Body & Soul: Home Sunburn Remedies

April/May 2008
By Janice Cox 
Article Tools
Print
Comments
RSS
Bookmark and Share

"Slip, Slop, Slap," a popular Australian ad campaign, aims to educate the public about skin cancer and prevention—slip on a shirt; slop on some sunscreen; and slap on a cap. It serves as a convenient reminder for gardeners and outdoor enthusiasts everywhere: Always protect your skin and hair from the sun.

RELATED CONTENT

If you do get a sunburn, you can turn to several simple home remedies to soothe the discomfort. To help your skin heal faster, keep your body well-hydrated by drinking plenty of water and water-based iced herbal teas. Also remember that overexposure to the sun will dry out your skin. After treating your burn with the recipes below, hydrate your skin with a generous application of rich cream or natural oil such as sunflower, light sesame or almond oil.

Choose one of the following sunburn soothers:

• Plain yogurt or sour cream
• Buttermilk
• Tomato juice
• Witch hazel
• Aloe vera gel
• Chamomile tea
• Vinegar (1 tablespoon diluted in 1 cup water)

1. Use a clean cotton cloth or spray bottle to apply any one of the above ingredients directly to your skin; or add one of these soothers to a tepid bath.

2. If you use the yogurt, sour cream or buttermilk, be sure to rinse your skin after 20 minutes, as these milk-based soothers can spoil.

Janice Cox is the author of Natural Beauty from the Garden (Henry Holt and Company, 1999).

Click here for the original article, Body & Soul: Garden Beauty Recipes. 

Bookmark and Share
RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print

Comments

Add Your Comment

You can use this comment form to enter your personal experiences or additional information and resources that you'd like to share with Herb Companion readers. Your helpful advice will be posted on this page.  E-mail addresses are never displayed on comments, but they are required to confirm your comments.

Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br> tags.

New to Herb Companion?
Sign up to share comments.
Asterisks(*) indicate required fields.
Name*
Your name appears next to your comment.

E-mail Address*
This will be your login ID.

City State Zip Code

Password*


Confirm Password*

Comments
1500 character limit (Offensive materials and/or spam will be removed, no HTML allowed)
Please Note: Your sign-up must be verified via e-mail before your comment is published.
FEATURED ARTICLES
MOST POPULAR


Pay Now & Save 50% off the Cover Price
First Name: *
 Last Name: *
Address: *
 City: *
State/Province: *
 Zip/Postal Code:*
Country:
 Email:*
(* indicates a required item)
Canadian subs: 1 year, (includes postage & GST). Foreign subs: 1 year, . U.S. funds.
Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Non US and Canadian Subscribers - Click Here

Subscribe to The Herb Companion

Your guide to the many uses and even more pleasures of nature's most helpful plants!

The Herb Companion is the smart and easy complement to your own healthy, vibrant lifestyle! In every issue you'll find information on using herbs to:

  • Transform simple dishes into spectacular meals
  • Make gardens as useful as they are beautiful
  • Replace harsh chemicals with natural alternatives
  • Help find fulfillment, balance and good health
  • And much more!

Yes, send me a one-year subscription (6 issues) to The Herb Companion. I'll pay just $19.95.

Save Even More Money By Paying NOW!

Pay now with a credit card and take advantage of our Earth-friendly automatic renewal savings plan. You save an additional $5.00 and get 6 issues of The Herb Companion for only $14.95 (USA only).