Uh-oh, you’ve gone and done it have you? You’ve been busy enjoying your summer romance with the sunshine and now it’s left you feeling burnt - and looking like a lobster. It’s ok, we’ve all been there, when those long and lazy days at the beach leave you so relaxed that you forget to re-apply your sunscreen every hour.
So now that you’re left a fetching shade of fuchsia and your skin’s feeling hotter than the footpath on a Queensland summer afternoon, you’ve hit the internet to search for every known cure under the sun to find yourself some relief.
Well, you came to the right place, because we’ve popped together a list of our favourite natural ways to cure your sunburn without having to resort to nasty chemicals (or a body transplant).
Compress:
For immediate relief, place a cold compress on your poor, sunburnt skin or take a cool shower to soothe the area.
Oatmeal Bath:
If you’re finding that your sunburn needs an ‘all over’ approach, try running a cool bath with some chamomile extract or oatmeal - it might feel a little bit icky but you’ll be amazed at the relief old fashioned rolled oats can bring to your stressed out skin.
Aloe Vera:
Ever checked the back of those ‘after sun’ cures and noticed a common theme? Aloe vera! This spiky, kind of crazy looking plant is the first word in every sunburn cure thanks to its healing properties. But if you are going to commit to it be sure you get the genuine article. Most chemist brand aloe vera gels and sprays actually contain alcohol which will only succeed in drying out your poor skin even further.
Buy yourself a small aloe vera plant for your garden or window sill, slice the prickly outer layer off and either scrape the pulp into a paste to spread on the area of shave thin slices off the middle to store in your fridge and apply in a bandage.
H20:
It doesn’t matter if you swim in moisture on the outside, if you’re not moisturising from the inside out your skin simply won’t heal like it should. In other words? Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Make sure you are drinking plenty of fresh, filtered water to keep your cells healthy enough to heal.
Cucumbers:
Not only are they delicious and full of antioxidants, but cucumber is an excellent way to keep your skin feel soothed after a battle with the sun - especially during the dreaded ‘peeling’ phase that comes afterwards. Try mashing your cucumbers into a paste and then putting them in the fridge to cool.
Prevention:
Sunny day? Sunscreen! Cloudy day? Sunscreen! Sitting inside all day watching Netflix? Sunscreen! I can’t stress it enough, if there is one thing that is not only going to protect that beautiful skin you’ve worked so hard to achieve, it’s applying a natural mineral based broad spectrum sunscreen every single day. While you’re at it, throw on a fabulous looking hat and a glamorous looking beach cover up to keep your shoulders and decolletage looking pristine.