Skin becomes damaged for a wide variety of reasons, including stress, pollution, household cleaners, genetic conditions, and the skin products you use. However, the #1 cause of skin damage is that big, bright glowing ball in the sky.
But it’s not just avid sun worshipers and beach bums that are at risk from the sun’s damaging UV rays. Just small doses of direct sunlight during peak hours can take a serious toll on the health of your body’s largest organ.
There is no “one size fits all” solution to skin remedies because each person’s skin is unique. However, there are some great natural sunburn remedies that are worth a try after you’ve gotten a bit too much sun.
So instead of slathering on chemically-based products that may irritate your skin more than it already is, give some of these natural and DIY home remedies a try!
Tomato, Lemon & Olive Oil Treatment
Your skin might look as red as a tomato, but that doesn’t mean that an actual tomato can’t help soothe the burn too. Toss half of a tomato, half of a lemon with the skin still on, and a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil into a blender.
Massage the mixture onto your sunburned skin and wait a few minutes for it to soak in. You can reapply the mixture as often as you like to reduce inflammation and cool the skin.
Potato Paste Treatment
All you need to make a burn-soothing potato paste is two potatoes, a knife, blender, and some cotton balls. Cut your potatoes into chunks, but leave the skin on.
Then toss the chunks into a blender to create a paste and add some water if it’s too thick. Potatoes do wonders to reduce inflammation and soothe minor irritations. Just soak a few cotton balls in the potato paste and let it seep into your sunburn.
Bye Bye Burns Spray
In a convenient 2-ounce spray bottle, Bye Bye Burns is great for reducing post-burn inflammation and relieving burn pain. It’s contains all-natural, homeopathic ingredients, including Belladonna, Cantharis, Ranunculus bulb, Urtica dioica, omega-3 shark liver oil, coconut oil, olive oil, and vitamin E.
It’s even great for kids that are at least two years old and can be reapplied up to four times daily.
Oatmeal Bath Treatment
If you can spare some oats from your go-to breakfast container, try taking an oatmeal bath to soothe your sun-damaged skin. Pour out 2 cups of uncooked plain rolled oats. Now find a clean tube sock in your drawer that you can live without.
Fill the sock with the oatmeal and tie it off securely at the top. Now run a bath with water that’s not too hot and let the oatmeal-filled sock soak for several minutes, squeezing it occasionally to release more of the polysaccharides that help keep skin hydrated, cool, and soothed. Relax in the bath for about 20-30 minutes while reading a good book.
Other Burn-Soothing Ingredients
As you can see, lots of foods that you probably already have in your kitchen can provide natural sunburn relief in a pinch. Here are some other foods and drinks known for their anti-inflammatory and soothing properties for skin.
- Cucumbers
- Cool milk
- Peppermint oil
- Aloe vera
- Mint tea
- Apple cider vinegar
- Cornstarch
- Yogurt
- Lettuce