Natural Sunburn Soothers

It happens to the best of us – despite how vigilant we try to be about applying sunscreen, we sometimes get blasted by those darn rays when we least expect it. I was siting having lunch with a girlfriend last week and my upper back was in the sun. I was so involved in a heated discussion that I missed the fact that my back was heating up too…to the point of being roasted red! Ugh – and of course, I hadn’t managed to reach that particular expanse of skin with my SPF 30 in the morning. Also, let’s face it ladies – it’s tough to remember to religiously re-apply the goop every 2 hours, right? And that’s what you’re supposed to do, especially when using non-toxic mineral sunscreen. But if you do get burned, you might want to try one of my Natural Sunburn Soothers.

But, first off, I just wanted to give you the head’s up on certain foods that actually help prevent sunburn in the first place:

You need to load up on tomatoes, pomegranates, and strawberries because all 3 fruits contain specific compounds that have been designed by nature to help protect our delicate skin from the burning rays. Of course at this time of year, I will eat as many organic, juicy heirloom tomatoes that I can get my hands on. And, at the height of summer, organic strawberries actually taste like strawberries – so bring them on!

Now to the remedies – fortunately there are so many great remedies that you probably have in your kitchen already:

Oatmeal is so soothing for burned, irritated and itchy skin. Simply toss 1 cup of old-fashioned oatmeal in your blender or processor. Process into a fine powder. Either add 1/2 a cup to a bath of tepid water, or empty 1 cup into a large square of cheesecloth or muslin – tie into a little bundle by making 2 knots, and run under warm water. You can then use this as a compress on painful areas of sunburn.

Apple Cider Vinegar is also soothing and healing for badly sunburned skin: Just add 1 cup of Apple Cider Vinegar to a bath of tepid water. Soak for as long as you can.

Baking Soda is a wonderful remedy because it helps to restore the acid/alkaline balance of your skin. Add 1 cup of baking soda to your bath, and when you get out, instead of toweling off, let the baking soda dry on your skin dressing in loosely-fitting clothes.

Aloe Vera is the go-to plant for burns. If you are using it from the actual plant, cut the leaf as close to its base as you can, and then slice the leaf open horizontally before squeezing out the fresh gel, which you can apply directly to your skin. You can also pour Aloe Vera juice into an ice cube try, and when your skin has healed from the initial burn (never put ice cubes on a fresh burn or broken skin), you can gently smooth the cubes over the affected area.

Eye Soothers

Sun burned eyes are the worst. Here are 2 simple remedies:

1. Soak Chamomile tea bags in very hot water to open up the flowers, and then chill them in the fridge for a few hours. When they are really well-chilled, apply to your burned eyes.

2. Slice up a cucumber – chill the slices and apply to burned eyes.

DIY REMEDY FOR BADLY BURNED SKIN

This is my favorite remedy for sunburn.

• 4 ounces plain yogurt (this leaves a healing protein film on your skin)
• 1 ounce aloe vera gel (soothing and healing)
• 20 drops of lavender essential oil (helps prevent infection and soothes skin)

Mix the ingredients in a small bowl, and apply generously to affected area. Your skin will be a bit sticky, so throw on a loose cotton robe and chill out until the sting subsides.

Sunburn Don’ts

Don’t apply ice directly to your skin, as it can damage skin and cause an even worse a burn. Instead, wrap an ice pack or a packet of frozen veggies in a damp towel.

Don’t apply an “After Sun” product unless you are sure it is fragrance-free and chemical-free.

Moisturizing It’s really important that you moisturize well after you skin is sun burned, but wait until the redness, stinging or blistering has subsided until your moisturize. The best way to nourish your skin post-burn is to slather yourself in raw coconut oil.

To moisturize your face, use a chilled rosewater spray, which is soothing and moisturizing.

Finally – if you got badly burned, your skin will peel. Resist picking off the skin, and instead use a really gentle sugar scrub to remove the dead skin, and follow up with coconut oil.