Welcome to Keeping the Kingdom First! If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed or email digest for free updates. Thanks for visiting!
With Summer nearly upon us, chances are you and your family will be spending lots of time outdoors. Even the most diligent of sunscreen appliers may suffer from a sunburn occasionally. Especially if sweating or swimming are involved!
Since I practically grew up on the beach myself, I have experienced my fair share of sunburns. My go-to remedy has always been Aloe Vera. Straight from the plant or from the bottle, it is oh-so-soothing!
But if you are in a pinch, and do not have Aloe Vera on hand, how can you relieve a painful sunburn? Start in your kitchen.
Here are some simple homemade remedies for sunburns, using items you most likely have on hand:
- Tea: Brew a nice strong batch of tea and cool it in the fridge. Apply the tea bags directly to burned skin or soak small towels in the tea and drape over the burned areas. It will stain fabric, but the relief is instant!
- Vinegar: (one of my favorite frugal items) Use white or apple cider vinegar and spray it over the burn area. Or bathe in a cool bath and add 2-3 cups of vinegar to the water.
- Oatmeal: Add 2 cups of oatmeal to a cool bath and soak for 30 minutes.
- Cornstarch: Make a paste with cornstarch and water, apply to burned skin. Or add a cup to a cool bath and soak.
- Milk: Add a gallon to cool bath water, or soak small towels in milk and drape over burned areas.
- Baking Soda: Fill a spray bottle with 1/4 baking soda and water, shake to dissolve. Spritz the solution on burned skin.
- Potatoes: Grate potatoes and apply to burned skin, the juicier the better.
- Egg Whites: Apply directly to burned areas.
Of course, the best remedy for a sunburn is prevention. Slather up those kiddos with lots of high-SPF sunscreen and reapply frequently. Utilize shade and hats as much as possible.
Your children will thank you later!
For more frugal ways, visit Life As Mom.
Print This Post
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
I just learned about the tea bags last year and it is 100% effective. I just wet them and pat them on the sunburned area gently and within minutes it feels better.
[Reply]
I am a red head and I have had MORE than my share of sunburns before I learned that I just cannot be out in the sun with out protection. All of the above remedies I have tried. I prefer Aloe after the burn to cool and soothe the skin. The next step and tip I would share is to use Anti-Dandruff Shampoo like a body wash on your sun burn. This prevents any peeling. It will not work if you have had your burn for several days but if you use it to wash your burn that night or the very next day and continue until your burn goes away and it will not peel.
[Reply]
Those are great ideas! Some I had never heard before. Thanks for sharing!
~Liz
[Reply]
Another thing to try is tomatoes. I had never heard of it but after I got burned one time my husband put tomatoes on me & they were actually hot after he removed them. We also have a aloe plant that helped.
[Reply]
I had never heard of these. I'm hoping not to have any sunburns to treat this summer but just in case… Thanks!
[Reply]
My daughter got so burned at her freshman pool party that she was literally sick from it. I put her in the bathtub, and continued to plaster her with cooked oatmeal. As the oats drew the heat out of her skin, I would take them off and add fresh oatmeal. It is amazing how well this works! Messy, but it is a very quick and effective treatment. Jo
[Reply]
My neighbor just came over last night w/ a terrible sunburn, I'll have to pass this info on to her. Our family wears rash guard shirts to avoid sunburns, they are awesome and we haven't had a sunburn in years.
Toni
[Reply]