Yesterday I took my kids to the sea. It was a brilliant spring day, but also very windy, so it didn’t feel so warm. The water is still freezing cold too, and we were in it a lot. I couldn’t feel the sun burning our skin, but oh my how it did. It wasn’t until we got home and were peeling off our clothes did I notice our bright pink shoulders and backs. Eek!
Off to my little apothecary cabinet I went.
To my surprise, I had no Wyld Sunburn Relief Spray at home, which is LOADED with supportive ingredients as it’s infused with a powerful blend of wildcrafted botanicals. So I improvised, formulating something at home with what I had. I can’t believe how much it’s helped in just 24 hours!
So today I want to talk about an effective DIY remedy you can throw together at home when needed. Because sunburn is one of those things that you aren’t always prepared for. Nevertheless, your hot pink skin will be crying out, help me now, and I mean now!
Of course it’s always best to avoid too much sun exposure, but shit happens while in the midst of living. Luckily, Nature offers us some things to relieve pain and swelling and begin to heal and regenerate the skin too. A little extra TLC can really help diminish any damage done. And since sunburn does increase the risk of developing skin cancer, I believe it’s important to treat the skin quickly with natural, healing ingredients.
How do topical sunburn treatments work?
They should work on many levels:
- anti-inflammatory properties to downshift inflammation and reduce swelling
- anti microbial and anti bacterial properties to prevent infection and prevent peeling
- antioxidant properties to begin healing and regenerating the skin
- analgesic properties help relieve pain and discomfort
Active botanicals are a natural solution because they contain so many powerful antioxidants that can help achieve all of the above. Keep reading to learn which plants in particular can help!
Our own wildcrafted Sunburn Relief Spray is formulated with pure aloe vera + plant infusions of comfrey, marshmallow root, calendula, plantain, lavender and rose petals + witch hazel hydrosol (alcohol-free) and cultured apple cider vinegar + the extra cooling and healing properties of peppermint, lavender, eucalyptus and geranium essential oils.
Whew, that’s a lot of ingredients! So let’s break them down…
How each ingredient works
Pure Aloe Vera is ultra moisturizing and healing. Its polysaccharides (sugars) are hygroscopic (water-loving) and form a strong meshed structure that hydrates the skin’s deepest layers. It contains antioxidants, enzymes, vitamins A, E and C, and it’s highly anti-inflammatory. Treats burns, acne, dry skin and many other irritations. May also slow signs of aging by making skin more elastic and supple.
Apple cider vinegar contains malic acid, an AHA that stimulates circulation to speed up the healing process, as well as acetic acid, which can ease itching and inflammation. ACV also helps maintain the skin’s pH levels which can help reduce peeling and blisters. Naturally antimicrobial, antiseptic, and antifungal, it can help prevent infection in damaged skin tissue.
Witch hazel hydrosol (floral water) is anti-inflammatory, bacteria fighting and pain relieving. It contains anti-inflammatory tannins that also help soothe a painful sunburn and even fight free radicals.
Glycerine is an excellent tool for moisture rehydration. Used used on sunburns, it can effectively trap moisture in the skin, soothe the burn and aid in faster cellular repair. We also add this to help emulsify the essential oils so that they are mixed in properly.
Marshmallow root has mucilage polysaccharides with healing, moisturizing and soothing properties. Anti-inflammatory and an emollient, it coats the skin to protect it and helps skin retain moisture. Heals chapped skin and irritations, slows signs of aging caused by sun damage and speeds up wound healing. This humble root has been used for centuries to treat burns.
Calendula is an all-purpose healing agent. It’s rich with antioxidants that can sooth sunburn, and it’s very anti-inflammatory too. To name but a few of its benefits: increases hydration within skin layers, promotes wound healing, reduces inflammation, protects against UV rays, stimulates collagen production, soothes rashes and promotes cell regeneration.
Comfrey is a rich source of allantoin, a compound that helps skin regenerate, soften, and recover from damage. Anti-inflammatory, analgesic and astringent, it can relieve pain and inflammation and strongly support the healing of wounds.
Roses are high in vitamins C and E, amongst others. They are very cooling, astringent and anti-inflammatory in nature – a perfect remedy for sunburn that’s been used by people all over the globe. Roses can also assist in cell regeneration process and reduce redness. But mostly it’s the hydrating and soothing qualities that make it so wonderful for sunburn.
Lavender has natural antiseptic, microbial properties making it ideal for cleansing, healing and soothing. It also has pain-relieving and ultra calming properties. Like roses, lavender is so calming, helping to take the edge off of the burn.
Plantain has drawing properties that can help draw out the pain and heat from the skin. It is also one of those cure-alls when it comes to skin irritations.
Vitamin E oil acts has an antioxidant, absorbs UV rays and helps thicken the outermost layer of skin. Not to mention its ability to maintain moisture and reduce inflammation.
Peppermint oil contains several active compounds including menthol, which is anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-fungal, antiseptic and a vasoconstrictor (narrows inflamed blood vessels). Plus it has a cooling effect on skin.
Lavender oil has at least 7 active ingredients known to promote skin regeneration and boost immune function. It’s also proven to reduce swelling, redness and pain.
Eucalyptus oil contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that have also been proven to have anti-proliferative (anti-cancer) action by preventing the spread of cancerous cells.
Geranium oil contains at least 12 active ingredients that have properties that are antibacterial, anti-microbial, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory. It’s also proven useful as a sedative and nerve tonic, so it may provide powerful pain relief from sunburn.
You will notice a lot of anti-inflammatory action in the ingredients above. That’s because sunburn damages skin cells, producing warning signs that catalyze your body to produce an inflammatory response. Redness and pain are part of this response. Your body wants you to know that it’s hurting and healing, and it’s asking for some TLC.
And it goes without saying that we always use and recommend organic, high-quality ingredients.
How to adapt our formula using what you have
The base
The base of the Sunburn Relief Spray is pure aloe vera gel, organic cultured apple cider vinegar and witch hazel hydrosol. Do you have these at home? Two of the three can work, or even just one if that’s all you have. Let’s talk about how to adapt these…
Aloe Vera – I keep a very big, healthy aloe plant at home, so this was easy for me. I cut off one arm and them placed it in a bowl, cut side down, to let the yellow latex stuff drain out. Don’t skip this step if you’re using fresh aloe! You want to give it at least 20 minutes, or until no yellow latex is draining from the cut. Then you can snip off the prickly sides of the aloe – I use sharp kitchen scissors, but a knife works too – then open up the aloe as if you’re opening a sandwich. Then filet out the clear, thick aloe vera gel.
You can also purchase aloe vera gel. It will definitely contain a concoction of preservatives. Try to find the best quality one you can.
Apple cider vinegar – organic and cultured, with the “mother” in it. We use Bragg’s here and always have it in our kitchen. If you don’t have it on hand already, it’s very easy to find in shops.
Witch hazel hydrosol – make sure you have real floral waters that are alcohol free. I use it when making facial toners too, so I usually have it at home. If you have a different hydrosol on hand – like calendula, rose or lavender hydrosol, even blue chamomile hydrosol if you’re making your own blue chamomile toner – they can also help support skin healing, so grab them now!
And if you don’t have access to any hydrosols whatsoever, then don’t worry. Skip it and just use more aloe vera gel.
Plant extracts
There are many plants that may potentially assist in healing sunburned skin! Here is a shortlist.
- Calendula – downshifts inflammatory process, speeds healing and prevents infection, thanks to its powerful blend of antioxidants.
- Comfrey leaf – reduces inflammation from sunburn and stimulates healing in cells. A rich source of allantoin, a compound that helps skin regenerate, soften, and recover from damage.
- Horsetail – rich in nourishing minerals and silica (silicic acid) which is the body uses to repair itself. Might also prevent premature aging.
- Marshmallow root – healing, moisturizing and soothing properties. Anti-inflammatory and an emollient, helping skin retain moisture. Slows signs of aging caused by sun damage and speeds up wound healing.
- Rose petals – cooling, astringent and anti-inflammatory in nature, with lots of soothing properties that make it one of the world’s oldest and best sunburn remedies.
- Plantain – a drawing agent that can help draw the heat and pain out of your skin.
- St. John’s Wort – assists the healing process and also reduces pain from sunburn.
- Elderflower – long used to treat skin inflammations and to ‘beautify’ thanks to its ability to support overall skin health.
- Chickweed – mucilaginous, which means soothing and cooling properties. Also anti-inflammatory and anti-itch.
- Linden flowers – known to help reduce the burn feeling, as they also reduce inflammation and promote regeneration.
- Chamomile – contains compounds that soothe inflamed skin and promote skin recovery
You can get the benefits of these botanicals in several ways.
When making our Sunburn Relief Spray, we dry out our plant material and then infuse it into witch hazel hydrosol and apple cider vinegar, which gives us a very powerful infused spray. It can be put in the fridge for that extra cool feeling.
You could also make a simple but effective tea with them – just cool the tea in the refrigerator for a while before applying to skin.
Another option is to make frozen herbal cubes by pureeing your chosen plant materials together with aloe vera and witch hazel, and then freeze the purée mixture in an ice cube tray. Take a frozen piece out and rub onto the skin. Some people absolutely love this, while others think the frozen temperature is a bit too harsh for a burn. I’m in the latter camp personally, but as you wish!
Essential oils
The essential oils I love most for healing sunburned skin are peppermint, lavender, eucalyptus and geranium, for the reasons shared above. A few drops is all you need, especially if you’re using on children too. You can use any combination of these!
Wyld Sunburn Relief Spray
Yields 100 ml
Ingredients
- 40 ml Apple Cider Vinegar (preferably infused for several weeks with dried Comfrey, Lavender, Calendula and Marshmallow Root)
- 30 ml pure Aloe Vera gel (preferably fresh, but otherwise try to find the best quality you can with only natural preservatives)
- 25 ml Witch Hazel Hydrosol (or another supportive hydrosol you have on hand, see notes above)
- 1/2 Tbsp Vegetable Glycerin
- 1 tsp Vitamin E oil
- 2 drops each of Lavender, Eucalyptus, Peppermint and Geranium essential oils
- 100 ml (or 2 x 50 ml) spray bottles with spray tops
First, in a small bowl, mix together with vegetable glycerin with essential oils until very well combined, creating an emulsion. Next stir in the vinegar, aloe vera and hydrosol. If you’re using fresh aloe vera gel, you might have to use a fork to really break it up. It might even get foamy like when you whisk egg whites. But keep whisking to ensure the aloe vera gel gets all broken down and mixed in thoroughly. Add in the vitamin E oil and essential oils. Then transfer to your spray bottle(s). I use a small funnel to help with this. Lastly, give it a gentle shake to combine and your Sunburn Relief Spray is ready for you.
You can store it in the refrigerator for extra cooling effect, and to lengthen the shelf life. If you used fresh aloe vera, the shelf life is only a few weeks if stored at room temperature.
Bonus: Wonder balm
As mentioned above, I didn’t have any plant-infused vinegar ready last night to use for our spray. However, I did have a cream already made and in my little apothecary cabinet. It was infused with comfrey, elderflower, calendula, lavender, chamomile, marshmallow root and rose petals. I call it The Balm – a very unofficial name. It’s like our Wonder Balm on steroids! And very healing. Our Wonder Balm is infused with marshmallow root, lavender, calendula and chamomile, so that’s a great one to use too if you have it. While the The Balm contains the added benefits of elderflower, comfrey and roses.
Note: you don’t want to smother a fresh painful sunburn with heavy creams and oils. Wait the skin has cooled off a bit, until there is no pain or blisters. Then a natural cream can really support the skin to help keep it moisturized. If your skin is painfully red and blistered, then a cream might potentially lock in the pain and swelling. So wait until the burn is subsiding, and then a nourishing cream is your friend again.
Last few tips
While the skin is healing, remember to stay hydrated and avoid the sun for a bit! Stay in the shade and sip your water. You can even make a pitcher of infused water, adding rose petals, cucumber slices, fresh peppermint leaves, limes, etc. to get the bonus nutrients along with your hydration.
A cool shower or bath is soothing, as well as cool compresses.
You might also need a little extra rest as your body works to heal and downshift the inflammation.
Take good care!
