crap. If you don’t want to get burnt then cover up or use real sunscreen. You are at a greater risk of developing problems from a sunburn than from some sunscreen additives
the type of coconut oil is VERY important. it can’t be hydrolyzed or processed. It needs to be pure and unprocessed.
reference: http://naturalsociety.com/ditch-toxic-sunscreen-use-coconut-oil-instead/#ixzz2XemgSxCe
You can actually use other oils with higher SPFs. Carrot seed oil has a natural spf ranging from 38-40, Raspberry seed oil has an spf of 28-50 and is rumored to also provide UVA protection. Olive oil has a spf around 7. Depending on your skin type, this might be enough. Here’s a handy reference showing what percentage of UVB rays are blocked at each spf: http://pediatrics.about.com/od/pediatricsglossary/g/710_spf.htm
An SPF of just 8 blocks 87% of the rays.
Oh, forgot to mention another more inexpensive oil with a higher spf. Wheatgerm oil has an spf of 20.
I have been using coconut oil all over my body and face everyday, we are only now getting the warm weather and I’m very brown already no redness when I first went out
I was in the garden and the only part of my body that was sore when i got in the bath was my middle back as I couldn’t reach to put it on !!!!
So that proves to me that it works
I will never stop using this ….getting older now so hope it works to keep my wrinkles at bay
Thanks for sharing! Glad to hear it works for you!
I am a red head and I use CO I have not burned & have a beautiful tan. I do believe the type of CO is important & if you won’t something stronger mix in some zinc oxide. I love my coconut oil!!!
I was very excited to use coconut oil as a sunscreen a few weekends ago. Unfortunately it did not work for me and I was left with the worst sunburn I’d ever experienced. Since there are such mixed reviews about the effectiveness of coconut oil as a sunscreen, I would definitely recommend trying it for yourself to see if you still burn or not. It would be a dream come true if it had worked!
I ingest coconut oil in some form daily & I adhere to a semi-Paelo diet, so I was surprised when I was so seriously burnt.My skin is not super fair either, as I build a great tan each summer.
Being allergic to ‘something’ in sunscreens, I’ve been very excited to discover that coconut oil works for me. Being fair and freckled, I’m in the habit of dressing myself and my kids in SPF clothing for a day in the sun, and then using coconut oil on the few spots not covered. So, basically I can say that I have had excellent results on a limited basis. I didn’t go in expecting the perfect sunscreen, just something better than the nothing I was using!
Also, I read a comment elsewhere that diet somehow determines if coconut oil will work for you as a sunscreen, thus the mixed results among those trying it. Of course, I would not know, but I made a mental note of the the fact that the foods recommended are common in our family’s diet. I wonder…
Thanks for sharing! Glad to hear it works for you!
This content is DANGEROUS. Coconut oil is not an adequate sunscreen.
Any color in the skin is pigmentation which is evidence of sun damage.
As a melanoma survivor, board-certified practicing physician, and advocate for science I URGE you to take this post down.
If you want natural ingredients, choose sunscreens with titanium dioxide and zinc oxide (all physical barriers). You need SPF of 30 (that blocks over 95% of UV radiation from the sun—blocking 20% isn’t enough).
Here’s info on protecting you and your children from the sun:
LOVE THE SUN, PROTECT YOUR SKIN
http://seattlemamadoc.seattlechildrens.org/love-the-sun-protect-your-skin/
I agree with Wendy. A sun screen needs to block way more than 20% of rays to be effective. The link between UV damage and skin cancer is proven beyond doubt. And “limiting overexposure” is only effective if you stay indoors. Consider this: even if you wear a wide brimmed hat in the sun, most of the rays that hit the ground are reflected back up onto your face and neck. And you can even get sun damage in the shade, through reflections.
I think the argument that we “need more vitamin D” is pretty weak. Vitamin D is easily obtained by supplemental means – there is no need to risk skin cancer to get your daily requirement.
I completely agree. Of course Dr’s would recommend to take it down. They are trained the same way to believe in chemical medicine. What medical science has been telling us to do is obviously not working. Cancer is getting more common everyday based on our diets etc. It should be our individual choice to use toxins or not. I am glad I made the decision to eat healthier foods and use safer natural products on my skin. No Dr will ever brainwash me to believe these myths. It’s all for money. No money is made if society is healthy.
i agree with Lori… sunblocks that sells in the store has chemicals in it.. while u put that stuff on.. u are baking it into skin cells.. that become cancer.. Our family already wake up and will be making our own..
Thank God for some common sense. Coconut oil for sun protection?
My father in law had survived melanoma. He fried in the sun putting only olive oil as a sun screen.
Use sunblock cream, use natural ingredients. And, yes, study a little about chemistry. Everything is not cancerogenic.
You know what’s dangerous? 90% of the pharmaceutical crap that is deemed safe by the FDA and funneled down our throats by drs.
People need to figure out what works for them and not be swayed by fear tactics. Sure sun burns can lead to mealnoma. But what about the overabundance of toxins in our environment that lead to myriad other cancers and diseases that are now rampant in our culture.
Vitamin D deficiency is also common and can lead to cancer. And no, pill supplements are not the same as getting a healthy dose of sun.
We’ve been taught that the sun is the enemy and its simply not true. Moderation, common sense, and maybe a little slather of coconut oil.
Coconut oil can be an amazing son protectant even though it only provides around SPF 4. Three things, however, that you need to be sure to look for in pure coconut oil are:
1. Expeller pressed. If it does not say that the oil was expeller pressed, that means it has been extracted by heat… In short, that takes out a lot of the nutrients, and is also the perfect recipe to fry in the sun!
2. Whole kernel unrefined. Anything other than that means there are additives.
3. And finally, organic! Once again, a very safe bet that there are no additives or chemicals.
If the coconut oil you are purchasing does not have those three things stated right on the label, it is probably safe for cooking with, but I definitely would not recommend it for any type of sunscreen. Be very careful with any coconut oil to purchase from Walmart or any other large grocer chains. Your best bet is to purchase your oil from a health food store.
If only 20% of the rays are blocked, coconut oil is not an SPF 4. SPF 4 means 75% of UVB rays are blocked. Even SPF 2 blocks 50% of the rays. http://pediatrics.about.com/od/pediatricsglossary/g/710_spf.htm
I have found the best resource for purchasing coconut oil/products is Tropical Traditions. Amazing company; for anyone that wants to learn about the health benefits from this fabulous fruit, this is your #1 resource. They have videos, recipes, a whole coconut products with different qualities from gold label to more affordable and customer service is great!
Oddly enough, they do not list sunscreen in their product line which I will inquire with them.
I agree, Tropical Traditions is great. Only place I would buy coconut products from.
Just take it slow with tanning at the beginning of the summer season. Go outside for about 30 minutes or so with plenty of Virgin Coconut Oil on your skin, and you should be fine. Then, every day, slowly increase the time you spend outside until you have a nice tan.
Has anyone used Blue Lizard? My dermatologist just recommended it for my Rosacea. I react very badly to the sun on my face but the rest of my body tans pretty well if I ease myself into it. My kids love the pool in summer so I am thinking a high spf on my face with a Sun hat and coconut oil every where else. The sun really dries me out, so maybe the coconut oil versus the Hawaiian Tropic I used last year and am still trying to recover from, my skin might not get so angry at me this summer! I cannot use any chemicals on my face as far as sunscreen goes. I feel like my skin is on fire and I could seriously scratch holes in it. Any suggestions from any experienced Rosacea or sensitive skin sufferers are welcome! This is a new diagnosis for me and only my facial skin is sensitive right now. I also would love to hear any diet suggestions, I know their are a lot of foods I react to, I would love to hear anyone else’s stories.
Juice fasting is very beneficial for controlling Rosacea .
Phyt facial moisturizer has a 30 SPF, mineral sunscreen and organic emollients. Really hydrating and glides on w no residue. Just amazing glowing skin. Trilogy rosevital daycream SPF 15 is also day team but I haven’t found anything near to phyt.
If you skin has been seasoned by the sun already, coconut oil can offer a little protection, but not much. It does prevent your skin from drying out though. I would suggest a little sun exposure every day for health reasons, but don’t over do it, and cover up when you’ve had enough, rather than use sunscreen.
I used coconut oil in Thailand and burned my back riding around on a motorcycle for a couple of hours, other than that I managed fine without sunscreen for 6 months over there. Now in Mexico I find that my skin can only tolerate about 10 minutes before I feel the burn – for the first time ever I am using an umbrella when I go shopping in the sun!
Two really good natural and safe sunscreens are Badger and Caribbean Blue, both available in the USA and UK, and Wotnot in Australia.
Red Raspberry Seed Oil has a spf of 28-50. Coconut oil is said to have a spf between 2-8. unrefined avacado oil has a spf of 4-15 and carrot seed oil has a spf 38-40.
We use carrot seed essential oil in coconut oil. O:-)
How many drops of the carrot seed oil in how much of coconut oil?
I tried it last year and got a horrible burn. I have olive skin which tans well but burns if I don’t use sunscreen. Now I use coconut oil as a hair conditioner when in the sun but non-chemical sunscreens on myself and the kids and we all get “healthy” tans and no burns.
Glad that you were able to find a safe alternative
I am very fair skinned and usually burn easily. I rub on the coconut oil in the morning, and if I’m not outside too much, I don’t need to apply anything else for the rest of the day. If I am outside a lot, I rub on the coconut oil more often and stay in the shade when I feel I’ve been in the sun too long. This has worked for me for the past few years. The only time I use regular sunscreen is if I know I’ll be somewhere that doesn’t have a lot of shade for extended periods of time.
That’s great! That’s exactly what I do 🙂
I am very fair skinned and brought coconut oil along to try for sun protection on a recent trip to Cancun. I do not pre-tan. I did take lots of anti-oxidants internally along with using the coconut oil. I was very pleased.
Thanks for sharing! Glad to hear it worked well for you 🙂
In the first paragraph you refer to the oil as blocking UV rays. I think you need to differentiate between UVA, (harmful) and UVB, (beneficial)
Here is another alternative…. try natural sunscreens from natural food stores or companies such as New Beginnings or Kirkman Labs. These have an spf of 30 and cost about $19.50 per tube. Expensive…. but without those oxy-type things mentioned in the article above.
I have fair skin that DOES contain melanin so i get a decent tan after some time. I NEVER use sunscreen. (By contrast my mom is close to albino and CANNOT tan EVER- not possible. Nearly no melanin) I simply limit my exposure until i get some base color. If i burn, i slather on 100% aloe for as long as it takes to stop absorbing/drying on skin. Once the skin is moisturized enough, it will stay wet. Only then do i stop applying- sometimes an hour or two! But when i am done, the red is now bronze and you will get very dark very fast doing this only a few days in a row!
I don’t believe in sunblock because not only is it usually full of carcinogens, but you’re blocking vit D which is a huge cancer preventer!
Thanks for sharing! That’s interesting that you use aloe! Great point, the sun is an excellent source of vitamin D to boost the immune system and prevent cancer.
Is there another oil that works similarly? I’m allergic to coconut. :/
There are a few others; sesame oil and hempseed oil, here’s a great article on them : http://www.naturalnews.com/033261_natural_sunscreen_UV_exposure.html
I know olive oil has a slightly higher SPF thank coconut, just doesn’t smell as nice.
I’ve used coconut oil for dry skin before. But this is first I heard of using as sunscreen and I it is a great idea. I’m going to try it. I know it is not as high an SPF as traditional sunscreen. But traditional sunscreens are toxic, so I don’t use them. Coconut oil is a great alternative.
It is a great alternative! I make sure to reapply often and also go in the shade if I’ve been out in the sun for too long.
I have very fair skin and coconut oil does do the trick for me! I love it!
Glad it works well for you! I have very fair skin also and it is the only sunscreen I use!
Coconut oil works great for sun protection. If you are swimming, sweating or going to be out for a long time, just reapply. We eat coconut oil everyday and that also contributes to sun damage protection. It is also a good idea to cover up and wear a hat if you spend long amounts of time exposed to the sun.
Great points!
hey, have u went swimming with it? i burn not super easy but i dont like to go swimming for several hours and this years i used a 30spf ocean potion and didnt get burned if i did every 2 hours and didnt even do it even that soon and was still ok. would u think id be ok? i swim under water alot too? also so those saying to use zinc wouldnt that absorb in the skin? and if not where is the best place to get some? im really skin of have to use sunscreen but my dad will make me wear some unless i try this(without him knowing(im 24 so its a bit annoying but needed i have to make my own choices and he doesnt know anything better then the chemical sunscreens so i did something with results lol
thanks yall
Coconut oil, though good for your skin and body, will not provide enough protection to be used alone as a sunscreen. I know from experience. If you are going to be outside for more than 30 minutes- use a natural, non-toxic sunscreen that actually provides spf protection. Not to mention coconut oil is not waterproof- so if you are swimming, you will definitely need a spf sunscreen.
Great point about it not being waterproof!
I am really interested in using coconut oil for sun protection. The comments above are so different then what I keep reading about how great it is for protection. Maybe it is better to just use it when the sun is not at its peak.
It is lower in SPF, but when I reapply regularly and also stay in the shade if I’ve been out for a really long time, it has worked great.
Just because the sun’s out out strongly doesn’t mean you are not going to get the same rays as if it were!! I went to an air show on an overcast day. I fried!!!! My face hurt so badly and my nose peeled and watered horribly!! My ears were cooked.. It was a lovely day in Yuma.. clouds kept the beating sun off of me, but oh my..
Oil keeps heat in.. I’d think twice about cooking in CO!
This reminds me of a man I met. He said he uses coconut oil on his body when he’s out in the sun & when he has had enough sun, he just covers up with long sleeves and a hat. That is his recipe for not getting burnt and not using chemicals on his skin.
That’s great!
This is not a good idea. There may be ways to naturally boost your ability to handle sun, but simply slathering coconut oil on is a recipe for awful burn. I have read that it has an SPF of 4. I recommended it to my mom who gets tan and is not fair spends much time in the summer at the lake in the sun, and she was so burned! Her chest and shoulders so red 🙁 better to use SPF 30 of a natural brand (we use badger, California baby and 3rd rock unblock) or make your own, many recipes posted for homemade sunblock.
I tried this last year and my kids and I got terrible burns. I guess this doesn’t work for our skin types. My kids have stronger skin that I but they burned right through under one and half hrs. I love CO for everything else though.
Sorry to hear you had a bad experience with it 🙁 I have heard mixed results, mostly it working great and than a few that it doesn’t work for. It’s interesting because I am extremely fair skinned and it has been working well.
It also has to do with diet. Avoid grain oils which oxidize readily, and consume butter (particularly grass fed), coconut oil, palm oil and olive oil. Note that harmful grain oils- vegetable oils like soy and corn and peanut- are in most foods you buy.
I’m 55, – red haired of swedish/norwegian descent, can’t get much fairer than that! lol My mom used nothing but cocoa butter on me all my life. I quit using it when I “grew up” because I thought my mom was a bit of a health nut (turns out she was ahead of her time)- I Never got a burn… I’ve started using it again,, but you Must be used to being in the sun! you can’t just take cocoanut oil to the beach and expect it to protect you 100%! try sitting in the shade if you burn easily!
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Raspberry-seed oil and carrot-seed oil have MUCH HIGHER SPFs!
I wouldn’t use coconut oil for sun protection. I’ve read that oils soothe and heal sunburns, though, so I would use it for that. Then again, raspberry-seed or carrot-seed oils would probably do a better job.
“According to Anthony J. O’Lenick, author of ‘Oils of Nature,’ raspberry seed oil has a natural SPF of 28-50 and carrot seed oil has a natural SPF of 38-40. Other oils, like coconut oil, wheat germ oil, jojoba oil, sesame, etc. will all have lower SPF levels, ranging from 4-10.”
You should never EVER put any type of oil, on a burn of any kind. It keeps the heat in and the skin cooks for longer causing more damage.
I burned this past weekend and aloe did not offer much relief. However The coconut oil did. It stopped the itchy burning feeling and it started to heal by the next day.
I am very fair and sat out without any protection on a patio at a restaurant for about 30 min. Dumb dumb dumb. I know better. My Irish, Swedish, self knows better.
I did have success the next day on my legs with the coconut oil as a sunscreen but I did reapply often. At least every hour. But no burn.
Thank you Andy, I corrected the typo.
It also works great for me, I am tan and Moisturized . I love it
I have to interject here. Where did you buy your coconut oil? And is it organic? Cold processed? That matters a LOT. I know that if you buy the kind they sell at Wal Mart and other large stores like that, it isn’t the right kind for skin. Plus, it is loaded with chemicals. Ideally, it needs to be organic, unrefined and cold-pressed or raw. Please try that!
you are absolutely right..people are so quick to knock down what really works before knowing the facts,,if you use the cheap stuff you get what ou pay for…organic and all natural coconut works the charm..it is fantastic is all sorts of things ..I use it to fry my eggs in and sunscreen …read up on it..
I have read just about every online post on this topic…I am actually laying in the sun covered in this magic right now lol. I put it on before I knew anything about its benefits in the sun so until I finish this session I won’t really know how it worked. I will say that there are definitely different qualities when it comes to coconut oil. I paid $15+ dollars for mine at GNC and walked through walmart the other day and saw some for $6! Either way, I can say that this stuff is great for just about anything from putting it on your face, hair and well…lets just say ANYWHERE 🙂 before you comment negatively do your research. This stuff has been used since before most of us were born and the fact that you can cook with it, use it on your body, hair etc makes it a great a purpose item to keep on hand. Blessings!!!
Could coconut oil be useful for tanning or only for protecting skin ? Thank u
The trick is to build up your time in the sun. 1st day 30 min, next day 1 hour, next day 2 hours, etc.
Here’s some info I read about it:
If you live in a climate that is cool during the winter, you probably do not get much exposure to sunlight for a good part of the year. If you’ve been indoors for six months and immediately go out in your swimsuit on a sunny day, your skin will be very sensitive to the sun even if you put coconut oil on. You need to “season” your skin before spending too much time in the sun at the beginning of summer. The way you season your skin is to rub a thin layer of coconut oil over all your uncovered skin, go in to the sun for 15-30 minutes, just long enough for your skin to become faintly pink, but no longer. Repeat this process in the next day or two, staying out five or 10 minutes longer. Repeat again staying out a little longer each time. After about two weeks or so, your skin will be seasoned enough to stay outdoors for hours with a single coating of coconut oil.
I have used it for a week and have really liked it. I forgot to reapply in the middle of the day when I was outside the entire day, so I got a little pink in a couple of places, but then I just applied more coconut oil on the pink skin after I came inside to help my skin heal.
I have been using coconut oils for over 10years now. I am an athlete and used to spend 7 hours a day in the florida sun playing tennis. I have no sun damage and my skin is a beautiful tone super clear and soft. Coconut oil has done miracles and I have recommended it to numerous people and have yet to hear a negative feed back. Not only is coconut oil good for you , you can use it for lot of other beneficial uses.
It could be you are not using 100% Orangic, cold press coconut oil, some cheap brands have other ingredients and are not the same. I use coconut oil for sunscreen all the time and it works great, I am a burnet with medium skin tone. My daughter puts it on my granddaughter who is 8 months, red headed and fair skin. She hikes with Clara in a backpack carrier and covers her arms and legs with coconut oil, also using it when they are swiming. Never once has Clara burned.
Lynn
This. Purity is important, and most oils of any kind on the market are not pure. I use pure olive oil for sun protection, usually (sometimes coconut). Not once have I burned since making the switch from standard sunscreens. I add more, periodically, as the day goes by.
I don’t even have a swarthy complexion, either. I have clean dietary habits, which includes plenty of olive and coconut oil. Fruits like pomegranate help a lot.