In most respects, sunburn should be treated as for Burns. The first thing to do is to avoid further exposure to the sun until symptoms have been cleared. Severe sunburn can produce bad blistering, dehydration, and sunstroke, and occasionally people have an allergic reaction to the sun's ultraviolet rays.
For mild, widespread sunburn use Chamomile oil, either in a bath, or add 5 drops to a small bowl of water and carefully dab on to unbroken skin. With children, essential oils for the bath should ideally be pre-diluted in 5 ml (1 tsp) of Sweet Almond or similar oil. If the sunburn is more severe, use Lavender oil in similar ways, or apply neat on to any blistered areas. As aftercare for the dry, leathery-looking skin, use essential oils of Chamomile, Lavender, Rose or Sandalwood diluted at 2 percent in a base oil such as Sweet Almond and gently massaged in twice daily. Very dry skin may benefit from the use of Wheat germ oil at 10 percent of the base oil for extra nourishment for the damaged skin.