During the hot summer months, we spend too much time sunbathing, which is why oftentimes we don’t notice how harmful it’s for our skin and health. While it’s better to look for ways to prevent sunburn instead of looking for ways to relieve it, if you are at home and you find yourself with fiery sunburn, check out your cupboard. There are many natural ways to soothe sunburn to relieve pain and prevent peeling. Here are some of the most effective ones.
1. Milk
Milk is one of the best sunburn remedies our grandmas always used. You can add a gallon of milk to your bath of tepid water or you can use a cool compress soaked in milk, if you don’t feel like taking a milk bath. If you don’t have milk, you can apply cool plain yogurt to sunburned skin to reduce pain instantly.
2. Vinegar
Vinegar can be used in a few ways to soothe a sunburn. Press slightly small towels soaked in vinegar onto the sunburn and leave for a while. Or, put vinegar and water in a spray bottle and spritz over the sunburned areas to relieve itching and pain. Make sure you avoid your eyes and open cuts. You can also add 2-3 cups of vinegar to warm bath water. Don’t use malt vinegar! Choose apple cider vinegar or white vinegar instead.
3. Tomato
If you get burnt, cut some tomatoes in half and rub all over the sunburned area. Or add 2 cups of tomato juice to a bath of cool water. I usually use tomatoes with buttermilk, it works amazingly. Mix 1/4 cup of tomato juice with 1 1/2 cup of buttermilk or mash 1 part fresh tomato to 1 part buttermilk and apply to your sunburned areas.
4. Cucumber
This wonderful vegetable can also provide an effective and quick sunburn relief. You can either apply cucumbers slices directly to the sunburned areas, or you can grate or mash one cucumber, mix with milk and apply to the skin. Cucumbers are known to heal many skin problems, including sunburn. They also have fantastic cooling properties.
5. Egg whites
Depending on how much skin is burnt, place an egg white or 2 egg whites in a bowl, mix and apply to the burnt skin with a cotton wool ball or unused soft paint brush. This is one of the best natural ways to soothe sunburn in a matter of a few minutes.
6. Honey
If you don’t mind getting a bit sticky, you can smooth honey over your burnt skin and leave it for a while. Or mix honey 80/20 with lime juice or lemon first. I also mix milk and honey 50/50. Try these options and see what works best for you. Just make sure you don’t use too much lemon juice as it can cause itching.
7. Tea
All of us enjoy drinking a nice cup of tea, but did you know that it’s one of the best natural sunburn relievers? There are many ways to use black or green tea to soothe sunburn. Make a very large amount of strong tea and refrigerate. Spray the cold tea onto the burnt areas of your skin, or soak small towels in the tea and apply it to the sunburned area. Or, you can add 4-6 tea bags to a cool bath and soak.
8. Oatmeal
There are two ways to soothe sunburn using oatmeal. The first one is to fill a bath with cool water, add 2 cups of oatmeal and soak for at least 30 minutes. The second way is to mix raw egg whites with oatmeal and apply to the sunburned area. Once the paste has dried, you rinse off in a cool bath or shower.
9. Cornstarch
Soak for 30 minutes in tepid water with a cup of cornstarch dissolved in it. You can also try a mix of half a cup of cornstarch and half a cup of baking soda. Or, make a paste of water and cornstarch, apply to the sunburned areas and allow to dry. I also dissolve a little cornstarch in cool water in a spray bottle and spritz over the sunburned areas.
Now you see that you have plenty of natural ways to soothe sunburn in your cupboards. However, if nothing works and you suffer from a severe pain, it’s time to see your doctor. Don’t wait until your sunburn will get worse. Do you know any other natural ways to relieve sunburn? Let me know!
