7 Natural Remedies for Sunburn Relief
Sunburns can turn a day of fun in the sun into a painful, uncomfortable,and skin-damaging experience. While there are over-the-counter remedies available, there are many natural solutions which are gentler on your skin, easy to use, inexpensive, effective, and don't contain any harmful or questionable ingredients. In this article, we'll discuss some of our favorite natural remedies that can alleviate sunburn discomfort and promote faster healing.
Natural Remedies:
Aloe Vera: Aloe vera is often the first product that we reach for after experiencing a sunburn! This simple and effective ingredient is renowned for its soothing and healing properties, especially for sunburned skin. It contains compounds that reduce inflammation and promote skin repair. Applying aloe vera can provide instant cooling relief, and it also forms a protective barrier over the skin, allowing it to heal faster while keeping it hydrated. Plus, Aloe Vera is gentle on the skin and can be reapplied as often as needed. When purchasing Aloe Vera, look for organic or naturally grown without a bunch of added chemicals and synthetic ingredients. Pro tips: keep your Aloe Vera in the refrigerator to increase its cooling and soothing effects - this makes a huge difference! You can also add a couple drops of Peppermint essential oil to make it more refreshing, or Lavender essential oil to heal and calm.
Hydrosols: Hydrosols are very soothing, calming, cooling, and provide instant relief. They naturally contain herbal properties that promote skin healing, are very gentle on the skin, and can be used as often as needed throughout the day to keep skin hydrated. Our favorite Hydrosols to use for sunburns are Rose, Chamomile, Calendula, Cornflower, Linden, and Green Tea. Here is a link to these hydrosols (and more) in our shop if you'd like to learn more about them and all of their beneficial skincare properties. Pro tip: keep your Hydrosols in the refrigerator to increase their cooling and soothing effects. This also helps extend their shelf life as an extra bonus!
Cold Compresses: Compresses are a simple, safe, and effective treatment for sunburns. They help calm sunburned areas, reducing heat and inflammation. To make a compress, soak a cloth in cold tea or a hydrosol, wring the cloth out, and then apply directly to sunburned and irritated skin. Some of my favorite teas to use in compresses for sunburns include Green Tea which contains tannins that help heal the skin, Chamomile to soothe and calm, and Mint to cool and refresh, but you there are many other teas that you can use as well. Repeat as needed.
Oatmeal Baths: Adding colloidal oatmeal to a lukewarm bath can provide relief for sunburned skin. Oatmeal will calm, moisturize, and sooth. After the bath, apply Aloe Vera and Hydrosols for best results. Make sure that the bath water is lukewarm - not hot, as hot water will further irritate sunburned skin.
Hydrate: Make sure to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. Externally, it's helpful to keep a bottle filled with water or an aloe vera + water mixture available, and mist onto skin as needed throughout the day. Keep the bottle stored in a refrigerator do that it cools and hydrates skin.
Yogurt: Yogurt is a simple and effective treatment. Simply apply plain yogurt (best with active cultures) onto affected areas, and allow the yogurt to sit for 15-20 minutes before washing it off. Yogurt soothes, calms, cools, moisturizes, and nourishes skin.
Apple Cider Vinegar: This is a well known treatment for sunburns, but it must be diluted. To use apple cider vinegar, dilute 1 part apple cider vinegar with 7-10 parts water. This can be applied as a compress, added to bath water, or poured into a spray bottle and misted onto the skin. You can also add Aloe Vera to the mixture to further boost it's beneficial properties.
By incorporating these natural ingredients into your sunburn care routine, you can enhance your comfort, promote healing, and restore your skin's health naturally. Remember to listen to your body and choose remedies that work best for your skin type and sensitivity. We hope that you find these natural remedies for sunburn helpful. Thank you for taking the time to read Fawn Lily Botanica's blog, we appreciate it!
Please remember to exercise caution in the sun, and seek medical attention if you experience severe sunburn symptoms, severe blistering, fever, dizziness, nausea, altered behavior, or other signs of heat stroke.
