As we come into the season of sunshine and outdoor adventure, it’s important to be aware of sun exposure and protecting the skin from the damaging effects of UV rays. In a previous blog post we discussed sunscreen and provided a link to the Environmental Working Group’s sunscreen guide.
Although we know that sunscreen plays a vital role in protecting the largest organ of the body – the skin! – from the free-radical damage caused by the sun’s rays, we may still unintentionally experience a sunburn from time to time.
Cold Lavender Compress
Luckily there are natural herbal remedies to relieve the pain of overheated skin, and the Cold Lavender Compress is a quick and easy treatment.
The herbal compress is a simple, time-honored treatment for different types of injuries such as a sprain or laceration, and common maladies such as headache and sunburn. It is easily made with hot or cold water, an appropriate herb in fresh, dried or tincture form, and a natural cloth such as a piece of flannel or cotton washcloth.
Directions
Gather:
- a piece of natural cloth
- ¼ cup of dried lavender or ½ cup fresh lavender or 1 tsp of lavender tincture
- a bowl of ice
- 2 cups of water in a saucepan
- Bring the 2 cups of water to a boil and then remove from heat.
- If using fresh or dried lavender, add it to the hot water, cover with a lid and steep for 15 minutes. Pour the herbal solution through a strainer into a big mixing bowl. Discard the lavender. Add ice to the hot herbal solution until temperature becomes cold.
- If using lavender tincture, simply add 1 tsp to a bowl of 2 cups of ice water and mix well.
- Soak cloth in the cold lavender solution, wring out, and apply to sunburned skin. Leave on for 20 minutes. Remove for 10 minutes, then reapply cold compress. Repeat 3 times a day.