Every summer I receive messages asking for a natural sunscreen recipe. Every summer my answer is the same... and it usually surprises people.
If you've been following me for a while, you probably know how much I love creating my own cosmetics. I enjoy everything about it: choosing ingredients, understanding how they work, testing textures, refining formulas until they feel just right. My little WonderLab is where curiosity meets science and where I can transform beautiful raw materials into products I love using.
I love DIY cosmetics deeply, but I also believe they should always be safe. You probably already know how much I insist on this. Making our own cosmetics requires curiosity and creativity, but also responsibility.
I think DIY cosmetics makers should be conscious and humble: conscious of what we know, but also of the limits of our tools, our equipment and our little kitchen laboratories. There are things we can make beautifully at home and there are other things we simply cannot.
In some cases, we need to recognize that limit and accept it with a smile, especially when natural and professionally tested alternatives already exist.
There is one cosmetic you will never find as a DIY recipe here: Sunscreen.
And there is a very good reason for that. This isn't simply about making a cream but about protecting our skin from something that can have lifelong consequences.
Skin cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide and excessive UV exposure also contributes to premature skin aging, pigmentation disorders and DNA damage. When we think about our children, the responsibility is even greater. Childhood sunburns significantly increase the risk of developing skin cancer later in life, which is why I believe this is one area where we shouldn't rely on guesswork.
But people make DIY sunscreens...
Yes, they do and there are countless recipes online. Some use zinc oxide or titanium dioxide and others use commercially available UV filter blends. Some of these filters are approved for natural cosmetics, while others are not… but this is not the real problem.
The problem is that a sunscreen is much more than a list of ingredients.
The final SPF depends on the entire formulation: how the UV filters are dispersed, how evenly they cover the skin, the stability of the emulsion, the interaction between ingredients, the manufacturing process and many other factors that simply cannot be evaluated in a home laboratory.
Even if you carefully follow a recipe, there is no way to know whether your sunscreen is SPF 10, SPF 30 or SPF 50 or if it actually has any SPF property.
This is a risk I'm simply not willing to take.
Why professional sunscreens are tested
To claim that a cosmetic has an SPF, manufacturers cannot simply calculate it, it has to be properly tested.
And no, saying “I never had a sunburn while using it” is not enough.
In Europe, cosmetic regulations are particularly strict and sunscreen testing is extensive and expensive. Companies often invest many thousands of euros to test a single formula. Even if formulated by professional formulators, sometimes the first results aren't good enough, so the formula has to be adjusted and submitted for testing again... and again!
Some of you who own cosmetic businesses have told me how frustrating this process can be. It requires patience, investment and repeated testing.
But honestly, I'm glad it works this way. Why? Because those strict requirements exist for one reason: our safety.
When a sunscreen reaches the market with a tested SPF claim, there is real evidence behind that number. That's something we simply cannot reproduce at home.
What about adding UV filters to a homemade cream?
This is where I think a lot of confusion comes from.
Could you buy cosmetic UV filters online and incorporate them into a cream? Technically, yes.
Would that automatically become a reliable sunscreen? No.
Without laboratory testing, you still don't know how much protection you're getting, whether the filters are evenly distributed, whether the formula remains stable over time or whether the advertised SPF is actually achieved.
If you're making a daily moisturizer and choose to include approved cosmetic UV filters, you may be adding some extra protection during everyday life. But I would never recommend relying on that product for sunbathing, spending hours outdoors or for prolonged sun exposure. The level of protection is simply unknown.
So... I always buy my (natural) sunscreen
People sometimes assume that because I formulate my own cosmetics, I must make absolutely everything myself. I do most of the cosmetics I use, but I always buy my sunscreen.
It's true that most commercial sunscreens contain ingredients that we should avoid, but luckily there are wonderful natural alternatives.
Today it's possible to find certified natural sunscreens formulated with mineral UV filters, free from nanoparticles and certified according to standards such as COSMOS and ECOCERT. Those are the ones I personally look for because they align much better with my philosophy of natural cosmetics while still offering tested and reliable protection.
Where DIY cosmetics truly shine
If reading this has discouraged you because you were hoping to make your own sunscreen… don't worry!
Summer is actually one of my favourite seasons for DIY cosmetics. Instead of trying to replace sunscreen, I prefer creating products that beautifully complement it.
This is where our WonderLab becomes truly magical: soothing aloe vera gels, healing after-sun creams, lightweight moisturizers, glowing oils, all-over solid lotions…
These are the formulas I genuinely love creating, because they allow us to combine creativity, beautiful ingredients and solid cosmetic science without compromising safety.
Some of my favourite summer ingredients include sea buckthorn CO₂ extract, carrot CO₂ extract, Q10, Physalis angulata extract, soothing botanical extracts and many other wonderful actives that help the skin feel comfortable after sun exposure while supporting its natural recovery. Click here to read my article about my favorite summer ingredients discoveries.
The Beauty of Knowing Our Limits
One of the things I like about making cosmetics is learning where DIY can achieve incredible results... and where professional testing or tools become essential.
Knowing that difference doesn't limit creativity, it protects it.
True and safe formulation is about understanding when our own knowledge is enough and when science needs to take the lead.
It is also about remaining humble enough to recognize the boundaries of our home laboratories. We can study, experiment and become excellent formulators, but our kitchen tools cannot reproduce every professional test. Accepting that does not make our work less valuable, it makes it more responsible and safe.
And for me, sunscreen will always be that one cosmetic I choose to leave in the hands of laboratories... so that I can enjoy the sunshine with confidence, then come home and fill my WonderLab with everything that makes summer skincare such a joy!