Kelly
7 Gentle, Natural Remedies for Sunburn Relief (With DIY Recipes)
We’ve all been there—that moment when you realize your day in the sun has left your skin feeling hot, tight, and painfully red. Despite our best intentions with sunscreen and protective clothing, sunburns can still happen to even the most careful sun enthusiasts.
As a naturopathic practitioner who specializes in herbal medicine and natural healing, I’ve guided countless patients through the discomfort of sunburn using gentle, plant-based remedies that work with the body’s natural healing processes. Today, I’m sharing my favorite natural approaches to soothing sun-damaged skin without harsh chemicals or synthetic ingredients.
IMPORTANT MEDICAL DISCLAIMER: This article is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Severe sunburns can cause serious damage and require medical attention. If you experience severe blistering, extensive swelling, fever, chills, dizziness, or signs of infection, please seek immediate medical care. The remedies shared here are for mild to moderate sunburn only.
Understanding Sunburn: What’s Actually Happening to Your Skin
Before we dive into natural remedies, it’s helpful to understand what’s happening when skin gets sunburned. Sunburn is essentially an inflammatory response to UV radiation damage. Your skin becomes red, painful, and sometimes swollen as your body rushes blood to the area to repair the damage.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, sunburn triggers inflammatory processes that can take hours to fully manifest, which is why you might not realize how serious your sunburn is until later in the day or evening. The inflammation is your body’s natural healing response, but it’s also what causes the discomfort we associate with sunburn.
Natural remedies work by supporting this healing process—cooling the skin, reducing inflammation, providing hydration, and supporting your skin’s barrier function as it repairs itself.
Nature’s Top 7 Sunburn Soothers
1. Aloe Vera: Nature’s Burn Remedy
Aloe vera stands as perhaps the most well-known natural sunburn treatment, and for good reason. This succulent plant contains compounds with anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and moisture-retaining properties that make it ideal for sunburned skin.
Medical News Today reports that aloe vera contains over 75 potentially active compounds, including vitamins, enzymes, minerals, sugars, lignin, salicylic acids, and amino acids—all of which may help soothe and heal damaged skin.
How to Use It: For the most potent relief, use fresh aloe directly from the plant. Simply cut open a leaf and apply the clear gel directly to sunburned areas. Store-bought pure aloe vera gel works too, but look for options with minimal additives—the ingredient list should be short and recognizable.
Get the Cooling aloe Vera Spray recipe HERE.
Pro Tip: Keep your aloe vera gel in the refrigerator for an extra cooling effect when applied.
2. Oatmeal: The Gentle Skin Soother
Colloidal oatmeal (oats ground into a fine powder) has been used for centuries to calm irritated skin, and it’s particularly effective for sunburn relief.
Research supports what traditional healers have long known—oatmeal contains anti-inflammatory compounds called avenanthramides that help reduce redness and irritation. It also creates a protective barrier that helps skin retain moisture, which is crucial for sunburn recovery.
How to Use It: An oatmeal bath provides whole-body relief for extensive sunburn. The Skinny Confidential offers detailed instructions for creating a soothing oatmeal bath that helps draw heat from the skin while providing anti-inflammatory benefits.
Interested in a soothing oatmeal bath for sunburn relief? Check out our recipe HERE.
3. Green and Black Tea: Tannin-Rich Relief
Both green and black teas contain tannins with impressive anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce the pain and redness of sunburn. The antioxidants in tea may also support skin healing.
How to Use It: As Women’s Health explains, brewing tea bags in water, allowing them to cool, and then applying them directly to sunburned areas can provide localized relief. For larger areas, brew a strong pot of tea, allow it to cool completely, and use it as a compress on affected skin.
4. Cucumber: Cooling Hydration
With a water content of approximately 96%, cucumber provides natural cooling and hydrating properties that can soothe sunburned skin on contact. It also contains vitamins and antioxidants that may support healing.
How to Use It: Blend chilled cucumber into a paste and apply directly to sunburned areas, or place thin cucumber slices on particularly painful spots. Sun Doctors recommends adding cucumber to a spray bottle with water for a refreshing cooling mist throughout the day.
5. Witch Hazel: The Traditional Soother
This traditional herbal remedy contains tannins that help reduce inflammation and swelling. It can also provide gentle relief from the sting of sunburn while potentially warding off bacteria.
How to Use It: Apply witch hazel with a soft cloth or cotton pad to sunburned areas several times a day. For enhanced cooling, TriCity Medical Center suggests storing your witch hazel in the refrigerator before application.
6. Essential Oils: Aromatic Healing (With Caution)
Certain essential oils, when properly diluted, can provide relief for sunburned skin. Lavender oil has long been used for its anti-inflammatory properties and may promote skin healing, while peppermint offers a cooling sensation along with anti-inflammatory benefits.
How to Use It: Essential oils must always be diluted with a carrier oil before applying to skin—especially sunburned skin which is more sensitive. Dr. Axe recommends a dilution of about 2 drops of essential oil per teaspoon of carrier oil like coconut or jojoba oil.
Safety Note: Never apply undiluted essential oils directly to sunburned skin, and always patch test diluted oils on unaffected skin first.
7. Baking Soda: pH Balancer
Baking soda helps restore proper pH balance to the skin while reducing inflammation and providing mild pain relief. It works by neutralizing acids and cooling the skin.
How to Use It: Add 1-2 cups of baking soda to a cool bath and soak for 15-20 minutes. Allina Health suggests that this simple remedy can help draw heat from the sunburn while providing relief from irritation.
DIY Natural Remedies For Sunburn Relief Recipes
While simple applications of the ingredients above can provide relief, combining them into specialized treatments can enhance their benefits. Here are two of my favorite DIY recipes that harness the power of multiple natural ingredients.
Cooling Aloe Vera Spray
This refreshing spray combines the healing power of aloe vera with the soothing properties of essential oils for a non-sticky, easily-applied sunburn treatment.
For detailed instructions and ingredient proportions, check out Flora Pothecarie’s DIY Soothing Non-Sticky After Sun Aloe Spray. Their recipe creates a mist that provides instant relief while allowing your skin to breathe and heal.
Key ingredients include:
- Aloe vera juice (not gel) for its healing properties
- Fractionated coconut oil for moisturization without heaviness
- Lavender essential oil for anti-inflammatory benefits
- Peppermint essential oil for cooling sensation
This spray can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two months, providing an extra cooling effect when applied to hot, sunburned skin.
Soothing Oatmeal Bath
For full-body sunburn relief, nothing beats a gentle oatmeal bath that surrounds irritated skin with anti-inflammatory compounds.
The table below provides a simple guide to creating your own soothing oatmeal bath: The Full DIY Oatmeal Bath Recipe Here
| Ingredients | Instructions |
|---|---|
|
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For more detailed instructions and variations, visit The Skinny Confidential’s guide to oatmeal baths for sunburn, which explores different additions and techniques for maximum relief.
Application Best Practices for Natural Remedies for Sunburn Relief
To get the most benefit from these natural remedies:
- Act quickly – Apply remedies as soon as you notice sunburn developing to minimize inflammation
- Cool first – Always start with cooling the skin using cool (not cold) water
- Be gentle – Pat or dab remedies onto affected skin—never rub sunburned areas
- Stay hydrated – Drink plenty of water to support your body’s healing processes
- Refrigerate remedies – Store your natural remedies in the refrigerator for enhanced cooling effects
- Reapply frequently – Natural remedies may need more frequent reapplication than commercial products
When Natural Remedies Aren’t Enough: Warning Signs
While natural remedies can provide significant relief for mild to moderate sunburns, severe sunburn requires medical attention. According to Healthline, you should seek medical care if you experience any of these symptoms:
- Severe blistering over large areas of the body
- Facial swelling that makes it difficult to open eyes
- Signs of infection (increased pain, swelling, warmth, red streaks, pus)
- Fever over 101°F (38°C)
- Chills or nausea
- Dizziness, confusion, or signs of dehydration
- No improvement after 2 days of home treatment
These symptoms may indicate severe sunburn that could lead to complications if not properly treated.
| Warning Sign | What It May Indicate |
|---|---|
| Severe blistering over large areas | Second-degree burn requiring medical assessment |
| Facial swelling/eyes swollen shut | Severe inflammatory response that may need medical management |
| Fever over 101°F (38°C) | Systemic inflammatory response or possible infection |
| Chills, nausea, or vomiting | Possible heat exhaustion or sun poisoning |
| Signs of infection (increased pain, warmth, pus, red streaks) | Secondary bacterial infection requiring antibiotics |
| Dizziness or confusion | Possible dehydration or heat stroke requiring immediate care |
| No improvement after 2 days | Potential complications or deeper damage than initially assessed |
Prevention: The Ultimate Natural Remedy
While these natural remedies can provide significant relief, the best approach to sunburn is prevention. As the American Academy of Dermatology emphasizes, protecting your skin from UV damage should always be your first priority.
Practical prevention strategies include:
- Using mineral-based sunscreens with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide
- Wearing protective clothing, wide-brimmed hats, and sunglasses
- Seeking shade during peak sun hours (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
- Reapplying sunscreen every two hours, or more frequently when swimming or sweating
Conclusion: Harnessing Nature’s Healing Power
Sunburn may be inevitable at times, but suffering doesn’t have to be. These natural remedies harness the healing power of plants and simple ingredients to provide relief while supporting your skin’s natural recovery processes.
By incorporating these gentle, chemical-free approaches to sunburn care, you’re not just treating symptoms—you’re providing your skin with beneficial compounds that work in harmony with your body.
Have you tried any of these natural remedies for sunburn relief? Do you have a family favorite passed down through generations? Share your experiences in the comments below!
