Summer is in full swing and our days spent on the beach are increasing.  So too is our exposure to the sun often resulting in painful sunburn!  This is why we are giving you five natural ways to relieve the burn using ingredients from your kitchen.

 

Mint is an incredibly useful herb, especially in its ability to ‘calm’ and soothe whatever it touches. This makes it the perfect remedy for sunburn.  The same can be said for the soothing qualities of tannic acid and theobromine found in green tea which also help to relieve pain and heal irritated skin.

 

What you will need:

 

To make your concoction, you will need 1 liter of boiling water, 5 sachets of green tea, 3 cups of fresh mint leaves and cotton pads or a clean soft cloth. Remove the string from the sachets of tea and put them in a saucepan with the fresh mint leaves.  Cover with the boiling water and place a lid on your pan.  Let the ingredients sit for about an hour, drain and place in the refrigerator to cool.

Soak your cotton pads or cloth in the liquid and layer on the burnt or irritated skin.

 

Tip: If you don’t have green tea, you can use black tea.

 

 

Aloe Vera gel is used extensively for sunburn because of its incredible soothing properties and its ability to absorb the pain and redness of the burn. Aloe is also useful in treating a number of other conditions, e.g. acne or even for heartburn.  If you can, plant some aloe on your terrace or courtyard so that it’s readily available.

 

What you will need:

 

To treat your sunburn with the actual aloe vera plant, simply slit a few large aloe leaves down the middle, being careful not to cut all the way through. Next, spread them flat over the burn and feel the relief.  The general rule of thumb is to use the aloe plant for treating smaller areas of your body that are sunburnt (for larger areas, it may be preferable to use a store bought aloe gel).

 

Live cultured yogurt (plain) contains many probiotics and enzymes which have the ability to treat the skin. When you experience that prickly red skin from sunburn, this particular yogurt helps to alleviate the pain and heal the burn. 

 

What you will need:

 

A ½ cup of plain live cultured yoghurt is ample to treat irritated skin on the face. First wash your hands and then spread the yogurt directly onto the burn. Leave for 5 minutes. When the pain has subsided, gently rinse the yoghurt off with cold water.

 

 

The coolness of cucumber brings you immediate relief. The reason is not only due to its hydrating high water content but also due to the fact that it possesses antioxidant and analgesic properties, which help with healing.

 

What you will need:

 

1-2 medium sized fresh cucumbers from the fridge and a blender or a knife.

 

For immediate relief, slice your cucumber place directly on the sunburn. When you feel that the burn starts ‘heating’ up again, flip the slices. Alternatively, blend your cucumbers so that they turn into a paste and apply to the sunburn.  If you want a thicker paste, simply add some aloe vera gel.

 

 

We normally have ingredients in the fridge or pantry that can be used to make compresses that will immediately soothe the pain of sunburn.  Here are some of them:

 

Oats:  Wrap some dried oats in a cheesecloth and immerse in a bowl with cold water. Once the water goes murky, throw out the oats and soak your compresses into the liquid.  Apply on irritated skin every 2-4 hours.

 

Skim milk: Mix 1 cup of skim milk with 4 cups of water and then add a few ice cubes. Soak your compresses in the liquid and apply on the skin for 15-20 minutes. Repeat every 2-4 hours.

 

Cornstarch: Mix water and cornstarch to make a paste which can then be applied directly onto the burn.

 

Lettuce: Boil some lettuce leaves in water. Drain, discard the leaves and allow the liquid to cool in the refrigerator for several hours. Dip cotton pads into the liquid and gently press (or wipe) onto the irritated skin.