In my last post I explored ways to soothe bites and stings using simple herbal remedies and household items you probably already have on hand.
Unfortunately for us, bites and stings are only half the battle when it comes to keeping our skin happy – as anyone who’s fallen asleep in a lawn chair knows all too well. But just as we can turn to simple herbal blends to soothe our bee stings and mosquito bites, we can also recover easily and quickly from one too many hours in the sun. Read on for tips and easy recipes to make your sunburn a distant memory.
You fell asleep in the garden chair and woke up red as a lobster. What are you doing now?
A cool or lukewarm bath helps to cool the skin and body immediately. Add a cup of apple cider vinegar to the bathwater, along with ten drops of lavender essential oil, to help reduce discomfort and itching.
If a bathtub is not available, you can instead make a cold compress and place it over the burned area. Add a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and a few drops of lavender essential oil to a bowl of cold water. Soak a towel or cloth in the water and then place it over the affected area, remoistening as necessary.
Alternatively, you can also make a cold milk compress. The proteins and fats in milk are very soothing to burned skin, so if you don’t have apple cider vinegar nearby, simply dip a clean cloth in a bowl of cold milk and apply it to the burn for 10-15 minutes.
After washing and cooling the area, slather your skin with aloe vera gel, which further helps reduce inflammation and promote healing, as well as keep the skin supple and hydrated. I like to make this aloe vera spray (below), which I keep in the refrigerator, because the cool spray feels extra wonderful when sprayed over hot, inflamed skin.
Aloe Vera Spray
Combine the following in a 4 oz spray bottle:
- 60 ml Rosewater or witch hazel
- 30 ml aloe vera gel
- 15 ml Calendula tincture
- 15 drops of lavender or chamomile essential oil
Spray over the affected area every two hours.
Moisturizing with extra virgin coconut oil mixed with a drop of lavender essential oil also helps keep the skin hydrated and soothed.
Sunscreen is drying, so make sure you replenish your body with plenty of water. Coconut water is especially helpful because it also replenishes electrolytes.
Finally, UV light causes a lot of oxidative damage to the body, which should also be addressed internally by making sure you get extra antioxidants in your diet. Blueberries and green tea are both great sources of polyphenols, while carrots and sweet potatoes provide beta-carotene and tomatoes and watermelons provide lycopene.
It goes without saying, but the best way to recover from sunburn is to never get sunburned. Here are a few tips to keep your skin safe the next time you go to the beach:
- Make sure you wear a sunscreen with a high SPF and reapply it regularly (at least every hour, but more often if you’ve been swimming or sweating a lot).
- Wear a sun hat to protect your scalp and the back of your neck – two particularly vulnerable areas to sun damage.
- Try to stay out of direct sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m
- Stay hydrated by sipping iced green tea and eating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables.
Writer Danielle Charles Davies has a BSc in Herbal Sciences from Bastyr University and completed the two-year clinical training program at the Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism in Montpelier, VT. Her articles have appeared in Taproot, The Journal of the American Herbalist Guild, and Kindred Magazine, among others. She lives in Northern Michigan with her husband, two dogs and eight ducks.
For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, or to sell any product.
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