Common household items double as first aid.

Did you know that many common household items double as first aid for skin irritation, scrapes, bumps, and bites? Some can be used right off your shelf; others can be mixed with herbs so they work even better.

Adding one or two drops of Lavender essential oil to any of the remedies listed below will provide extra relief. Add 30 drops of Echinacea or Calendula herbal extract to each 1/2 cup of the spray mixture for bites and scrapes.

• Alcohol: Use as a spray for poison oak or ivy. Alcohol dries up watery blisters; cools overheated skin, and may also relieve itching. It’s also a classic for cleaning up cuts and scrapes.
  
  
• Aloe Vera: Everyone should have this healing plant in the house. It’s a must to soothe and heal skin issues and is also effective for hot, itchy skin. Cut off a lower leaf, slice down the middle, and apply the cooling gel to your skin. If you buy a pre-packaged gel, make sure there’s no lanolin added, as it intensify the heat of a rash or burn.
  
  
• Apple cider vinegar: Make a 1:1 solution of water and apple cider vinegar and put in a spray bottle. Use on rashes or burns. For even more relief, chill the bottle in the refrigerator.
  
  
• Baking soda: Add 1/2 to 1 cup baking soda to a tepid bath and soak 20 minutes to comfort sunburn or itchy rashes. A baking soda bath also makes the skin feel smooth and moist.
  
  
• Cucumber: Peel and liquefy a cucumber in a blender or food processor and apply the slurry to burned or hot, itchy skin. You can also use cold cucumber slices directly on your skin.
  
  
• Yogurt: Apply a thin layer of plain, unsweetened, full-fat yogurt to your skin to soothe, cool and restore the proper pH balance. Rinse off before it dries completely.