Why Are Sunscreens So Expensive?
For a family of four, a 200ml bottle of sunscreen, which will likely need to be reapplied every couple of hours, will probably last for just one day and a bottle will cost anywhere from $10 to $20.
So sunscreen for a seven day vacation will cost somewhere between $70 and $140 !!!
According to Kate Clark, who’s a spokesperson for Ambre Solaire, it’s all down to expensive research, “We spend millions of dollars on research and development every year, upgrading technology and looking for new types of filters, textures and formulations. We want to give the consumer a product that is completely safe but also something that they enjoy using”.
However, Ian White, who’s a consultant dermatologist at St John’s Institute of Dermatology in London, says there is no justification for such expense. “The cost of these products is exorbitant. Sunscreens are not expensive to manufacture but the companies which make them use the fact that we must buy them for the sake of our health to their advantage”.
It’s hard to believe that sunscreen companies like Ambre Solaire are still spending millions of dollars a year on R&D after being in the business for several decades, so it seems likely that Ian White is on the money.
What do you think?
My advice is to go for the cheapest option.
Stick to an SPF15 minimum – SPFs refer to the burning UVB rays.
Also look for the “star” system, which refers to protection against UVA or the “ageing” rays.
Never buy a product with fewer than three or four stars.
Heh heh heh !
We can see what happened to you when you used one with one or two stars Heh heh heh
We can see what happened to you when you used one with one or two stars
Douglas Schar, managing director of The Herbalist, says:
“There are a number of natural products which reduce sun damage, encourage healing and give a degree of protection.
Camelia oil absorbs the UV wavelength and reflects it away from the skin.
Avocado oil also gives protection and t-i-tanium dioxide is a natural ingredient derived from minerals.
So it would seem to me that it wouldn’t be difficult to create your own sunscreen for about 1/3 of the price of the chemical ones”.
You’re right and making your own sunscreen is easy.
You’ll need the following ingredients to make the sunscreen:
8oz carrier oil and any of olive, sunflower, jojoba, soybean are fine and it’s your choice.
1oz emulsifing wax.
A sunblocking agent such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.
And an essential oil of your choice; I use geranium and sweet orange.
The following tools make the job easier:
A mixer which can be any of, a handheld mixer, a submersible blender, or a mini chopper, which MUST NOT TO BE USED FOR FOOD AFTERWARDS.
A silicone spatula.
A pastry bag, or plastic baggie.
A container for your lotion.
A scale for accurate measuring.
Gloves and a mask for handling powdered agents.
When mixing the above products together please be aware that zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are products that should not be inhaled.
And always wear gloves and a mask.
The method.
Mix oils and wax.
Measure one ounce of wax into a microwave safe container.
Melt on high heat (approx 1 minute for me).
Add 8oz. oil, and blend well.
Add a few drops of essential oils for scent.
The mixture may need to back in the microwave for a bit if it starts to harden up again.
If you want your sunscreen right away and/or you don’t want to mess around with making your own lotion, then just buy your favorite lotion from the store, and add your zinc oxide or titanium dioxide to that!
That way you’ll be able to make sunscreen that’s sensitive enough to use on delicate skin, and/or is already your favorite scent or creaminess.
I suggest using a new container rather than the original lotion container, because unless you can remove every single drop of lotion from the original container, the sunscreen will mix with the non-sunscreened lotion in an unreliable way.
It’s up to you, but you run the risk of exposing yourself to UVA/UVB with un-sunscreened lotion.
Because of the ingredients and the process of making it.
When something is expensive, I usually think of the following factors why the price is so – research and development cost, labor, raw materials, marketing cost, and markups. Then sometimes you pay for quality and the brand name.