Now that summer is in full swing in many parts of the world, we bring you some natural solutions to protect your precious skin from the sun’s harmful rays.
Good natural filters include wheat germ and sesame oils, which filter around 55% of UV rays, olive and coconut oils (25%) and grapeseed and castor oils (19%). Wheat germ oil can also help get rid of sunspots from the face and and reddening.
Recipe for DIY Sunscreen:
1 tablespoon beeswax or emulsifying wax
1/4 cup coconut, almond, wheat germ or sesame oil
5 teaspoons pure zinc oxide
1/2 glass water or 1 glass green tea
3 tablespoons aloe vera gel
Optional: 10 drops of extract of grapefruit seed, coconut or vanilla or essential oil for fragrance. Avoid citrus oils as they can cause burning.
Heat the wax over a double boiler until it melts, then remove from the heat, add the oil and transfer to a bowl. Add the zinc oxide powder, taking care not to inhale it. Heat the water or green tea together with the aloe vera separately, then add them to the wax mixture, stirring vigorously. Add any extracts or essential oils for fragrance, if using. The cream should be stored somewhere cool and dry.
Despite taking precautions, if you end up getting burnt, here are some “grandmother’s remedies” to sooth burnt skin:
Among the best known products is shea butter. If used in the evening, with the addition of a drop of essential lavender oil, this refreshing product can reduce skin redness.
To make a simple anti-redness emulsion, mix 50 grams of extra-virgin olive oil with 50 grams of lemon juice. Every time it’s needed, just shake the container and then sprinkle the mixture on the skin.
Finally, lettuce leaves have surprising anti-inflammatory properties, as does chamomile, which facilitates the skin’s metabolism, contributing to the regeneration of the dermis. Just prepare an infusion and apply it with cold compresses. True lavender, tea tree and eucalyptus can also soothe inflammation and encourage the regeneration of damaged tissue.