July is coming in Hot Hot Hot. With the 4th of July right around the corner we want to look and feel our best when we celebrate our country’s independence (and if you don’t live in America you can probably still relate to a quality day of fun in the sun). There’s only one problem with a sunny day…

Sunburn 

Sunburned skin is hot, painful, and embarrassing. As someone who loves being outside during the summer I’m always careful to wear sunscreen, but even after applying sunscreen I sometimes still end the day with a painful sunburn. No one wants a painful sunburn. Which is why I developed a method to get rid of sunburn. And fast. Today I’ll be walking you through my post-sunburn process. My sunburned skin healing method isn’t backed by rocket-science, but it works for me and it hopefully works for you too. I’m serious. If I’m ever famous for something it would be this method.

Picture This:

It’s the day before the 4th of July. You’ve got the day off and you wake up early for some last minute gardening because it’s your turn to host the 11th annual backyard BBQ. As you bend down to pull your first weeds you remember that you forgot to put on sunscreen. The sun glows gently in a blue, cloudless sky and you think, I’ll be fine. The rest of the day passes in a blur, early neighborhood parades, an afternoon on the lake. You laugh and chat while the sun blazes in the sky and then while it dips softly out of sight. It isn’t until you look in the mirror and feel the heat rising off your shoulders as you’re getting ready for bed. You’ve made a terrible mistake. You are no longer a human being but a painful, human blister. You forgot to wear sunscreen. What will you do now? Especially with your big event only hours away?

The Importance of Hydration for Healthy Skin and Sunburned Skin

Regardless of whether sunburn turns you into a temporary lobster *points at self* we all need to protect our skin from the sun’s rays. This method is not an alternative to sunscreen. I repeat. Not an alternative to wearing sunscreen. Wear sunscreen with healthy & safe ingredients. As you’ll see in a moment, a major part of my method involves hydration. Hydration keeps your body stable and regulated. Hydrated skin is healthy skin and when you’re dehydrated your body is at a disadvantage. Read more about the dangers of dehydration here. 

How to Hydrate Sunburned Skin: My Personal Method

Start Drinking Water

As soon as you realize you’ve sizzled in the sun for a little too long start drinking water. You have to stay hydrated inside if you want to stay hydrated on the outside. According to Mayo Clinic, drinking 11-15 cups of water a day has a ton of benefits aside from keeping your skin bright and supple.

Use Your Shower to Lock in Skin’s Moisture

Nothing feels better than a shower at the end of a long, hot day, but sunburn can make showering an unpleasant experience (in my experience). Can anyone else attest to the claim that hot water on sunburned skin BURNS??? It took me years to discover a shower that would lock in the moisture without boiling me alive.

Shower with Warm Water

Start with a temperature that your sunburned skin can handle and then as your skin adjusts you can gradually increase to a warm temperature your unburned skin is comfortable at. 

Natural Soap Keeps Skin Hydrated

One of my greatest obstacles when trying to keep my skin hydrated, especially when sunburned, was using soap that only contributed to dry skin. All those harsh chemicals may have kept me clean in the moment, but they put my skin at risk for future damage. Natural soap gently cleans skin while locking in moisture. For a gentle, skin protecting shower, a Calendula Castile Bar will treat your skin like a baby.

Our Marshmallow And Aloe Shampoo Bar may also do wonders for sunburned skin. Aloe vera contains something called proteolytic enzymes which repairs dead skin cells on the scalp. It’s fabulous for skin because it’s rich in vitamin C, E and beta carotene which nourishes skin and scalp deeply. Also, due to its anti fungal and antiviral properties, it prevents itching and reduces dandruff and flaking, it also has very potent anti-inflammatory properties which help reduce redness and inflammation. If that isn’t enough, it also acts as a great conditioner and leaves your hair all smooth and shiny, plus it promotes hair growth. What more could you want?

Cold Water Rinse on Sunburned Skin

While there is controversy on whether rinsing with cold water actually makes your hair shinier (potential future blog?) There is no doubt that cold water on sunburned skin feels like instant relief. At the end of my shower I take a brave breath and turn the water to cold. Let the cold water run all over your body until the skin feels cold to the touch and your insides are starting to feel like an icicle. 

Pat Skin Dry with Your Towel

Rubbing yourself dry will only irritate the inflamed skin.

Apply a Quality Lotion

I always apply the thickest lotion on hand. We have some awesome, ultra-hydrating lotion bars that are just perfect for this (in unscented and oooooh my favorite: lavender). If lotion isn’t your thing we make a Organic Herbal Salve (with stellar reviews) which is chock full of soothing, certified organic herbs infused in a base of organic, extra virgin olive oil and unrefined beeswax, this salve is amazingly multi-purpose and economical. Apply it to rashes, bug bites, sun burn, wounds, dry, cracked skin, bruises, diaper rash and more! We also offer an Organic Hemp Seed Oil that you can read about here.

Repeat Every Night or Morning

I hope this works as well for you as it does for me. Comment with your results below if you try it out or share your own personal sunburn banning routine! We love to stay connected with you, so follow us on Instagram and Facebook to stay updated on all the exciting news (Limited Edition Summer Skin Saver Soap will be available mid-July!) including sales and new releases!

Much Love,

Nora