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Looking for sunburn relief? This soothing DIY 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.
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.
I love to use this ingredient as it 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 vera is used in almost all after-sun lotions. You can read more about the benefits of aloe vera for the face here.
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.
Soothing After Sun Lotion
Equipment
- Double Boiler
Ingredients
- ½ 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, and cocoa butter 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.
My aloe Vera separated a little bit ,is that ok?
What is the shelf life of this lotion? Thank you for the wonderful recipes ♡
It is good for up to 6 months.
Hello, how long is this lotion good for? Can I make a big batch and use it all summer long?
Thanks
Good up to 6 months.
I tried to make this lotion but has split since I added the aloe Vera gel. The only substitute I used was shea butter and added a tiny bit of vitamin E. At the moment, I’m using my kitchen aid with the whip attachment to see if prolonged whipping will work. Any recommendations? Thanks!
What is the shelf life of this lotion?
hi, can I use aloe vera straight from the plant instead of the aloe vera gel?
Yes, you can!
Hi,
Looks like my question posted a week ago has disappeared, so will ask again.
As the recipe uses Aloe Vera Gel (alternative to water), do you not require to preserve the product?
Thanks
You can add vitamin E oil for a natural preservative to make it last longer. Or you can store it in the refrigerator to extend shelf life. Hope that helps!