Natural Sunburn Relief Cream

With summer quickly approaching (it has definitely arrived in the south already!), many of us are probably spending lots of time in the sun. I love to use this natural sunburn relief cream on my whole family. Even with using sunscreen, which by the way, I would recommend using a natural sunscreen like this one, there are times when sunburn is inevitable.

Sunburns can be avoided, for the most part, by limiting your time in the sun to increments of 2 hours and using a natural sunscreen if desired. When sunburn does appear, it can be painful and uncomfortable. I love to use this sunburn relief cream on my whole family. The aloe vera brings instant relief from that burning feeling while the shea butter moisturizes the skin, aiding in quicker healing of the sunburn.

Tips for avoiding a sunburn:

Unfortunately over the years, many people have had the belief that the sun is bad for us, but it really isn’t. The vitamin D we receive from direct sunlight is essential for optimal health and overall wellness. With that being said, sunburn is one side effect of being in direct sunlight. There are a few things we can do to avoid sunburn when possible, such as;

Limit sun exposure to increments of 2 hours, taking a small brake inside or in the shade before going back out for a few hours.
Use a natural sunscreen, this is a great one that our family loves.
Wear a wide brim hat to protect the most common areas where our skin burns, such as our face and shoulders.

Aloe vera for sunburn:

Growing up at the beach meant lots of sunburns for me when I was a child. My mom would always apply aloe vera to my skin after a long day in the sun, however, it was always the bright green kind from the drugstore. After learning more about harmful ingredients, I have come to realize this artificial aloe vera we see on most store shelves is actually toxic. It is full of artificial dyes, preservatives, and many other hormone-disrupting ingredients.

If you do not have access to an actual aloe vera plant, where you can use the gel inside the leaves of the plant, using a pure aloe vera, with ingredients that are easily pronounced and understood is the next best option for our skin. This aloe vera has the best ingredients for something that is shelf-stable, at least that I have found.

According to this article, “Aloe vera is soothing and moisturizing, and it has cooling properties. This makes it an ideal and inexpensive choice for soothing the pain of minor sunburns at home. Sunburned skin loses moisture, and applying aloe may help retain skin moisture due to a substance called mucopolysaccharides found in the plant.”

Make sure the aloe vera you choose is a gel, not a liquid. This will help the mixture solidify once cooled.

Shea butter for sunburn:

Sunburns usually cause the skin to become dry and peel off. Applying a natural sunburn cream with shea butter, like the one in this recipe, can help to moisturize the affected area. Once the area has become moisturized, the skin can begin to heal.

According to this article, “One suggestion for an especially potent sunburn moisturizer comes from Dr. Ernest Brown, founder of Doctors To You: shea butter. “In addition to moisturizing the skin (which helps to reduce infection), shea butter is packed with nutrients and vitamins that increase its healing properties.”

Lavender essential oil for sunburn:

Lavender essential oil is great for natural pain relief. When adding the oil to the natural sunburn relief cream, be sure to only use a few drops since essential oils are very potent.

According to this article, “Just like chamomile, lavender oil also has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties to treat sunburn, says Dr. Sobel. A 2004 study refers to lavender as “one of the mildest of known plant essential oils,” making it a safer pick if you have sensitive skin.”

How to make sunburn relief cream:

What you need:

Directions:

Begin by setting up a double boiler, this is a pot of water filled 1/3 of the way up, brought to a boil, with a glass or heat-safe bowl on top.
Once the double boiler is ready, add in your shea butter.
Allow the shea butter to melt completely.
Once melted, turn off the heat.
Add in the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.
Pour into your container of choice, remember this is a lotion so you will not be able to squeeze or pump this out, a wide mouth jar like this is a good option.
Once cooled, put cream in a stand up mixer or mix with a handheld mixer using a whisk attachment. (see notes)
Apply as needed

Notes:

Although whipping the cream is an extra step, it helps to ensure the aloe vera and shea butter mix completely. During the cooling process, the aloe vera gel and shea butter tend to separate, therefore mixing them together after the natural sunburn relief cream has cooled allows the cream to provide its full benefits.