Most people know how long they can stay in the sun, when to don the sunscreen and when it’s simply time to head indoors. Of course, sunburns may still occur from time to time, which can be painful and uncomfortable.
The best thing to do is to prevent sunburn since it increases your risk of skin cancer. One way you can prevent sunburn is to eat the right diet, ensuring you get plenty of protective antioxidants and healthy fats.
Certain foods also act as an internal sunscreen, protecting you from the damaging rays of the sun. Using coconut oil on the skin may also help you naturally protect skin from the sun as well.
Unfortunately, no matter what you do and how experienced you are at protecting yourself from the sun, a sunburn may still occur. Whether you’re outside trying to get a little bit of a tan or simply relaxing by the pool trying to beat the heat, you may end up with a sunburn.
The good news is that you can heal the sunburn and relieve the pain and discomfort. In fact, instead of turning to over the counter remedies that include chemicals, you can make your own natural, DIY remedy at home.
The great thing about this easy to make remedy is that it should take away most of the stinging from the burn in minutes. The next day, you should notice that most of the burn is gone as well.
You’ll Need:
- Clean washcloth
- Raw apple cider vinegar
- Organic coconut oil
Heal your sunburn overnight in just 2 steps:
- Start by using some cold water to wet your soft washcloth. Then, add a bit of the apple cider vinegar to the cloth. Use it to dab the vinegar on all of the skin affected by the sunburn.
Ensure that your skin is well soaked with the apple cider vinegar, and in just seconds, you should notice that the stinging and burning goes away. It feels amazing, and you’ll be surprised at how fast this works.
Allow skin to be dry, which should only take a few minutes. Ensure skin is thoroughly dry before the next step.
- Now, you’re ready to use the organic coconut oil. Use some of the oil, applying it liberally to the skin that has been sunburned. Since coconut oil is solid at room temperature, you’ll find that it will slather on your skin just like a thick lotion.
You’ll notice the results of the coconut oil when you wake up the next day.
- The skin will look much better and you shouldn’t have any pain. You should continue to slather on coconut oil once or twice a day for a couple more days to help the skin heal.
It will also contribute to deal with the peeling that usually occurs after a sunburn. You can exfoliate the skin using the oil and then lubricate it, helping it to heal.
- This natural remedy works well for mild to medium sunburns, offering immediate results when it comes to the pain and stinging. The next day you shouldn’t even notice much redness and the sting won’t come back.
However, you can always use the apple cider vinegar the next day for good measure before adding more coconut oil to your skin. You’ll eliminate the burn and turn it into a tan without damaging your skin.
Give this remedy a try next time you get a little too crispy from the sun, and say goodbye to that burn!
Hi I am currently trying this right now, do I was the oil off before bed or do I leave it on? Jist wondering because I don’t want my sheets to get all oily haha
Wash it off***
I usually get a really bad sunburn at least once a season, we just had our first 90 degree day I. FL and you guessed it.. I burned BAD! Lol. I came across this remedy and figured I’d give it a try. IT WORKS!! I had good results overnight but the burn was severe so I took a cool shower and re-applied the next morning and by the evening the majority of my burn was healed and tan. There were a couple places like my back I couldn’t reach as good and that burned worse that are taking longer but nowhere near how bad I’ve had it in the past… if u get burned, try this!!
I got a bad sunburn yesterday and I went to buy the ingredients and I’m waiting to apply the coconut oil as we speak. I will say I do feel a huge difference in the stinging going away.
Mam plz tell some easy n quick tips to get rid of sun tan on foot… It looks very uneven as my flip flops strap has left a mark n now skin on foot has tanned n the flip flop marks are fair… Plz suggest
I love this. I am burned so bad right now, but I used the apple cider vinegar which helps to take the stinging and the pain to a dull roar, then I put the coconut oil on after the vinegar completely absorbs. I woke up this morning, still in pain, but my skin wasnt dry and itchy, and I was able to sleep all night comfortably with the covers on. I just put apply cider vinegar on and some coconut oil. Love it. It’s making this so much more tolerable.
This worked great for me. I paired it with a cool Epsom salt (2 cups) and baking soda (1 cup) bath and added lavender and eucalyptus oils to my coconut oil. The ACV really helped!
hi FancyFrog,
Thanks for the update 🙂
How long do I leave the coconut oil on for. Will I have to take a shower the next day to wash it off?
Hi Emily,
You can leave coconut oil in your hair for 1 hour or more, if you have time, you can leave it overnight and wash/rinse it off the next morning with your regular shampoo and conditioner.
Does it have to be organic apple cider vinegar. I have apple cider vinegar but it’s just the cheap stuff from Walmart. I bought it to get rid if gnats but I have an awful sunburn that needs tending to.
@Julie,
You can try that one you have right now, but I recommend using the “Bragg’s brand” apple cider vinegar – the one with the “mother”.
I just used the apple cider vinegar and within minutes the swelling went down on my sunburn and my medium burn on my legs quit stinging thank god! My shoulders wich are burned pretty bad still hurt but it definitely made a difference and reduced the swelling on both my legs and shoulders. Thank you for this fix!!!!!!!!! I’ve been in pain for two days and the aloe gel stuff i bought hasn’t helped in the least though I have applied it about 4× a day. So thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
@Holly,
Thank you for keeping us posted, I really appreciate it. Calleigh 🙂
This was great Thanks!! I actually have these items in my home at all times, I use them daily. I had already used the coconut oil the night before, so I just did the ACV first. Thanks for the tip