Soothe away summer skin problems

The sun's rays can do a number on your skin, causing sunburn age spots and dryness. Luckily, it's easy to soothe away symptoms with naturally calming remedies. Ingredients like yogurt, herbal tea, and fresh citrus juice can all be used to treat and pamper your skin. Here are some DIY recipes and treatments to use this summer.

Calming Yogurt Mask

ease the discomfort of a sunburn by using yogurt. It contains probiotics that help restore your skin's natural moisture barrier combined with chamomile tea that has anti-inflammatory properties you will feel relief almost instantly.

Ingredients:

4 bags chamomile tea

1 cup hot water

1 /2 cup plain yogurt or sour cream

1 tsp vitamin E oil

Directions: Steep the tea in hot water for 10 minutes. Discard the tea bags and let cool. Combine the tea, yogurt and vitamin E oil. Smooth the mixture over sunburned skin. Relax for 20 minutes; rinse and then spray your skin with more chamomile tea or some natural aloe vera gel. Keep any extra in the refrigerator.

Fade Sun Spots

My favorite way to fade age spots is with pure lemon juice. Fresh citrus juice is rich in vitamin C which gradually lightens hyperpigmentation over time. Directions: Use a cotton swab to dab fresh lemon juice over clean age spots twice daily. Let dry; follow up with your favorite natural oil or moisturizer.

Calm Sensitive Skin with Aloe Vera

Aloe vera gel and coconut oil are the perfect combination for dry irritated summer skin. Aloe is naturally cooling and calming and coconut oil is soothing to dry skin. It is especially helpful after bathing for locking in absorbed moisture and creating a protective barrier. Dry skin is not loss of skin oils but water from the skin.

Ingredients:

1 /4 cup pure aloe vera gel

1 Tablespoon strongly brewed green tea

1 /2 cup coconut oil

1 Tablespoon vitamin E oil

Directions: Combine the aloe and tea, set aside. Gently heat the coconut oil until just melted and stir in the vitamin E oil and aloe mixture. Stir well and allow to cool completely (you may need to stir a few times as the mixture cools to prevent separation.) To use: Massage into your skin.