How to Make Your Own After-Sun Lotion at Home

With summer quickly approaching, a good after-sun lotion is becoming a priority for a lot of us. Once you hit the beach, you may find that those first few rays leave you looking a little pink instead of sexily bronzed. If you have sensitive skin or you tend to burn easily, knowing how to make a soothing lotion at home can be a real lifesaver. Commercially-produced products do work, but if you make your own, you’ll likely avoid some of the added chemicals that are often used in mass-produced products.

Ingredients:

15ml comfrey root (dried)

250ml water

15ml beeswax

185ml avocado oil

30ml liquid lecithin

15ml cocoa butter

10ml vitamin E

60ml aloe vera gel or juice

5ml borax

15 drops lavender oil

Step 1: Start by making a comfrey root extract by adding the root to the distilled water and letting it boil. Turn down the heat once it reaches boiling point and then allow the ingredients to simmer together for half an hour. Take the mixture off the heat and allow it to cool down. It’s also best to strain it to get rid of the solids.

Step 2: It’s best to use a double boiler to make the oil base for the after-sun lotion, but you could do it using a regular pot and container, just like when you melt chocolate. Mix the avocado oil, liquid lecithin, cocoa butter and beeswax together and let it melt down over a low heat.

Step 3: Add in the vitamin E oil once the oil mixture has been taken off the heat. If you’re using capsules, four should be sufficient. Just puncture the gel capsules and squeeze out the contents.

Step 4: Mix together the aloe vera gel and the comfrey-root infusion and heat it over a low head while adding the borax. Keep stirring the mixture to ensure that the borax has dissolved completely and then allow the mixture to cool down.

Step 5: Pour the oil mixture into the water mixture while whisking it with a handheld blender or whisk. Once the mixture has a creamy consistency, add the lavender essential oil to finish the after-sun lotion.

This type of lotion is best stored in a glass container or jar, and should also be kept in the fridge to make it last longer. If stored properly, this lotion should last for up to three months, but if you choose to store it at room temperature, you should still see it last for around four weeks or more.

The ingredients in this lotion all work together to soften and soothe sunburned skin. The lecithin softens while the comfrey infusion helps to fight inflammation and aging. The lotion also contains a potent antioxidant, because of the added Vitamin E, so it helps preserve the lotion while promoting healing. Propolis is another helpful ingredient and this comes from beeswax. It’s an antibiotic and also helps the skin to retain moisture. Aloe vera also helps to soothe and may promote healing of sunburned skin.