As a redhead with a passion for the great outdoors, summer means a lot of conflicting feelings. On the one hand: Hooray! It’s warm, it’s sunny, and I get to hike and bird and lounge in the grass to my heart’s content. On the other hand: Oh no! It’s warm, it’s sunny, the grass itches and if my Irish skin isn’t sunburnt (and definitely clashing with my hair) it’s flushed and hot (and still clashing with my hair).
My personal bugaboo is sunburn: no matter how often I apply sunscreen, I always seem to wind up at least a little pink, and the negative effects of being burnt extend beyond an unfortunate color combo with my hair. When my skin is dry, painful and red, it becomes so much harder to keep up an active, fulfilling lifestyle.
However, I’m thrilled to report that my troubles surrounding the painful aftereffects of too much sun are behind me. A few years ago I was introduced to lavender essential oil as a sunburn helper, and it has revolutionized my relationship with summer.
I’ve had a lot of sunburns in my life, and I’ve tried a lot of different methods to care for my skin. Store-bought aloe vera doesn’t do a thing for me, and fresh aloe was a little more helpful, but never at hand when I needed it. Moisturizers help a bit with the pain and tightness, but my skin remains red and sensitive.
Lavender essential oil is in an entirely different class. A naturally occurring soothing substance, lavender is an after-sun must-have.
I’m excited to share my recipe for homemade lavender lotion with you below. But if you don't have time to make your own lotion, remember that adding lavender essential oil to your favorite non-scented, all-natural skin lotion will still bring you all the benefits. I hope that you find lavender essential oil to be a helper for your summer skin issues just like I did!
(It is important to note that lavender might help with the symptoms of sunburn but does not treat the deeper damage that UV light does to skin and DNA. To keep your skin looking healthy long-term and minimize the risk of skin cancer it’s important to avoid burning; use sunscreen, reapply regularly, wear clothes that cover your skin and stick to the shade when possible.)
Homemade Lavender Body Lotion:
- ½ cup shea butter
- ½ cup coconut oil
- ½ cup olive oil
- 30 drops Lavender Essential Oil
- Quart-sized mason jar or similar glass container
- Add the shea butter and coconut oil to the mason jar and set it into a pot with 2” of boiling water. Simmer until they are melted together. Remove from heat and cool.
- Add in the olive oil and Lavender and stir.
- Transfer to a bowl and use an electric mixer to whip until you get the consistency you want for your lotion. This can take up to 10 minutes.
- Pour back into the mason jar and store for up to 6 months.
- Apply liberally to any dry or over-sunned skin!
You can purchase Lavender Essential Oil in our Be Vivid You shop!
