Non-Toxic Summer Products (After Sun Care)

Getting out in the sun is great for your health. Ultraviolet rays from the sun help your skin create its own Vitamin D and will increase your energy levels. However, overexposure to the sun can be painful and potentially detrimental to your health.

When you get a sunburn, you have burned your skin causing damage. Most of the time, your body can recover from this damage, however, if you've suffered from a sunburn before, you know just how painful this can be.

If you are unfortunate enough to have a sunburn, it's tempting to use chemical products to relieve the pain, but these could cause long-term effects such as cancer.

Here are some non-toxic options for soothing your sunburn and helping your body heal faster.

Drink Plenty of Water

This is the best thing you can do for your body when you have a sunburn. Water will help flush out those toxins and replace them with healthy nutrients. It also helps turn over new cells faster so the pain from the burn will be lessened.

Aloe Vera

Aloe vera is a popular option for sunburns. If you have an aloe plant, cut off a leaf and remove the gel inside with a knife or spoon. Apply the gel on your skin to help moisturize it. If you don't have a plant, buy some aloe vera gel from your local health store. Make sure you are buying pure aloe vera gel, not what is advertised as aloe vera but really if made up of toxic ingredients.

Cool Water

A sunburn is a first-degree burn and should be treated as such. The burning is caused by inflammation in the skin tissue and treating that inflammation is best done with cool water. You can do this by applying a wet rag directly on the skin to help with hydrating the skin and cool the burn.

If you are outside, jumping in the water can serve the same purpose. Be careful of chlorinated water as chlorine can actually irritate your skin.

Use cool, NOT COLD, water or ice. This can actually cause more damage to your skin.

Baking Soda and Oatmeal

Baking soda and oatmeal are great options for sunburns. Fill a bathtub with cool water and add 3-4 heaping tablespoons of baking soda and a cup of oats. The baking soda helps the burn heal faster while the oats moisturize the skin to help reduce irritation.

Vinegar

Vinegar is an acidic liquid that can be used to soothe a sunburn. Apply it directly onto the burn or soak in a bathtub with vinegar added. If you are soaking, make sure to use apple cider vinegar as other types may irritate your skin.

It's best to avoid using vinegar on larger, more serious sunburns.

Chamomile Tea

Chamomile tea has anti-inflammatory properties that can be used to treat your sunburn. Prepare chamomile tea as if you were drinking it and let the bags fully cool before placing them on your skin. You can also dip a rag in the brewed chamomile tea and place it directly on your skin for relief.

Cocoa Butter

Cocoa butter is a good moisturizer that can be used to soothe the skin in your sunburn. It's a greaseless formula and will help the burn heal faster when applied directly to the affected area.

After Sun Lotions

There are some products you can buy from the store to help with this such as Active Skin Repair, Coola, or Beauty By Earth. These are great non-toxic products that help soothe burns and bring back the natural moisture balance in your skin.