Sun Daze: Herbal Recipes for After-Sun Care

After a day spent out in the sun there are a variety of plant allies and remedies we can reach for to help us cool down, rehydrate, and nourish our skin. 

I present these remedies as an addition to all the ways we can be smart in the sun - from covering up to seeking the shade, staying hydrated, and limiting our time in the heat during the hottest parts of the day. As you think about ways to take care of yourself after a hot day, I hope you're inspired to learn more about and support initiatives throughout our cities and neighborhoods such as the need to grow shade, promote heat-island reducing public spaces and transportation, and build housing that breathes in the heat. There are a lot of simple and effective ways of cooling our communities if we continue to be noisy about demanding them.

Big Important Note: The following recipes are not treatments for serious sun exposure like heatstroke or sunburn and you should always seek appropriate medical care. Practicing useful herbalism is knowing when to seek assistance from other medical providers and biomedical treatments. Stay cool, friends!

image via @hdhuong233

Rose Water

This recommendation is not a recipe, but a type of remedy known as a hydrosol. Hydrosols, sometimes known as floral waters, are through a process of steam distillation with fresh flowers and leaves. Rose Water is one of the most well-known kinds of hydrosols, but hydrosols can be made from most any skin-safe herb or flower with enough volatile oils in it to create a pleasant scent and help to preserve the high water content of the hydrosol from spoilage. I think hydrosols are rather magickal and a beautiful form of herbal remedy. 

Rose Water is one of my absolute favorite herbal skin remedies - it is astringent, anti-inflammatory, and gently cleansing, helping to protect the skin without stripping it of its healthy oils. It is also a wonderful after-sun remedy, helping to cool and restore moisture to the skin and manage mild sunburn. I like to spray it over the skin and then apply an herbal salve or something like Shea (Butyrospermum parkii) butter or Aloe Vera (Aloe vera) gel to seal in moisture and promote healing.

While I find Rose Water to be particularly special, hydrosols can be expensive or hard to find or make, so you can also make a strong Rose tea instead. Add a heaping tablespoon of Rose to a cup of hot water, let it cool, strain, and then use the tea in the same way as you would a hydrosol. If you'd like to learn more about Rose's healing gifts, come this way.

Note: When purchasing Rose Water, it's important to check that you're getting a hydrosol and not water with essential oils added to it.

image via @movisuals

Lemon Balm Electrolytes

A simple, rehydrating electrolyte drink for after a day in the sun. Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) is not only energetically cooling, but is good for all sorts of after-sun issues from mild headaches to that feeling of overexposure after a day in the heat that can leave us feeling discombobulated. I like to make this drink at the start of the day so that it will be completely cool and ready to drink by the end of the day. If you'd like to learn more about Lemon Balm's healing gifts, come this way.

You will need:

• 1 heaping teaspoon of Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) per cup of water

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice per cup of water

• Sea salt

• Sweetener of choice such as honey or maple syrup

To make your Lemon Balm Electrolytes Start by making a strong Lemon Balm tea, adding a heaping teaspoon per cup of water. Let that brew for 15 to 20 minutes, adding a pinch of sea salt to every cup of water (so if you make two cups of Lemon Balm tea, add two pinches of sea salt). After the tea has cooled a bit but is still warm enough to dissolve your sweetener of choice, add your honey, maple syrup or other sweetener. Then add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice per cup of water. Let cool completely and enjoy!

image via @sicunov

Garden Dream Compress

Compresses are such easy and enjoyable herbal remedies. I like making part of my herbal compresses ahead of time, storing them in the fridge at the start of the day, and taking them out to use when needed at the end of the day. These compresses combine Rose (Rosa spp.), Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis), and Lavender (Lavandula spp.) to create a cooling remedy that helps to lower body temperature, ease the irritation of bug bites, soothe mild sunburn, alleviate mild headaches and mild nausea, and calm any anxiety that may have been elevated after sun exposure.

Combine equal parts of the following herbs:

• Rose (Rosa spp.)

• Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)

• Lavender (Lavandula spp.)

Make a strong tea of 3 heaping tablespoons per two cups of water. Honestly, most days I eyeball this - adding about heaping ¼ cup in a quart jar. Brew your tea, let steep for 15 - 20 minutes and then strain into a clean container. Set aside to cool. 

You'll then need a clean cloth to use as your compress. When you're ready to use your compress, lay the cloth out flat, place some of the herbal blend in the center, and then fold up like a rectangular package. Place the compress in a shallow bowl or plate, leaving some of the ends hanging out over the side so you can pick it up easier later. Boil a small amount of water, pour a small amount over the compress. This begins to pull out the medicinal constituents of the herbs in your bundled compress, as well as soften the plant material so that it is more comfortable against the skin. 

Allow your compress to sit for a few minutes in the hot water, then carefully pick it up, squeezing out excess water by pressing it with a spoon or other flat object. Then submerge the cloth and herbs in your jar of already brewed and cooled tea. Squeeze out excess water again and then it's ready to use. 

A compress like this can be helpful across the back of the neck, the wrists, the ankles, and even the inner thigh. You can prepare multiple compresses at once and apply them to multiple points at the same time. Compresses can be redunked in the tea and reapplied as needed, but often folks are feeling better within 10 - 15 minutes.

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There are, of course, so many plant allies that are useful for after-sun care, many of which I write about in The Apothecary of Belonging. While are plants are great allies to reach for in the heat, it's important to learn all the ways we can create cooler environments - from understanding how to work place fans around your house to cool it off quickly, to carrying shade with you in the form of umbrellas and your fanciest big hats, to basic first aid that can aid people who are struggling with the more serious effects of stress. 

If you're interested in learning how to support your community through the heat, check my list of mutual aid and free clinic resources to help you get started. The heat can also make it harder to get to sleep, so you might be interested in meeting a few of our plant allies of rest.

I hope your days are filled with light and warmth, full of possibility and the shelter of community.

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