Our beauty culture is obsessed with sun protection, and for good reason.
Too much sun exposure can cause anything from skin irritation to wrinkles to skin cancer. However, even if you load up on sunscreen, drink plenty of water and wear protective clothing, you can still end up with the occasional sunburn or dry, flaky skin after a day in the sun. Here are tips on how to heal sun-damaged skin with an after-sun skin-soothing regimen.
1. Good ol’ Aloe Vera While it may be a traditional method of after-sun care, it is still one of the best! Aloe gel, which comes from the Aloe Vera plant, is known for its immediate cooling effect on sun-damaged skin. Packaged Aloe has been a Spring Break staple for years, however often the best healing comes from using gel straight from the plant itself. Growing an Aloe Vera plant outside in your garden is surprisingly easy. As long as the plant receives lots of sun and is not overwatered, you should be able to harvest your own Aloe with ease.
To learn more about harvesting your own Aloe click here
2. Get Creative, Naturally There are so many effective and completely natural ways to soothe and heal sun-damaged skin, it just may take a little creativity! One great method is to mix essential oils such as lavender or peppermint with cold water and either use a spray bottle to apply or dip a washcloth in the mixture and press gently to the affected area. Another method is to simply rub coconut oil or plain yogurt on the areas of the skin with the most sun exposure. Not only will these natural ingredients alleviate the pain of sunburn, but they will also kick start the healing process and reduce the flakiness associated with sun damage.
3. Products that heal and hydrate While we love using natural homemade remedies to help soothe post-sun skin, an awesome product can do the trick as well. There are some great all-natural products on the market that both cool and repair the skin with anti-inflammatory ingredients. La Bella Figura Healing Manuka Mask is formulated with bioactive manuka honey that can do wonders for sun-damaged skin. Also, Laurel Whole Plant Organics has a great Sun Body Oil that features Rosehip Oil and Sea Buckthorn, making the oil full of vitamin C and E, which reduce deep sun damage and rejuvenate damaged skin.
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