Seven Sunburn Remedies (that aren’t aloe)

Taking a hike at Green Belt and chilling in the water at Sculpture Falls. Hosting a picnic with your friends and your pup at Zilker Park. Kayaking down Lady Bird lake or taking a stroll down the Ann and Roy Butler hike and bike trail.

A perfect summer in Austin includes these experiences and more. It is almost inevitable however, to make it through a Texas summer without a sunburn. To help alleviate pain, redness and sleepless nights that come with a sunburn, try some of these remedies.

Oatmeal Bath

Take two cups of uncooked rolled oats, one cup of whole milk and one tablespoon of honey (optional) and add it to a bathtub filled with warm water. Rub the mixture over the sunburn and sit in the bath for around 10 minutes. You can also use Aveeno bath treatments, which is a packaged product.

Vinegar and Water

Vinegar is a natural agent for many things, including a sunburn. In a spray bottle or bowl, add 3 parts vinegar and one part water together. Use a cotton ball to gently spread the mixture on the area affected. The acidic agents in the vinegar helps relieve pain and keeps it from becoming infected.

Black Tea

Heat up some water, add some tea bags and then cool it back down with ice. Once the tea bags are cool, place them on your sunburn and let them rest there. You can even take a rag and wet it with tea to rub on your skin. Black tea will help not only soothe the skin, but also speed up the healing process.

Natural Yogurt

Apply natural, plain yogurt onto your sunburn like a face mask. Leave it on for around 10-20 minutes and wash off with cool water. The probiotics contain anti-inflammatory agents to help cool skin.

Baking Soda

Mix 1 cup of water with 4 tablespoons of baking powder and blot over affected skin to help soothe the skin. Baking soda will help you balance pH levels in the skin and reduce redness and pain.

Shaving Cream

While shaving cream will not necessarily get rid of your sunburn, menthol shaving cream contains soothing and cooling properties to relieve your skin. For this short term remedy, apply shaving cream thoroughly over the affected area for around 20 minutes or until the cream is dried up. Wash the cream off with lukewarm water.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil will help when your sunburn is nearing the ending phases. Coconut oil will help moisturize skin and help with any itchy skin that may be associated with a sunburn. To treat a sunburn with coconut oil, make sure you have pure, virgin coconut oil. Cool your skin with cool water then gently spread the moisturizer on the skin. Because oil-based products might make skin retain heat, this could aggravate skin so it is recommended to wait at least a day before using coconut oil on the skin.

Besides these remedies, the best way to avoid sunburn pain is to prevent sunburns in the first place. Be sure to apply sunscreen if you will be out in the sun for any prolonged period of time.