How to Use Essential Oils for a Sunburn

Summertime comes with BBQs, camping, swimming, and lake days. Unfortunately all of those activities also come with sunburns. If you’re anything like me, then you will be lobster red any day now. Since I learned how to use essential oils for a sunburn, I can find some much needed relief when it’s time to put a shirt back on my crunchy shoulders. Do yourself and your shoulder a favor this year and keep reading.

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Burn. Peel. Repeat Next Weekend.

From Memorial Day until Labor Day I can count on one thing for sure. Sunburns. I could use all of the sunscreen the world has to offer, but I would still get burnt. In college my saying was burn, peel, repeat next weekend. I spent lots of time at the lake with my dad and many hours in the pool while I babysat. It was like an eternal sunburn.

Now I spend time out in the garden and doing yard work, but the burn is the same. Sometimes I believe that if I think about the sun too hard, I’ll get burnt. Unlike in college, I’ve finally found relief. When I started this essential oil journey, I never expected them to be used for many things. I learned how to use essential oils for a sunburn and, oh boy, was that a game changer. Instead of being miserable and unwilling to wear a shirt, I found quick relief using the oils. Crazy enough when I started adding oils to the aloe vera gel, I would no longer peel. I still freckle instead of tan, but I don’t think there’s an oil for that.

I keep saying that one day my freckles will all come together to make one very uneven tan. A girl can hope anyways. Actually I love my freckles and wouldn’t change them if I could. My mom used to tell me that my freckles were angel kisses. If that’s the case, I am well loved!

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How to Use Essential Oils for a Sunburn

The easiest and most effective way to apply essential oils to a sunburn is by adding it into the aloe vera gel. The aloe vera helps to cool, moisturize and soothe a burn. The oils do the same things. It’s a double whammy when combined!

Revive Essential Oils has a blend called Sun Kissed. This blend works great on sunburns. I add a couple of drops to my hand whenever I apply aloe vera gel. If you haven’t tried Revive yet, you absolutely should. It’s not an MLM and there’s no need to “join” in order to make a purchase. Shipping is free and you can return an oil if you are not satisfied. Don’t take my word for this amazing Sun Kissed blend, try it out yourself!

If you don’t have the Sun Kissed blend, there are other oils you can combine to make your own sunburn relief blend. My favorite oil to use on a sunburn is peppermint. It feels amazing on the hot burn. It helps to take the heat out of the burn, which gets you feeling better sooner. Plus it immediately provides some cooling relief. Lavender is calming and can promote skin regeneration. Both of those sound good on a crunchy burn. Geranium helps to ease the nerves. In turn, this can help reduce the pain associated with a sunburn. If you’ve been around awhile, you will know that I use frankincense for anything skin related. It has so many beneficial properties that I always toss it in.

Whenever you apply aloe vera gel, simply add a couple drops of essential oils to your palm and massage them in with the gel. You can mix up the oils each time or just use whatever feels best. Peppermint may be the most helpful in those first couple of days. Once the heat is gone lavender or frankincense may be your prefered choice. Continue applying the oils with aloe vera gel or another moisturizer until the burn is completely gone. I typically go another couple of days just to make sure that I don’t peel.

Essential Oils for a Sunburn

Sun Kissed

Lavender

Peppermint

Frankincense

Geranium

Other Ways to Help Relieve a Sunburn

I have tried every tip and trick to get rid of a sunburn quickly and without peeling. I’ve found that sometimes it must simply run its course, there are things that I can do to help my body out.

As soon as I realize that I’m burnt, I place rags with cold tea on my burn. I’ll make up a jug of unsweet iced tea and use it solely for sunburns. It stays cool in the fridge until I’m ready for it. Several times a day after a burn, soak a towel or washcloth in the jug of tea. Place the tea soaked rag on your burn. Leave it for about 10 to 15 minutes, flipping it whenever it feels warm. This helps to take the heat out of the burn and cause it to turn into a tan instead of peeling. Follow this up with some aloe vera gel and essential oils.

When showering after a sunburn, try to take as cold of a shower as possible. This again will help to take the heat out of the burn. At the very end of the shower, slowly turn the water to cold. Once you find your cold threshold count to 30 while standing with the burn under the cold water. When you get out, pat yourself dry instead of rubbing. This is easier on your delicate skin. Make sure to follow up with some aloe vera gel and peppermint essential oil. Your skin will thank you.

When the heat is gone from the burn, try applying coconut oil. Coconut oil will moisturize the skin to reduce peeling. Make sure to add some lavender or frankincense too.