Five old-fashioned ways to soothe a sunburn

We’ve all been there. Despite your best efforts, you’ve got a touch of sunburn.

Painful and itchy? Peeling? While you can’t reverse the damage to your skin, you can definitely soothe it. Here are five old-fashioned ways to do just that, using common household items.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is more than just a morning staple. Ground oatmeal is actually a fantastic sunburn relief. All you need to do is cook a cup of oatmeal according to the directions on the package, until the grains are very soft, (you might need to add extra water), then apply the oatmeal to your burnt patches of skin and let sit for a while like a soothing mask, before rinsing with cold water. 

Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar and white vinegar can help quite a bit. How? The acetic acid in both vinegars soothes and moisturises sunburned skin. Simply apply the vinegar to your skin with a cottonwool ball or cloth and let it soak in. 

Baking soda

To relieve pain, soak in a baking-soda bath, and your skin should start to feel better. Alternatively, you can create a paste by mixing the baking soda with a bit of water and applying directly onto your skin, then leaving for as long as you’re comfortable before rinsing off.

Tea bags

Tea is a fantastic sunburn remedy because the tannins found in tea can help reduce inflammation. Just put a few tea bags in a cup of hot water and add ice to cool the liquid, then remove the tea bags and apply them directly to the affected area. You can also use the leftover tea on the sunburn as well by adding it to a cool bath or dabbing it on with cottonwool pads or balls.

Honey

Honey is a great relief for sunburn due to its antibacterial properties, which help the skin repair faster as well as reduce itching and swelling. To apply, dab the honey directly onto the affected area, it’s that easy!

Just don’t forget that while these tried-and-tested methods will do the trick, the best sunburn remedy is prevention! 

Are you very careful to avoid sunburn these days? Were you badly burned as a child? Can you see the impact on your skin now?