DIY After-Sun Spray
In Summer, as we spend more of our time in the sunshine we need to listen to the needs of our skin as it adjusts to the season. Our skin is exposed to intense sunshine, dripping humidity and intense dry heat.
This recipe is quick to make, cooling and soothing on your skin after spending time in the sun, especially those long beach days or weekend bushwalks. However, prevention is always best and applying a mineral-based sun protection is the best skin-care for sunny days.
Using a blend of essential oils, facial oil, hydrosols, toner and aloe gel, this rehydrates, moisturizes and repairs damage to the skin.
You can get creative with your own blend of these, just making sure to keep those essential oils diluted as they can irritate skin in high amounts:
Essential oils: Peppermint, Lavender, Spearmint, Chamomile 3%
Hydrosols: Old Man Saltbush, Rose, Chamomile, Lemon Myrtle, Calendula, Green Tea, Cucumber
Oil: Fractionated Coconut oil, Carrot seed oil, Helichrysum oil
A note on the benefits of each plant in after-sun skin-care:
Peppermint: With its high menthol content, it has an instant cooling effect on sun-stressed and irritated skin.
Spearmint: This is a gentler option for people with sensitive skin, kids or pregnant folk.
Lavender: Soothing and calming, lavender has potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and tissue-regenerating properties.
Chamomile: Rich in flavonoids and terpenoids, chamomile soothes irritated skin. It helps to repair the skin barrier and promotes the natural healing process, minimizing damage after sun exposure.
Old Man Saltbush: Which its high antioxidant activity, its mineral richness (magnesium, zinc, calcium, selenium) and high beta-carotene content, this my favourite after-sun skin damage prevention, moisture and skin barrier rehydration and, skin repair.
Rose: An all-round useful plant in skin-care, Rose soothes irritated skin through its anti-inflammatory properties, draws in and helps retain moisture and reduces oxidative stress due to its polyphenol and vitamin content.
Lemon Myrtle: Reduces inflammation and redness and helps neutralize free radicals after UV exposure.
Calendula: By modulating inflammatory pathways, calendula is affective in treating sunburns. It protects against damaging by neutralizing due to ist flavonoids, carotenoids content. Calendula also aids in tissue-regeneration and promotes natural healing as well as skin barrier hydration.
Green Tea: Helps reduce sunburn severity, damage after sun exposure and stimulates new skin cell growth.
Cucumber: Its caffeic acid and vitamin C are anti-inflammatory to irritation and redness. With a high moisture and mineral (potassium, silica) content, cucumber is naturally cooling and promotes the rehydrations and repair of the skin barrier.
Fractionated coconut oil: Absorbing quickly, coconut oil assists in deep hydration, neutralizing free radicals and its medium-chain fatty acids soothe skin irritation.
Carrot seed oil: An all-rounder, carrot seed oil is anti-inflammatory soothing and reducing redness, it promotes cell regeneration and helps repair skin. Rich in beta-carotene and vitamin E, it helps fight free radicals. This oil is also hydrating and moisturizing to dry skin.
Helichrysum oil: These everlastings contain flavonoids, terpenoids and acetophenones that protect against oxidative stress and reduce inflammation. It promotes collagen production and skin regeneration.
Witchhazel: A potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, it also enhances the skin barrier function.
Soothing After-Sun Spray
1tbsp fractionated coconut oil
30 drops lavender (Lavendula augustifolia) essential oil
10 drops peppermint (Mentha x piperita) essential oil
3 tbsp hydrosol of Old Man Salt Bush (Atriplex nummularia)
1 tbsp Witchhazel (Hamamelis virginiana) extract available at your local pharmacy
2 tbsp aloe gel
200ml bottle with spray nozzle
Directions
Combine the coconut oil and essential oils in the bottle and stir or shake to mix well. For adults, use up to 40 drops of essential oil to make a 2% dilution. For children, omit peppermint essential oil and reduce lavender essential oil to 20 drops for a 1% dilution.
Add aloe gel, hydrosol, and vinegar and stir or shake to mix well.
Label and store in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks before making a fresh batch.
Shake well before each use, and spray evenly over skin.