If you get burned, don’t beat yourself up. Just find yourself a good aprés-sun routine. Here, we’ve named five of the best natural remedies for sunburn relief: skin tested and derm-approved: Those skin-soothing properties make oatmeal a well-rounded natural sunburn reliever. After all, not everyone experiences red skin when it comes to sunburns; those with darker skin tones may not notice any redness, but they still experience other symptoms of burns (like heat, skin sensitivity, and itchiness). Oatmeal can help relieve all those symptoms and then some, providing soothing relief and ultra-hydration. (To enhance those benefits even further, Ciraldo also suggests brewing an oatmeal bath to cover more surface area and spur even better hydration.) A simple cold cloth does the job just fine, but feel free to chill your skin care products for a one-two punch. Toss those items in the fridge for a hot minute, and they’ll give you a nice cooling sensation post-sun. Just make sure your products are chilled, not frigid: A too-cold sensation can shock the skin and actually cause broken capillaries after the sunburn subsides. If you really want to take the relief up a notch, try tossing a few green tea bags into your bath (minding water temperature, of course). “Adding green tea bags to a cool bath can help a sunburn because of its anti-inflammatory properties, which can help calm and soothe inflamed skin,” she tells us about sunburn relief. And according to Kelcie Harris, N.D., licensed naturopathic physician, Manuka honey’s anti-inflammatory properties can help “pull fluid out of tissues4 and decrease swelling.” All of which can help an angry, inflamed sunburn start to ebb. And in terms of the relief itself, Manuka honey has a soothing, gentle texture—you’ll be able to feel its anti-inflammatory effects as you slather on, knowing it’s doing the work at the molecular level.
