Image via FreeDigitalPhotos.net, Praisaeng
Summer…what fun it brings! Carefree days by the pool or lake… time together as a family. Wonderful memories are made!
To enjoy your time with family, make sure you are prepared.
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- Drink plenty of water~keep a cooler of water in your car
- Eat healthy snacks and avoid much sugar
- Bring something for shade
- Wear a hat and sunglasses
- Provide sun protection
- Have a plan of your activities or be spontaneous!
- Take your camera to capture memories~have extra batteries on hand
- Keep a blanket/Frisbee/ball in your car if you want to pull off and have fun
- Keep a journal/scrapbook of your memories so you will always remember this time
Some fun activities that you might enjoy:
- Catch fireflies at night.
- Run in the sprinkler.
- Camp out in your backyard.
- Make or buy a fire pit and make s’mores or just enjoy the fire.
- Lay out and watch the stars and study the constellations.
- Cut out TV and movie time. Get outdoors and enjoy nature and each other!
- Kids Bowl Free ~ a fun way to enjoy the summer! Just pay for shoe rentals.
- Kids Skate Free
- Regal Cinemas Free Movies
- Marquee Cinemas Free Movies
- Free Entrance Days at National Parks
- Check out Michael’s Kid’s Club while you browse!
- Have fun building projects at Lowe’s Free Build and Grow Workshops.
- Don’t forget to check the library or book stores for summer reading programs.
To really enjoy your summer, you need to be prepared and protected so you are not burning. But better yet, you want to do this in a healthy way.
Our body needs the sun and Vitamin D. Most people are deficient. This leads to a variety of problems. Want to check your product for safety? Click here.
We have used a natural sun protection since our children were born. Aubrey Organics has been one that we have used. We have had good success and it isn’t too expensive.
This year, I am using essential oils for sun protection. We normally go without anything, unless we are going to be out during the worst parts of the day or for many hours.
Essential Oils for sun protection:
Carrot Seed, Lavender, Helichrysum, Myrrh, Roman Chamomile, Frankincense, Sandalwood ~these are also great to nourish and heal the skin.
Please note: NEVER use citrus oils in a sunscreen or apply citrus oils when going out in the sun.
Carrier Oils to use for sun protection:
Coconut, Jojoba, Avocado, Grape seed oil, Olive or you can use a natural lotion to mix the oils into.
Other Recipes:
Enjoy making these with your kids. Be careful about getting oils on hands and touching eyes.
Let them help you make pretty labels for your cream.
These are safe enough to eat and are great for children and babies who put their hands in their mouths.
Remember, if an essential oil gets in your eye, DO NOT flush with water. This will only push it in deeper. Flush with another plain carrier oil or just keep eye closed and let the eye do the amazing job designed by the Creator to flush junk out. I just close my eye for awhile when I accidentally touch my eye after having peppermint oil on my finger. Works fine and flushes the oil out.
Carrot Seed: Mix 20 drops of Carrot Seed Essential Oil with coconut oil. Mix and apply.
Lavender: Mix 4 ounces of V6 oil or carrier oil with 10-30 drops of Lavender Essential oil.
Helichrysum: Mix 3-6 drops of Helichrysum Essential Oil with 100 drops of above carrier oil. Apply on skin every few hours.
Fun in the Sun Mix: 1 ounce sesame oil, coconut oil or olive oil, 10 drops Helichrysum, 5 drops Lavender and 3 drops Chamomile. Mix and apply.
Fun in the Sun Plus: Put half a 15 ml bottle of Myrrh in a 4 ounce bottle of V6 or carrier oil to use as sunscreen. You can add Sandalwood Essential Oil to it if you want to improve the youthfulness of your skin.
Natural Mix: 2 ounces sesame oil, 2 ounces Aloe Vera Gel, 1 teaspoon vitamin E oil and 24 drops Lavender Oil. Combine ingredients. Shake well before using.
Myrrh: Mix 20 drops of Myrrh into a carrier oil.
Avocado Oil: Mix 4 ounces of Avocado Oil with 30 drops of Lavender Essential oil. Apply liberally every 3-4 hours or as needed.
Lotion: In about a 1/2 cup of lotion (natural is best) add 4-5 drops of carrot seed essential oil, 4-5 drops of myrrh and about 20 drops of lavender.
Mix and match and see what blend works for you.
If you do get too red or burned: use coconut oil, Lavender and Frankincense quite often to heal the burn and nourish the skin. I experienced this when forgetting to apply anything and this turned it into a pretty tan with no peeling!
Apple Cider Vinegar is also helpful.
If you missed the previous days, find them here:
Day 1 ~ Introduction to Using Essential Oils
Disclaimer: *Statements on this website have not been evaluated but the FDA. These products are not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent any disease. It is for educational purposes only.
Thanks for linking up! I’ve recently been wondering about sunscreen. Fortunately, me and my kids don’t burn too badly (unless outside ALL day), but my husband burns. I mostly let the kids be out without sunscreen, but one of my sons is constantly peeling on his nose. I may try one of your natural sunscreens! They sound a lot better than all of those chemicals! It’s so hard to know what’s true when you hear so much from the media about skin cancer!
This is a Very Interesting post to me! First of all, I have fair skin, and so do half of my children. (The other half have a darker complexion that tans easily which they got from my husband!) Secondly, we live on the Georgia coast and spend a lot of time out in the sun at the pool and beach.
I am well aware of the benefits of vitamin D, and try to leave our skin open to the sun when possible. I’m also aware that sunscreens may be a larger cause of skin cancer than the sun itself . . .
However, I am not able to go to the beach all afternoon without sun protection, or I will burn and even blister! So, I’m curious how well these natural sunscreens work and which one you think is most effective??
Thanks for this information!
For the coconut oil, are you using solid or fractionated coconut oil?
Thanks!
Excellent post. I’m experiencing a few of these issues as well..
What are the approximate SPFs of each recipe?
Hi, two questions.
1) Fractionated coconut oil?
2? Helichrysum?? That is VERY expensive and I thought it was for bone health?
Helichyrsum is good for so many things. Yes, it is expensive. Coconut oil ~ we like Barlean’s Organic Virgin Coconut oil.
Very interesting! This is the second time I have read to use coconut oil as a sunscreen. I am going to have to try this. I might also try some of the recipes with the essential oils. Thanks for the recipes!!
What I’ve read recently says coconut oil alone will make you burn…you need other SPF ingredients along with it. I am researching various sunscreen recipes….that’s how I found this article. Love my YLEO’s 🙂
You have to let it absorb into the skin before going into the sun….