Sunburns 101

Picture from Pinterest

        Sunburns, are, without a doubt, the biggest fun-killer of summer. Your lovely beach vacation almost instantly turns to torture when that lobster-like tone appears. And, while religious sunblock application (my pick is Josie Maran) is the best preventative measure, sometimes, let's face it, we can be stupid with the sun.
          One of those especially stupid moments was me, yesterday, laying out, sunblockless (THE HORROR!!) for one hour in my yard. 2PM on a California summer Sunday, I did not think I'd get burnt. Yet here I am, having to avoid my religiously-attended Bar Method class for fear that I might frighten people with my degree of redness. Thankfully, it does not hurt to much, but boy am I pink. And the most attractive part? A strange diagonal line down my neck that is not burnt.

So, what is a girl to do?

Here are my top tips for dealing with sunburn.

1. Brew some strong Lipton or PG Tip's black tea (I'd say four bags for 8 oz. of water). Wait for it to cool, and then dip a washcloth in the blackened brew and wring out the excess. Pat the washcloth all over your burn. The tannin in tea will help relieve the burn, and some even say that it will have the redness gone in 24 hours. Repeat every few hours.

2. Mixing pure lavender essential oil with an aloe vera-spiked lotion (or what I'm using, Sibu Beauty's Sea Buckthorn Body Cream) will help calm the sting of the burn. Lavender is an anti-inflammatory.

3. My favorite fix? The amazing Solar Recovery Spray, which I've mentioned here several times. It really does the trick in healing and preventing burns from forming. Unfortunately, the Whole Foods in CA doesn't carry it, so I was left with the previously-mentioned remedies. 

4. Aloe. The real, pure stuff, not the electric green, alcohol-tinged gel that just makes it worse. Sticking it in the fridge before application will make a great after-sun refresher, even if you aren't burned. It can get sticky though, which is why I prefer other methods.

Anyone have any secret cures for sunburn? I'd love to find out about them!