It is that time of year again! Here are some ideas I came across for natural sunburn relief! Let me know if you try any of them and how they work!
This kitchen staple can provide quick burn relief and cooling. Try sprinkling a generous dose of soda into cool bathwater. Not feeling the tub? Make a paste by mixing some baking soda with water, then spread it directly on the burn and allow it to dry. As it
does, keep patting water on it to keep the paste stuck there until the burn is sufficiently soothed.
This is another technique that works well in the bath or applied directly. Sprinkle one cup of pulverized oatmeal into your bathwater and soak in it. Otherwise, create a compress by wrapping dry oatmeal in cheesecloth or gauze. Run cool water through it to moisten, then apply for ten to fifteen minutes every two to four hours.
Milk
Milk’s proteins also have soothing qualities when gently applied to a sunburn. Combine one cup of milk with four cups of water, with a few ice cubes thrown in. Soak a compress in it, and then apply the compress to the burn for fifteen to twenty minutes every few hours.
Witch Hazel
Moisten a cloth with witch hazel, and apply it often for temporary relief from pain and swelling. For smaller sunburned areas, dip
cotton balls into the liquid and gently press them on the burn.
Cornstarch Compress
As with baking soda, making a paste out of cornstarch can calm red skin. Add enough water to the cornstarch to create a paste, then apply it directly to the burn.
Aloe Leaves
Yep, you can use the actual leaves from aloe plants to soothe burns, just as you would aloe gel from the drugstore (another reason to add a little flora to your indoor environment). Simply break open one of the leaves to expose the white aloe within, and rub the
gel on the inflamed area.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is one of the most popular kitchen remedies for burns. Although it can leave sunburn victims smelling a bit
like pickles, soaking some up with a sponge or cotton balls and dabbing it over a burn will help reduce inflammation.
Coconut Oil
This great baking ingredient is also useful for soothing sunburns. Rubbing coconut oil on a burn (after cleaning it gently) will soothe it by relieving itchiness and pain—and make it smell good. In addition, the oil will moisturize your skin the same way
lotion does.
Egg Whites
Not just for protein-infused breakfasts, egg whites can soothe burns, too. After cracking a few whites into a bowl, rub them over
the burn with a sponge or cotton balls. Yep, it’ll feel sort of disgusting, but it will ease the pain and heat.
Potato
An old-fashioned remedy for cooling down feverish foreheads, potatoes can also alleviate burns. Slice one thinly, then place the slices over the sunburn for instant relief.
Black Tea
To squelch a sunburn, turn your bathtub into a giant cup of tea: Keep the water lukewarm (too hot will be painful) and soak five to eight teabags in it. After they steep for a few minutes, remove them and soak in the tub to remove the sting. Another option is to steep a single bag in half a cup of water and apply the liquid directly to the burn with a sponge or cotton ball. Some people recommend opening the bags up after steeping and rubbing the tea leaves over the burn, wrapping it with gauze to hold the leaves in place.
