Summer screams “BEACH DAY!” and who can deny that call? Certainly not I!
It’s all fun and games until you wake up the next morning feeling like a chicken fried steak roasting under a heat lamp.
Have I ever mentioned that the kids and I are very fair-skinned and it doesn’t take much sun exposure to cause pretty awful burns?
No? Well, we are.
Here are a few tips for dealing with sunburns the day after:
-Aloe. For light burns regular old aloe will do, either the plant or the stuff you buy in a bottle at the store. Apply as soon as you can for best results. If you share my Irish-German heritage, or another that tends to burn easily, I recommend buying the type with lidocaine or a lidocaine/menthol mix added to it, there’s just enough in there to relieve pain. For extra pain relief store the aloe in your refrigerator.
-Oatmeal baths. You can buy oatmeal bath (look in the allergy/rash aisle of the store) but it’s much cheaper to make at home. Put a handful of oats (old-fashioned work best but any will do) in a piece of muslin, or in the foot of an old pair of panty hose, and tie the cloth shut. Run the bag of oats under warm water until the tub is full and soak for a good, long time. This is especially helping in the itching & peeling stage.
-Yogurt. Seriously. Take some cool, plain yogurt, and rub it over the affected area. The coolness will help with the pain and the probiotics in the yogurt will help skin repair.
-Cornstarch. Cornstarch won’t help heal the burn but it can speed up the recovery process. Sprinkling cornstarch (the cosmetic kind or the cooking kind) over your burn will help your skin stay lubricated so clothing won’t cause pain.
-Oil Spray. If you can get your hands on some high quality essential oils (I use doTerra Essential Oils) try a few drops of lavendar diluted in water, sprayed on the skin. For topical pain relief you can add 1/2 to 1 drop of peppermint. (Disclaimer: I do not sell essential oils and really don’t believe in their effectiveness for treating illness or maintaining wellness at all and I link to Amazon because I don’t like MLM programs or programs where you have to buy a kit in order to be allowed to sell an item. The diluted peppermint, however, really is soothing on burnt skin.)
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Another one is apple cider vinegar. Just apply directly on the burn and it takes the stinging sensation away. You smell a bit like a pickle, though!