Stocking up on sunscreen is one of those rites of summer.

But selecting the most effective type seems to get more complicated every year.

Sunburn causes dehydration, making already compromised skin even drier. Make sure to drink at least 64 ounces of water per day while you're recovering.

Aloe. The hydrating juice of the aloe vera plant has been used for thousands of years to treat skin conditions. You can buy packaged aloe vera gel at most drugstores, and any grocery stores sell large aloe leaves. To use, cut off a small piece and squeeze out the gel, rubbing over affected area.

If you, like me, are a milky-white redhead who has an intimate relationship with aloe vera, you understand that it is just no fun to be baked by the sun. I've spent more money on SPF 45 than I care to remember and more miserable vacation nights unable to sit down because I had unknowingly sizzled my derriere. I've accepted the fact that a good chunk of my recreational beach budget will be given to the likes of Coppertone and Hawaiian Tropic, but I have not come to terms with the extensive list of chemicals that make up these coconut-scented potions. I want an effective (i.e. not thick like paste and able to withstand a light misting of sweat or water or lemonade) sunscreen that is also all-natural. Considering the fact that I practically have to swim in the stuff, safety seems like a fair request.

I immediately associate aloe vera with sunburn. As a redhead prone to excessive bouts of sun damage, I have turned to the plant countless times to soothe my scorched skin. But aloe vera is so much more than a sunburn salve. Research has found that the plant is quite a multitasker, providing topical relief to numerous skin conditions and also healing from the inside out.

The mighty aloe vera plant can: