DIY After-Sun Skin Treatment

Summer is just around the corner! After a cold winter and rainy spring, it will feel good to have the sun hit your shoulders. Even though we are aware of the dangers of sunburns, it is not unlikely that we might go a tad past the time needed for us to get our daily dose of vitamin D, and get sunburned.

Of course, sunburns are painful and uncomfortable. The good news is, you don’t need to spend $50 on a store-bought after-sun lotion that is full of mysterious chemicals. You can make an effective after-sun lotion right at home without any chemicals. You might even have these ingredients lying around!

You will need:

• 1 tbsp. Cocoa butter
• 3 tbsp. Aloe Vera gel
• 10 drops Peppermint essential oil
• 2 tbsp. Coconut oil
• 1 tbsp. Olive oil

 Cocoa butter and coconut oil are both wonderful moisturizers that protect the surface of the skin. Olive oil penetrates the skin to sooth deeper layers of the skin, delivering antioxidants to cells to help fight further damage. Aloe Vera contains compounds that help to relieve pain and reduce skin inflammation caused by the sunburn. Finally, the peppermint essential oil provides a relief from the burning sensation caused by the sunburn.

To make the “lotion”, simply mix together all of the ingredients in a bowl until they form a relatively uniform paste. Carefully rub it on the areas that are burned in a circular motion. If you don’t use it all, you can place it into a jar to use later.

Since the ingredients are all natural, they can go rancid if they are left out without being used for too long. To lengthen the shelf-life, you can place the paste in the refrigerator. The cool temperature also helps provide additional relief to inflamed, sunburned skin.