Sunburn Formula

sunburn remedy

My 19 year old son came home from a day of working outside in full sun on a day that was over 90 degrees.  He is fair and red headed.  The back of his arms and neck were that bright red to the point of a purple look. Not good. You could also see very tiny blisters starting on the back of his arms.

Here is what I did.

Sunburn home remedy #1

  1. I used Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar.  You don’t need to use Bragg’s but make sure you do use unfiltered, raw ACV.  I got a piece of cotton and really soaked it in the vinegar and got his arms very wet with the ACV.  We let it dry for a couple of minutes
  2. Then I mixed about 5 drops of lavender essential oil with about a tablespoon of coconut oil.  (You don’t have to be exact with this.). I rubbed this mixture all over the sunburned area of his arms.  We did not use anything on his sunburned neck.  (If you are sunburned on the majority of your body, then use 20 drops of lavender EO and mix with enough coconut oil to cover all areas.)

He went to bed a couple hours later.  When he woke the next morning for work he said he was amazed at how the burn on his arms did not hurt but the burn on his neck still did.  Even better, the burn on his arms did not reach full blister and did not peel. 

I am not only happy that it worked but now maybe my adult kids will actually take my home remedies and natural/alternative remedies seriously! 

Many say this method usually does not prevent the peeling but does downgrade the pain quite a bit. In my son’s case it worked for both.  I have included another sunburn option below. 

 

Sunburn home Remedy #2

  • 1 c. pure Aloe Vera juice (make sure it is pure, not that fake bright green stuff that you see in your local drugstore.) You can find pure aloe at your local health store. 
  • 20 drops lavender essential oil  (it should be an essential oil brand such as Doterra or from Mountain Rose Herbs)
  • 1 oz. trauma oil or jojoba oil (trauma oil is a blend of calendula and arnica flowers and St. John’s Wort flowering tops infused in olive oil.  You can make your own but it’s easier to buy it. Herb Pharm is a reputable brand that I like.  Trauma oil is good to have on hand also for muscle and joint pain, injuries, wounds, sprains and inflammation).
  • Mix this blend and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. 
  • Shake before use.  Spray on sunburn.

Share your story! Did you try these home remedies for sunburn? Did it help you?  I would love to know. 

Karen Brennan, MSW, CNC, Board Certified in Holistic Nutrition (candidate) and owner of Tru Foods Nutrition Services, LLC believes in addressing root causes for your health conditions with diet, supplement and herbal therapy as opposed to symptom management.  If you would like to learn more about her services, visit her site at www.trufoodsnutrition.com

This information is for educational purposes only.  Karen is a nutrition professional and as such does not diagnose, cure or treat.