Looking for sunburn relief? This soothing after-sun lotion is exactly what you need! It is made with moisturizing coconut oil, aloe vera gel, and essential oils that will leave your skin soft and cool.

Summer is my favorite season, hands down. I love getting the kids outside and soaking up all that vitamin D. We spend most of the warm sunny days outside all day long. Most of the time, I lather the kids up in my homemade sunscreen and put hats on them, but sometimes I forget about myself. Or we get a little too much sun. This after-sun lotion works perfectly for soothing that sun-kissed skin.

Whether we are at the beach or on a float trip, having this sunburn cream on hand is a must. It is made with all-natural ingredients that can soothe sunburned skin.

The ingredients will moisturize the skin and can help it to heal faster. Using a DIY after sun spray or lotion can help the skin from peeling too.

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BEST LOTION FOR SUNBURN

Making your own lotion is much easier than you might think. All you really need to do is melt ingredients in a double boiler; you can make your own by placing a glass bowl over a pot of boiling water, let it cool and then whip it up with a hand mixer.

When you make your sunburn cream, you ensure that the ingredients you are using are safe for your skin and your children’s skin. This recipe shares many of the same ingredients as my homemade whipped body butter and homemade lotion bars, but with added aloe vera gel. Aloe vera is known for its amazing properties for sunburned skin, so I had to add that in.

All you will need for this after sun lotion is coconut oil, beeswax, cocoa butter, olive oil, pure aloe vera gel, and essential oils. The essential oils are optional, but I find peppermint oil to be very cooling on sun-kissed skin.

AFTER SUN LOTION INGREDIENTS

COCONUT OIL

Coconut oil is so amazing for the skin and it is found in almost all of my skincare products. It is great for making lotion because it can be melted and reharden; it is the perfect consistency for homemade lotions and salves.

Coconut oil is a natural antibacterial, anti-fungal, and excellent moisturizer for dry skin. It may help reduce itching and peeling that is associated with sunburned skin.

BEESWAX

Beeswax is another one of those ingredients that you will want to have on hand when you start making your own skincare products. Not only does it have amazing benefits for the skin, but it also helps to thicken and give homemade lotion the correct consistency.

With it’s antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties, this ingredient can be very helpful for sunburned, chapped, or dry skin. It forms a protective wall by sealing moisture in the skin without clogging up the pores.

COCOA BUTTER

Cocoa butter is the fat that comes from cocoa beans, and it smells absolutely delicious, in my opinion. Cocoa butter naturally moisturizes the skin and heals dry, chapped skin. It makes the after sun lotion smell so good!

OLIVE OIL

Olive oil can do wonders for peeling, red, sunburned skin. In fact, if you have nothing else, you can use straight olive oil to help with sunburned skin. Rub a thin layer of olive oil over the area of concern and let it soak into the skin. It can help to reduce pain and peeling.

PURE ALOE VERA GEL

Aloe has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and moisturizing properties. It has been used as a natural sunburn remedy for many years.

Studies have shown that aloe can help heal damaged skin and wounds because it improves blood circulation. Aloe can improve collagen production and prevent cell death around a wound. Using aloe will keep the skin moist, which will keep it protected.

It is best to use aloe vera gel rather than aloe vera liquid. The liquid is more intended for internal use. Whereas, the gel is known to be better for skin imperfections.

ESSENTIAL OILS

My favorite essential oil for sun-kissed skin is peppermint. Other mint oils like wintergreen and spearmint can be used too. All of these essential oils can have a nice cooling effect on the skin.

It is important to dilute essential oils before applying them topically; adding them to this lotion will make them diluted and safe to use.

HOW TO MAKE LOTION

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup coconut oil
1 tablespoon beeswax
1 tablespoon cocoa butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup pure aloe vera gel
10 drops peppermint essential oil

INSTRUCTIONS

Add the coconut oil, beeswax, cocoa butter, and olive oil to a double boiler. Melt over medium heat.
Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool. It will harden slightly, but shouldn’t be firm. This will take a few hours. You can put the bowl in the refrigerator to speed up the process.
Add in the aloe vera gel slowly while mixing with a hand mixer.
Add in essential oil and continue to mix until aloe vera gel is completely mixed into the oils and wax.
Store in an airtight container.

HOW TO USE AFTER SUN LOTION

When your skin is dry, cracked, red, or sunburned, massage a small amount of the lotion into the area of concern. Let it soak into the skin and add more if needed. You can use this lotion often to soothe skin.

TIPS FOR MAKING ALL-NATURAL LOTION

Make sure the aloe vera gel is room temperature. If you typically store it in the refrigerator, measure out one cup and set it out before making the lotion.

If you are using a bar of beeswax, you can cut it into small chunks or shred it with a cheese grater to make measuring one tablespoon easier. Or you can use beeswax pellets.

Don’t add the essential oils until the mixture is completely cooled; this will preserve the therapeutic properties.

Add the aloe vera slowly to make mixing it into the oils and wax easier.

Be sure to check out my new sunscreen lotion bar recipe. It’s a great easy application sunscreen.