Life & Leisure

8 Natural Sunburn Remedies You Should Try ASAP + FREE Beach Essentials Checklist Printable

Summer’s in full swing, and everybody’s going to the beach! 

We were actually in Bohol last week and got the feel of pure white sand. It was rejuvenating to escape city life even for just a few days. We were a big group with family and friends.

The kids enjoyed swimming in the pool (the beach was too cold) and making sandcastles while we, the adults, enjoyed the buffet. It was quite hot, but swimming and the ocean breeze was refreshing. Hopefully, I’d be able to share all about our trip soon. We also stayed in Cebu for less than a day!

Anyway, even with sunscreen and all, some of us still got a bit sunburned. So, I’m sharing some home remedies that experts say are effective ways to soothe your damaged skin.

Note: This post is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to diagnose or treat and should not take the place of personal consultation, as appropriate, with a qualified healthcare professional. Always seek the direct advice of your doctor in connection with any questions or issues you may have regarding your health or your kids’ health.

Cucumber

Cucumber is one of the easiest ways to help heal sunburns. Besides its cooling effect, it has compounds like ascorbic acid and caffeic acid the prevent water retention and help manage the swelling. 

Cool it with cucumber: For quick pain relief, slice up a chilled cucumber and lay the slices on your burned skin. Flip the slices when one side gets heated. To make the effect last longer, chill your cucumbers, then use your kitchen blender to create a paste. Apply the cucumber paste on your burns.

Oatmeal

Got some leftover oats? Try putting some in your bath.

It is a humectant, a substance that locks in moisture and reduces inflammation. Oatmeal soaks are useful for relieving dry and itchy skin when you’re sunburned.

Try a calming oatmeal bath: Grind half a cup of raw rolled oats in the food processor then put it directly in your bathtub or use a cloth to avoid a mess. Alternatively, you could put some ground oats in an old nylon sock and run it in bathwater. Soak for 15 to 20 mins, pat your skin dry and feel much better!

Milk

Certain qualities of milk such as pH, fat, and temperature- help draw the heat from your sunburn and ease the pain.

Heal with milk: You could soak in evaporated milk or dip a washcloth in cold milk and apply on your burned skin. It’ll make a protein layer that keeps moisture in and helps your skin heal.

Tea

Four particular kinds of tea can help soothe your skin: green tea, white tea, black tea, and chamomile. According to recent research,  polyphenols contained in green and white tea may help protect our skin from the effects of UVA and UVB radiation.

Did you know that drinking green tea can also protect your skin from UV rays? Cool, right!

Meanwhile, the tannic acid in black tea can bring relief to burned eyelids.

Make a soothing brew: Brew a cup of tea let it cool then use cotton balls to dab some on skin.

Yogurt

Like milk, yogurt has probiotics, fats, and enzymes that can help reduce inflammation and aid in restoring your skin’s natural barrier.

Spread some yogurt: Get some yogurt and slather a thin layer directly on your burn. Let it sit for about 5 to 10 minutes then gently rinse off with tap water.

Honey

The sweet sticky stuff has been used since ancient times to relieve burns and has recently acquired the interest of researchers. Honey has been reported to speed up wound healing, prevent infection, and alleviate pain from burns.

It is best to use medicinal honey like manuka honey from New Zealand and Medihoney from Germany. But if they’re not available, raw, organic, unfiltered honey is a good substitute.

So, it isn’t advisable to use commercial honey from the supermarket. By the way, skip this remedy for children younger than 12 months, eating honey accidentally could put them at risk for infant botulism.

Heal it with honey: Spread honey all over the burn, cover with dry clean gauze and let sit.

Aloe Vera

aloe vera sunburn home remedy

Often called, the “burn plant,” the gel inside aloe vera can help relieve discomfort, speed up healing, and retain your skin’s moisture. A detailed review of past studies has pointed out that aloe vera is effective in treating first degree and second-degree burns.

Moreover, the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends using a moisturizer that has aloe vera to minimize sunburn symptoms.

Treat it with aloe vera: If you plan to use the plant, you need to first test a small patch of skin for any allergic reaction. You need to split a plant leaf and apply the sap directly to the skin. After this, put some moisturizer.

You could also buy commercial aloe vera but avoid those in gel formulations or those with alcohol as they might sting or dry out your skin.

Water

Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate. Any good doctor would recommend this whenever your skin is damaged to keep your skin hydrated too. 

Burns tend to draw fluid to the skin and away from the rest of the body. So, you need to keep replenishing with fluids.

Ease dryness with water: Put a cold, damp towel on the affected areas and keep it on for 10 to 15 minutes a few times a day. Taking frequent showers can help with the pain. After you shower, pat dry but remember to leave some water on your skin then apply some moisturizer.

 

FREE BEACH ESSENTIALS PRINTABLE

Well, for moms like me, I live on checklists! So since it’s summer, I’d like to share this FREE printable I designed! This will make sure you bring everything you need for your next beach trip!  Remember the sunscreen! Just click on the link and download the file! I’d appreciate it if you tag me when you use them!

You can download your FREE BEACH TRIP Checklist here.

So, have you used any of these home remedies? Was it effective? Ready for your next beach trip?

 

 

Sunburned? Here are natural ways experts recommend to heal it fast!

Enjoyed this post? Subscribe below!

Let’s keep in touch!

You may also like...

1 Comment

  1. Pumunta naman kami ng Davao last week and unfortunately nagkasakit ang anak ko dahil sa layo ng biyahe at init ng panahon. Kawawa.
    May cucumber and aloe vera kami dito sa bahay. Pwede ko pa pala tong ipahid sa sunburned skin ng daughter ko. Thanks for the tips.
    I’m also doing checklists para wala talaga makalimutan.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *