My Sunburn Cure

I was indulgent today and decided to hang with the ladies outside in the bright Buffalo sun (doesn’t sound as luxurious as the Southern California sun) and got burned. It’s not as bad as when I got fried head to toe in Maui, but still uncomfortable.

I have a four step solution to sunburn that I swear by. Granted I have skin that will tan so sunburn affects me differently than someone who turns into a tomato after an hour. This combination really takes the pain away for me.

Shower

Sounds brutal after you’ve nearly given yourself sun stroke. I need to shower after I’ve been in the sun. Get that sweat off your burn. It’s only going to irritate it more. Give your skin a good wash (no loofa, for the love of God, no loofa).

Aloe

I sometimes cut it right from my plant and smear that on my skin, but today it’s looking a little dehydrated so I won’t hack at it. I prefer using aloe that is not dyed green. A thick layer is great. I like watching it slowly sink in.

Lotion

After you use aloe, doesn’t your skin sort of feel tight? Mine sure does. I love Trader Joe’s Midsummer Night’s Cream to put on after. I use it almost every day just for regular lotion. It’s especially wonderful because it’s got aloe in it, therefore perfect for sunburn. If you were to buy any of these products mentioned here, this would be the one I would recommend the most.

Jojoba Oil

Lastly I use jojoba oil all over. This really won’t sink in like aloe will so I only use a little bit. It’s my not-so-secret ingredient because I think it makes the skin heal faster. I use this oil for scars, too. Warning: sometimes when I get to this step, I get dead skin to peel away which is good for the sunburn but feels super weird. If you don’t want to risk feeling like a lizard, maybe skip this step. It only happens some times.

I hope this helps someone out there while we enjoy our scorching summer sun for a little while longer. Feel free to repeat steps 2-4 a few times throughout the day and do it right before bed. Also icing everything afterwards feels gooooooood.

Until next time,

Julia

p.s. Always wear sunscreen.