Sunburn Home Remedy

The Sun - He's not trying to burn you, or is he?

Thanks to my parents and my heritage, I'm blessed with pale skin. Even though I got teased for in as a child in grade school, and once in college (can you believe it?), I've always fully embraced my paleness and take necessary precautions to keep it healthy. I've never been to tanning salons and I don't lay out to tan in the sun (though I love me some Vitamin D and sometimes just sit in the sun to feel it on my face). I pick moisturizers with sunscreen in them and make sure I have some with me on long car trips so I don't get a classy window-arm burn. I even invested in a white button up shirt that has UVA UVB protections in it. Even with all that protection - I still get sunburned! And no one likes a sunburn. They can be just pesky pink burns that go away fast or really severe burns that can leave scars or precancerous moles. Regardless of the kind of burn, they need to be treated.

Aloe is the most common sunburn home remedy. Many people have aloe plants in their homes but if they don't, you can easily buy a tub of it at the store. There is also a product called Solarcaine that people love because it has lidocaine in which makes your skin feel all tingly and cool. I must admit I used to use this all the time, growing up, when I used to go to the city pool everyday during the summer. For a German-Irish girl, I worked up quite the tan - for a 12 year old. But when I look at it these days, I see it has plenty of un-pronounceable ingredients and dyes. So what is a sunburn home remedy that can not only soothe the sunburn but also give it that tingly and calming effect?

Ingredients:
Aloe
Vitamin E oil
Lavender essential oil
Peppermint essential oil

I can't for the life of me find where I got this recipe from! I know I didn't make it up on my own. I thought it was from my absolute favorite home remedy/herb book - but it's not. I will continue searching for it but for now, I promise that when I write recipes down in my notebook I will always notate where the recipe came from! Seeing as how it is the season where women wear sundresses and tank tops and men forget hats and generally forget sunscreen altogether (*I admit to this glaring generalization of men and I apologize to any avid sunscreen users who are male!) -  I can't keep this recipe or product to myself any more.

Get yourself a spray bottle (a smaller 'mister' would be better - see link for example). Fill it about 3/4 of the way full with aloe vera gel (make sure it's pure). Then add just a bit of vitamin e oil. I have a bottle of vitamin e oil with a dropper. I put about two droppers in but if it's easier for you, you can use vitamin e capsules that you can get at any drugstore. Put a hole in it and squeeze out the good part! I'd use about 3 or 4 capsules. Then add your oils. Peppermint is what's going to make your skin feel cool and tingly but it's very strong. Make sure to avoid getting the sunburn remedy in your eyes (ouch!).

Peppermint makes it feel tingly, lavender soothes the sunburn and the aloe treats it. I took this to Florida with me on my vacation and thank goodness I did! My nose is always the first to get burnt, no matter what. And my poor mom burned her legs in a very funky pattern (which we had to laugh at). Lucky for her, I brought this homemade remedy along.