Hello, fellow plant lovers! Welcome back to our cozy little corner of the internet, where we believe in the power of nature and the joy of growing things.
Now, you’ve probably heard a lot about sun care, and we all know that big sunscreen brands love to tout their formulas. But let’s take a step back, shall we?
It’s time to talk about a different type of sun care. Picture this: you, in your very own home, nurturing beautiful, green, indoor plants. But wait! They’re not just good to look at. They can also be used as natural remedies to keep your skin healthy after getting out of the sun! Sounds wonderful, right?
Below, we list seven indoor plants you can grow and use for after-sun skin care (plus a DIY recipe to treat sunburns that’s super easy to make ).
Before we list them, let’s get a reminder of how the sun impacts your skin so you know why you should protect it.
How is the Sun Affecting Your Skin?
Well, we love the sun and the Vitamin D we get from it, but too much of a good thing can be harmful. Sunburns hurt, but more importantly, they can cause serious damage to your skin over time. Even overexposure that does not result in a burn can cause problems in the long run without proper protection.
The sun emits two types of harmful rays: UVA and UVB.
UVA rays can prematurely age our skin, causing wrinkles and age spots, while UVB rays are responsible for sunburns and play the greatest role in causing skin cancer [1]. No thank you! So, protecting your skin from these damaging effects is a must.
The best care is always prevention. So try and use an all-natural sun protectant every day if possible. But if you or your kiddos do get a bit too much sun, nature has provided us with some pretty awesome remedies.
What Are Common Remedies Using Plants to Treat Sunburn and Other Sun-Related Skin Ailments?
Each plant is different in the best ways to extract its most potent properties for skin care. You need to learn about the plants to discover these methods (Hint: we provided some of the best applications for sun care treatment using the 7 indoor plants in our list below).
But some common applications include the following:
- Salves
- Teas used to make a compress or bath
- Extracting the oil from the plant, mixing it into a carrier oil, and applying it to the affected area
- In some cases, applying the plant directly to the affected area
7 Indoor Plants For Natural After-Sun Care and Burns
These are some regular, easy-to-grow indoor plants that can work wonders for your skin.
Plus, caring for indoor plants can be quite fun and therapeutic. You don’t need a big garden; even a sunny windowsill will do!
Now, let’s meet our skincare heroes:
1. Aloe Vera
Known as the ‘burn plant’ due to its exceptional skin-soothing properties, aloe vera is packed with vitamins, enzymes, and antioxidants that help with healing and inflammation [2].
Simply break off a leaf and apply the gel directly to your sunburned skin for quick relief. It’s like your very own, ready-to-use soothing gel factory!
2. Lavender
A staple in many natural skincare routines, lavender is widely loved for its anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. It may help reduce redness, inflammation, and pain associated with sunburn [3].
If you’re growing lavender, you can infuse its flowers in a carrier oil like olive or coconut to create your own lavender oil.
It’s a wonderfully calming addition to your DIY after-sun lotion or a relaxing bath.
3. Chamomile
This gentle herb isn’t just for tea; it has natural anti-inflammatory and antiseptic agents [4]. Brew a strong chamomile tea and once cooled, you can apply it to your sunburned skin using a clean cloth for a calming compress. Or add it to your bath water for an all-over skin-soothing soak.
4. Peppermint
The cooling sensation you get from peppermint is a quick relief for hot, sunburned skin. It may be used to soothe inflammation, irritation, and increase wound healing [5]. You can brew a strong peppermint tea and use it as a cool compress.
Or infuse peppermint leaves in a carrier oil to make your own peppermint oil, which you can apply directly to the skin to potentially ease pain.
5. Rosemary
This common culinary herb is also a skincare hero with its strong antiseptic and antioxidant properties. A recent study has found that rosemary also has properties that may protect you from UV rays when you are outside soaking up the sun [6].
For treatment, make a strong rosemary tea and use it as a rinse or compress for sunburned skin, or infuse its leaves for a soothing oil. You might also make it into a salve and use it topically. Rosemary may help stimulate wound healing to repair damage to the skin.
6. Calendula
This bright and beautiful plant has long been used in traditional medicine for its wound healing and anti-inflammatory properties [7]. Due to its analgesic properties, it may also offer pain relief!
You can infuse its flowers in a carrier oil to make a calming calendula oil for sunburn relief. Or make a strong tea for a soothing bath or compress.
7. Green Tea Plant (Camellia Sinensis)
Rich in polyphenols, recent studies suggest green tea may help protect your skin from UV radiation just by drinking it! [8] And it may help soothe sunburns. It contains tannic acid and theobromine which may relieve pain and heal damaged skin.
You can brew a strong pot, let it steep for an hour, and then apply it to your skin with a clean cloth. Or simply add the cooled tea to your bath water for a skin-soothing soak.
Some General Safety Tips
Remember, these plants are generally safe for topical use, but everyone’s skin is different. Always test any new remedy on a small patch of skin first.
And of course, while these remedies can help soothe and heal sunburned skin, nothing beats prevention. So be sure to protect your skin from the sun by seeking shade, wearing protective clothing, and using safe and effective sunscreen.
After-Sun Skin Soothing Lotion Recipe:
Growing these plants at home means you always have fresh, all-natural remedies right at your fingertips!
And now, let’s get to the best part: making your very own, 100% natural, after-sun skin-soothing lotion.
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup Aloe Vera gel (straight from your plant)
- 15 drops of Lavender essential oil
Steps for Making A Natural After-Sun Care Remedy:
1. Clip off a few pieces of your aloe plant and scoop the gel into a small jar (about a ¼ cups worth).
2. Add the lavender essential oil to the jar and mix it into the gel.
3. Apply the mixture to minor burns and sunburns.
**Note: Keep in a cool dark place for up to 6 months to a year
And voila! You’ve just made a totally natural, homemade, after-sun lotion. You can rest easy knowing that you’re applying only natural and safe ingredients to you and your family’s skin.
In Conclusion…
Isn’t it wonderful that you can grow your own skincare remedies right at home? It’s an all natural formula for your family to use, but it’s also better for our planet by minimizing product packaging.
So, what are you waiting for? Start exploring the world of indoor gardening and natural skincare.
We’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences. Drop us a comment below and let us know any plants you grow for your sun skin care needs.
Until next time!
-KC
Disclaimer
The materials and the information contained on the TriGardening Blog are provided for general and educational purposes only and do not constitute any legal, medical or other professional advice on any subject matter. None of the information on our blog is a substitute for a diagnosis and treatment by your health professional. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers prior to starting any new diet or treatment and with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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Resources:
[1] https://uihc.org/health-topics/what-difference-between-uva-and-uvb-rays
[2] Atiba A, Abdo W, Ali E, Abd-Elsalam M, Amer M, Abdel Monsef A, Taha R, Antar S, Mahmoud A. Topical and oral applications of Aloe vera improve healing of deep second-degree burns in rats via modulation of growth factors. Biomarkers. 2022 Sep;27(6):608-617. doi: 10.1080/1354750X.2022.2085800. Epub 2022 Jun 29. PMID: 35734963.
[3] Silva GL, Luft C, Lunardelli A, Amaral RH, Melo DA, Donadio MV, Nunes FB, de Azambuja MS, Santana JC, Moraes CM, Mello RO, Cassel E, Pereira MA, de Oliveira JR. Antioxidant, analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of lavender essential oil. An Acad Bras Cienc. 2015 Aug;87(2 Suppl):1397-408. doi: 10.1590/0001-3765201520150056. Epub 2015 Aug 4. PMID: 26247152.
[4] Lin TK, Zhong L, Santiago JL. Anti-Inflammatory and Skin Barrier Repair Effects of Topical Application of Some Plant Oils. Int J Mol Sci. 2017 Dec 27;19(1):70. doi: 10.3390/ijms19010070. PMID: 29280987; PMCID: PMC5796020.
[5] Amirzade-Iranaq MH, Tajik M, Takzaree A, Amirmohammadi M, Rezaei Yazdi F, Takzaree N. Topical Mentha piperita Effects on Cutaneous Wound Healing: A Study on TGF-β Expression and Clinical Outcomes. World J Plast Surg. 2022 Mar;11(1):86-96. doi: 10.52547/wjps.11.1.86. PMID: 35592219; PMCID: PMC9018027.
[6] de Macedo LM, Santos ÉMD, Militão L, Tundisi LL, Ataide JA, Souto EB, Mazzola PG. Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L., syn Salvia rosmarinus Spenn.) and Its Topical Applications: A Review. Plants (Basel). 2020 May 21;9(5):651. doi: 10.3390/plants9050651. PMID: 32455585; PMCID: PMC7284349.
[7] Shahane K, Kshirsagar M, Tambe S, Jain D, Rout S, Ferreira MKM, Mali S, Amin P, Srivastav PP, Cruz J, Lima RR. An Updated Review on the Multifaceted Therapeutic Potential of Calendula officinalis L. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2023 Apr 18;16(4):611. doi: 10.3390/ph16040611. PMID: 37111369; PMCID: PMC10142266.
[8] Di Sotto A, Gullì M, Percaccio E, Vitalone A, Mazzanti G, Di Giacomo S. Efficacy and Safety of Oral Green Tea Preparations in Skin Ailments: A Systematic Review of Clinical Studies. Nutrients. 2022 Jul 30;14(15):3149. doi: 10.3390/nu14153149. PMID: 35956325; PMCID: PMC9370301.