If you're prone to sunburn, you know how important it is to have a good after-sun lotion to soothe red and sunburned skin. Store-bought products are without a doubt great, but the added chemicals may not be the best thing. A homemade lotion is also more likely to provide your skin with extra nourishment.
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon dried comfrey root (2 tablespoons if fresh)
- 1 cup water (distilled is best)
- 1 tablespoon beeswax
- 3/4 cup almond oil
- 2 tablespoons liquid lecithin
- 1 tablespoon cocoa butter
- 4 vitamin E capsules
- 4 tablespoons aloe vera gel
- 1 teaspoon borax
- 15 drops lavender essential oil
Method:
- Add the comfrey root to the distilled water and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat, cover the pot, and let it simmer for approximately 30 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, let the liquid cool, and strain it to remove the solids.
- Use a double boiler to make the oil base for the lotion, and mix together the beeswax, almond oil, liquid lecithin, and cocoa butter. Heat this mixture until the butter and wax have melted down completely, and then take it off the heat.
- Open the vitamin E capsules by cutting them with a small craft knife or piercing them with a pin, and gently squeeze out the contents into the oil base. Stir the mixture to incorporate the vitamin E oil.
- Use a small pot or saucepan and mix the comfrey root infusion and aloe vera gel. Heat this over a low heat and add the borax. Stir the mixture until the borax powder has dissolved completely. Allow both the water and oil mixtures to cool until they reach room temperature.
- Pour the oil mixture into the water mixture while stirring it with a spoon or a handheld whisk. Last, add the lavender oil and stir the lotion thoroughly to incorporate the essential oil.
- It's best to store the lotion in a sterilized glass container, and it should be stored in the refrigerator to extend its life. If it's stored in the refrigerator, it could last for up to three months, but it should still last for approximately four weeks if unrefrigerated.
The liquid lecithin helps soften the skin, and comfrey root helps fight inflammation and aging of the cells. Vitamin E preserves the lotion and also helps heal the skin. Beeswax contains propolis, which is a natural antibiotic, and helps prevent moisture loss. Aloe vera gel helps heal wounds or burns and soothes sunburned skin.
