Arizona recently hit triple digits and I’m not ready for this heat just yet. I’m naturally super fair, so sunscreen and I have been exclusive since birth. I can count on one hand the bad sunburns that I’ve had in my lifetime and I do everything in my power for that not to happen again! However, there are times when maybe my skin has a kiss of pink or maybe it’s just sensitive from so much sun exposure even with constant sunscreen application. Those times call for my After Sun Serum (or spray if you prefer that).
If your skin needs relief from the sun, I highly recommend making yourself a bottle. I ended up making a 1 ounce bottle because that was the bottle I already had at home, however I’ll end up switching to a 2 ounce or maybe a 4 ounce bottle once I run out. With quarantine right now, the breaks that I’ve been giving myself are to layout in the back yard, go for a bike ride or go swimming at my parent’s house, so I’ve been using the After Sun Serum after every shower and before I apply my lotion.
Here’s the recipe: (keep reading for a downloadable recipe card)
- 2 oz bottle – spray bottle or a dropper bottle
- 2 tablespoons of pure aloe gel – I prefer the brand RealAloe (organic + GF)
- 3 teaspoons of witch hazel – My favorite brand is Thayers (organic + GF)
- 10 drops of each essential oil – Mine are from Young Living (scroll to the bottom to learn more)
- Copaiba (if you don’t have this oil, you can leave it out and the recipe will stay intact)
- Lavender (this does wonders for burns, I applied it neat to an oven burn on the inside of my arm and it gave instant relief and seemed to heal quicker than normal)
- Peppermint (do not use this oil for kids 3 and under)
- Distilled water to the top
- Shake vigorously before each use.
- Spray on skin or use a dropper amount to rub on like lotion
Supplies | Dropper Bottle + Labels:
Growing up in Arizona, we not only had a pool in our backyard, but we had multiple aloe vera plants. I definitely took fresh aloe vera for granted because I would cut a piece off the plant, open it up and apply directly to my skin. Making the After Sun Serum is easier, not as messy and has the same impact to your skin.
Vessel: I find all of my supplies on Amazon like the vessel that you put the product in. For this product, I use a dropper bottle because that was what I had at the moment and now I’ve realized that I prefer to apply like lotion so I can make sure I’ve put it on liberally. I can imagine others would prefer to spray it on so it’s quicker to apply. When I created this, I used a 1 ounce bottle, but the recipe is actually for a 2 ounce bottle. You can always divide the ingredients in half and use a 1 ounce bottle or duplicate the recipe for a 4 ounce bottle too. Also, when using essential oils, the darker the glass bottle the better in order to preserve the essential oils. I typically always use dark amber bottles. Some people use dark blue, or dark green too. There are a ton of cute bottles that are clear, white, or another color, but if you use those bottles make sure that you’re using all of the product between 3-6 months. I’ve linked multiple bottle options to my Amazon Storefront in the “EO Recipe – After Sun Spray/Serum” Idea List for easy shopping.
Labels: Another item I use for each of my DIY essential oil products is water-proof labels that I can print at home. I’ve found that 2″ square labels work best for 2 ounce and 4 ounce bottles. They also fit 1 ounce bottles, but you might want to trim the edges. You can see in my image that the label definitely takes up the majority of the space on the 1 ounce bottle. You can always purchase labels on Etsy that are already designed and printed for you, or even purchase only the design and still print at home too. However, I find it more cost effective for me to create a basic design on Canva (free website) and use the easy online print template that the label company offers. I make so many labels and different mixtures that I’d spend a fortune on Etsy. Plus, I like to include the name of the mixture, the ingredients in the mixture, and the size of the bottle so that I don’t forget what I’m using. This makes it much easier when it’s time to refill the bottle too.
Benefits of Essential Oils + Other Ingredients:
Let me break down for you why I’m using these three oils! I’m part of a Young Living community on Facebook that is over 19 thousand different members who have all been using essential oils for years, so it’s great to connect and learn about the various uses and combinations that I can make. In Facebook Groups there is a search bar that allows you to type in a topic or keyword and it pulls up all related posts, discussions, photos, files, etc. Through this Young Living community on Facebook, I was able to find this specific recipe along with a few other variations depending on your needs, like wether or not you’re making this for a child 3 years old or under.
COPAIBA – helps to repair your skin and reduce inflammation (if you do not have this oil, you can skip it, but it’s definitely a nice oil to include in this mixture)
LAVENDER – helps to soothe inflammation of your skin, cleanse your skin, lessen redness and irritation (this is the true power house in this mixture) For more information about Lavender’s benefits, continue reading “How to Improve the Heath of Your Skin with Lavender Oil” on healthline.
PEPPERMINT – provides immediate cooling to your skin (should not be used on children 3 years old or under)
ALOE VERA – rich in vitamin c and vitamin e, helps to soothe skin and fight signs of aging
WITCH HAZEL – relieves inflammation, skin irritation, protects against skin damage and wards off infection
If you’re not sure where to purchase your high-quality essential oils from, I recommend Young Living! I’ve been using their oils for 6-years, but recently got into making my own mixtures when I found out that I’m allergic to many of the hidden ingredients found in beauty and household products – the main one for me is gluten! To read more about why I love and exclusively use Young Living oils, read my blog post titled, “Why I’m Using Essential Oils from Young Living“.
A few other reasons why I love Young Living…
- The online community! I have received so much guidance and easy information from this community that it makes learning about essential oils and their benefits fun! Anyone who purchases a starter kit from our community is automatically added via Facebook, which allows you to search and have access to so much great info. If you’re already purchasing Young Living products, but don’t have access to these resources, I can definitely help you to access them through your next order.
- Rewards program for free products! Young Living has a program called Essential Rewards (ER) that allows you to earn points towards free product if you place a monthly order that is at least 50 PV, which equals roughly $50. You can always stop and pause the program at anytime. If you’re already purchasing Young Living products, but are not taking advantage of the free gifts through ER, let me know and I can help you get your account set-up to earn points.
- Premium Starter Kits! The premium starter kit options that Young Living offers have the most popular oils at a drastic discount along with other goodies. You can select between a few different options based on whether or not you want a diffuser, cleaning products, etc. Plus, it allows you to receive wholesale pricing for the whole year without another purchase. At the end of your annual membership, a 50 PV purchase will renew your wholesale pricing. To view all premium starter kits, go to oilwith.me/tfk. If you’re purchasing products online at retail cost, I’d be happy to help you take advantage of the special wholesale pricing that members receive.
Download the image below for a quick and easy recipe card!
WELCOME GIFT!
All new members who sign-up with a premium starter kit and activate their Essential Rewards membership with me will receive a free gift valued at $15-25. I’m happy to customize this gift to fit your needs and I have some examples saved to my Amazon Storefront Idea List called “Essential Oils – Accessories + Welcome Gifts“. I want you to receive a gift that gets you just as excited about your oils as I am about mine! Plus, I want to gift you something that you’ll actually use. Let me know if you don’t see something that accomplishes that for you and we’ll create a gift package together. Here are some welcome gift examples:
- Bottles of witch hazel and aloe vera gel along with a 2 ounce dropper or spray bottle (depending on your preference) that contains the recipe amount of copaiba essential oil and a label – you would add the lavender and the optional peppermint once you receive your starter kit!
- Small diffuser in case you want a secondary one or in case you are purchasing a starter kit that does not come with a diffuser. I have a secondary diffuser next to my bed that is small enough so only I can smell it and my husband does not. I also have an old diffuser in my office from the first premium starter kit that I purchased 6-years ago. Another diffuser I love was purchased at Target and it’s cordless, so I take it outside to keep the bugs away! Target’s diffusers are so cute too – so if you see one that is within the free gift value I’d be happy to send you one of those instead.
- A variety of glass spray bottles, dropper bottles, and roller bottles so you can start making your favorite recipes along with a carrier oil of your choice.
- Essential oils book for how to use oils with babies/kids, pets or how to use essential oils in general.
- Hanging diffuser that you can use in your car, closet, etc. and/or a handmade oils travel case along with 10 ml roller bottles to fill it with. My favorite accessories are from BaggageandCo on Etsy!
- Or if you’d rather have the ingredients or supplies to make one of my other recipes that I’ve shared, please let me know that too!
Please comment, email, or DM me with any questions – or if you’re ready to sign up as a new member with a premium starter kit, wholesale pricing, and Essential Rewards, go to oilwith.me/TFK!