Lavender Oil for Sunburn with DIY Cooling Compress Recipe

Got sunburned? While it is best to avoid this from happening by using sunscreen during summer, if it does happen... try lavender oil for sunburns.

It is best to keep sunburned skin cool and moist, one way to do this is with a lavender cooling compress. The compress includes sweet almond oil and lavender oil, perfect for soothing, healing, and restoring skin.

What is Lavender Essential Oil Good For?

Lavender oil is a popular essential oil that has a variety of uses. It's derived from the lavender plant, and has a sweet, floral scent. Lavender oil is thought to be beneficial for physical and emotional health.

Some of the ways that lavender oil can be used include aromatherapy, massage therapy, and topical application. Research suggests that lavender oil may help improve sleep quality, reduce anxiety, and provide relief from pain.

Lavender Essential Oil for Sunburn

Here are several reasons to use lavender on burned skin:

• Burned skin is hot and tender to touch, lavender essential oil has healing effects that can help to soothe the pain and inflammation that comes with a sunburn.
• It has regenerative properties that promote new skin growth. Use lavender and tea tree mixed to gently cleanse sun damaged skin.
• Lavender will also keep the skin clean and reduce the risk of infection due to its antiseptic action.
• Try lavender and peppermint oil together for an even more powerful soothing blend.
• It has powerful anti-inflammatory properties that help to speed up skin healing.
• Use lavender with the carrier oil you have on hand, mix together, apply to sunburned skin.

More Essential Oils for Sunburns

While lavender essential oil is the top choice for sunburns, here are a few other essential oils for burns:

• Roman Chamomile essential oil
• Peppermint essential oil
• Tea Tree essential oil
• German Chamomile essential oil
• Geranium essential oil

Remember, if using essential oils in the sun, use caution with photosensitive oil. These oils can increase the skin's sensitivity to the sun.

Carrier Oils for Sunburns

If you've ever experienced a sunburn, you know that the pain and inflammation is no joke. While over-the-counter creams can help, they can also be expensive and full of chemicals. If you want to try something more natural, carrier oils are a great option.

Carrier oils are oils that are extracted from plants, and they have many healing properties. There are many carrier oils available, here are the best carrier oils for sunburns:

• Sweet Almond Oil
• Coconut Oil
• Avocado Oil
• Fractionated Coconut Oil

Aloe vera gel is also a great carrier for essential oils and sunburns. Try one of these carrier oils in this soothing skin blend below.

Skin Soothing Oil Blend

If you're like me, you enjoy using natural products on your skin whenever possible. Commercial skincare products can contain harsh chemicals that can do more harm than good in the long run. That's why I love making my own skin care blends at home using natural ingredients.

Pick one option below:

How to Make a Cooling Compress with Lavender Oil

Take the heat and sting out of a sunburn with an anti-inflammatory lavender cooling compress. Applying an ice-cold compress with healing oils after sun exposure can bring relief.

Cooling compresses also work well for bruises, insect stings and bites, headaches, swelling, and other injuries.

Ingredients for Lavender Oil Compress

• 6 drops Lavender Oil
• 1 teaspoon sweet almond oil
• Washcloth or towel
• Bowl with cold water
• Ice Cubes

How to Make Essential Oil Compress

Step 1: Fill the bowl with cold water and ice cubes.

Step 2: Blend 1 teaspoon sweet almond oil and 6 drops lavender essential oil together. Add oil blend to the bowl of water and ice.

Step 3: Soak the washcloth in the bowl to make a cooling compress. Remove the washcloth and squeeze out the excess water.

Step 4: Place compress on the sunburned area. Leave in place until it reaches body temperature.

Repeat step #3 & #4 a few times as needed.

You may want to use peppermint oil in the sunburn compress for the cool menthol affect. It is best to only use 3 drops of oil as it is a stronger essential oil. You can also use fractionated coconut oil as an alternative carrier oil.

When complete, follow up by applying aloe vera gel to the burned skin. Aloe vera gel is soothing and healing to sunburns, plus it keeps the skin moist.

I like to keep my aloe vera gel in the refrigerator, it improves the shelf life and it is also really refreshing when applied to sun-exposed skin. You may want to try Aloe Vera Gel Ice Cubes too.

Where to Buy Essential Oil?

I am frequently asked what essential oil brand we use at Loving Essential Oils.  We are not exclusive to one company and actually enjoy trying a variety of brands and essential oils. When buying oils it is important to buy only 100% pure essential oils from a reputable company. Don't just buy on price alone, research the company if you are not familiar with them.

Here are several reputable brands we use:

• Barefut Oils
• Rocky Mountain Oils
• Plant Therapy
• Spark Naturals
• Edens Garden
• Aromawest

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