Well, summer is here - and that means much more time outdoors gardening, swimming, picnic-ing, exercising, hanging-out with friends and family - just enjoying the beauty that Mother Nature provides.With all that extra sun-time, you really do have to protect your skin. (I know, I know - you've heard all about the virtues of sunscreen - and you know what? They're true!)
Even though sunscreen should be a no-brainer, sometimes, no matter how careful (or forgetful) you are, it's quite easy to overdo your time in the sun - and you end up with a nasty sunburn. When that happens, all you want to do is make it go away - fast.
Luckily, you probably have products in your house that will help - Get the cool salvation of sunburn relief from these handy dandy natural remedies - and let the healing begin! :)
Sunburn Relief: 9 Natural Remedies You Can Find At Home
1. Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is widely used for its many healing properties. It’s also a common way to treat a variety of skin issues like dry skin, rashes, and sunburn treatment - and that's why it's the backbone of nearly every Essentially Haitos skin care product.
Besides providing painful sunburn relief, aloe vera has potent anti-inflammatory properties that can instantly bring about a cooling sensation upon initial application.
To use aloe vera for sunburn relief, use pure aloe vera as much as possible, as many commercially available creams can have irritants that can worsen your condition. Squeezing some aloe vera straight from a juicy leaf is ideal (although messy!).
2. Milk
Milk is actually a surprising weapon in the battle for sunburn relief. It contains a host of vitamins and acids that can help your skin recover from a nasty sunburn.
Vitamins A and D help skin to heal while its lactic acid content encourages cell turnover to get rid of dead skin faster. This also helps your immune system by lessening its load, which in turn reduces the chance for inflammation.
To use milk on your sunburn, it’s best to use cool rather than ice-cold milk as cold milk might irritate your skin. Moisten a soft cloth with the cool milk to make a compress and press it lightly over affected areas.
3. Oatmeal
This rich and filling breakfast staple is already making its rounds in the beauty department as a known moisturizing ingredient. It is high in antioxidants as well as anti-inflammatory properties, which makes it a great source of relief for sunburn.
Oatmeal is also a known emollient, which makes it popular for use in many heavy-duty lotions, moisturizers, and even facial masks.
What Are Emollients? Compounds that can trap moisture in the skin and make it easy for nutrients to get going where they need to be going.
Finely-ground oatmeal is ideal for use on sunburns, and you can find this in stores as “colloidal oatmeal,” but you can easily make it at home using regular, plain oatmeal. Simply grind oats into a powder or finely blend slow-cooked oatmeal.
Apply finely ground, moistened oats over affected areas for sunburn relief, or pour into a warm bath to reap its anti-inflammatory benefits for your whole body.
4. Yogurt
This creamy treat is another among the list of surprising yet convenient home remedies for sunburn, provided that it’s as plain and unsweetened. The enzymes and probiotics present in plain yogurt help in soothing and healing sunburns naturally and painlessly.
Like milk, yogurt contains lactic acid that has anti-inflammatory properties and can soothe and moisturize irritated skin. Greek yogurt comes highly recommended because, unlike regular yogurt, it is strained multiple times to achieve a thick consistency, which also concentrates its lactic acid and probiotic contents.
5. Cucumbers
Cucumbers are already popular in DIY beauty as a weapon against puffy eyes, but they can also be effective at providing sunburn relief. Not only do they contain water that can soothe the irritation of sunburns, but cucumbers also have natural analgesic properties.
What Is An Analgesic? A drug or ingredient that relieves pain. It is present in many medications as well as plants and natural produce.
To use a cucumber on sunburns, chill one before blending it into a paste. Apply over affected areas.
6. White Vinegar
Just when you thought nothing could get worse than a painful sunburn, it starts to get an infection. Infected sunburns can lead to more severe scarring, pus, and scare you into never making contact with sunlight ever again.
White vinegar is a good remedy for sunburn.
Not only can it help with the inflammation and pain, but it can also prevent sunburns from developing an infection. This is because white vinegar contains acetic acid, which soothes pain and has antiseptic properties as well.
What Is Acetic Acid? This is what makes vinegar sour. It is a carboxylic acid that has antifungal and antibacterial properties.
7. Baking Soda
Also called bicarbonate of soda, this baking ingredient is also a sunburn reliever. It soothes inflammation and helps reduce itchiness.
Baking soda also helps regulate the skin’s pH, which may have gone out of whack after acquiring a sunburn. It helps relieve the pain, as well as prevent skin cells from mutating into cancer cells.
To use baking soda on a sunburn, combine it with aloe vera or milk before applying over the affected areas. It can also be poured into a warm bath.
8. Green Tea
Green tea is known for its many internal as well as external health benefits, but it’s also another effective tool for sunburn relief. Its antioxidants help combat any free radical damage to your skin caused by excessive sun exposure, while its high polyphenol content has potent anti-inflammatory properties that soothe redness and irritation.
Use green tea for your sunburn by steeping some and then leaving the mixture to chill in the fridge. Dip a soft cloth into the tea to make a compress then, apply over affected areas for 15 minutes.
9. Black Tea
Like it’s sibling green tea, black tea is another soothing drink that works double-duty to soothe sunburns. Besides the polyphenols present in black tea, there are also tannic acid and theobromine, which both help draw away the heat in a sunburn.
You can use the same method with green tea and make a cold compress with steeped black tea. You can also use chilled, steeped tea bags to soothe sunburned eyelids and other sensitive areas of your face.
What Is Tannic Acid? A bitter-tasting substance present in plant substances like bark and tea.
What Is Theobromine? A bitter alkaloid most famously sourced from the cacao plant. It is also found in tea leaves and kola nuts.
So go out and enjoy your summer! Enjoy the sun and your family and friends! But...take precautions by wearing sunscreen, protective clothing, and staying hydrated. If the sun does get the better of you - treat your skin with care and soothing natural ingredients you probably already have at home!
Enjoy your day (in the sun)!
Alicia and Karen
What are your go-to sunburn relief tips? Share them with us in the comments section below!
This post was adapted from Achieve Sunburn Relief With These 9 Natural Sunburn Remedies, which appeared first on Better Organic Skin Care Blog.
