We’re halfway through summer and making the most of the gorgeous glow we’re getting from all that extra sun. Lacy Phillips of Free + Native Journal concocted this perfect after-sun potion to help us keep that tan as long as we can. This luxe and fragrant DIY will quench parched skin, banish burns, and help undo the damage done by a day at the beach…
A custom that I picked up in Corisca, France, three summers ago, was the French love for après soleil (after-sun cream). I’ve never seen people sunbathe like the French and Italians. They can stay out next to 100 other sunbathers, packed on beautiful beaches like sardines, for eight hours. True professionals. So it is no wonder that après soleil is such a staple amongst the Europeans – to nourish their incredibly sun drenched skin. Nonetheless, it’s a wonderful habit to medicinally moisturize your skin after safe sun exposure.
In this formula, raw aloe leaf and lavender essential oil help to reduce swelling and cool the skin; rose water balances the skin’s pH; and raw coconut oil is the perfect antimicrobial deep moisture after any swim outing. This is the perfect concoction for extending your healthy glowing tan.
Aloe + Rosewater After-Sun Potion
Ingredients:
1 cup raw coconut oil, melted
1 mature aloe vera leaf
2 Tbsp rose water
2 drops lavender essential oil
jar of choice and size
Directions:
Melt 1 cup of coconut oil in the sun, or by placing the glass coconut oil jar into low simmering water for 30 seconds. Place melted coconut oil into your blender. Split your aloe leaf (that you foraged in your neighborhood or picked up at your local health food store) down the middle. Scrape all the inner gel into your blender. Add two tablespoons of rose water. And two drops of lavender oil. Blend on low until the mixture is combined. Place in jar of choice and set to rest in the fridge for two hours or until hard.
Use daily after sunbathing. Simply melt small amounts between your palms and massage well into the skin. Keep in a cool place, out of direct sunlight, to extend its shelf life.
