Fried your skin? We can help!

You’ve done it. You’ve spent too much time in the sun and your skin is as red as that lobster you had for dinner last night. We should be wagging our fingers at you for being so careless, but we’ve all done it too. But take heart, little tomato! We’ve got some help for your rattled skin.

No matter how many reports we’ve seen telling us to blanket ourselves with sunscreen, we’ve all had a bad burn. It looks bad, it’s dangerous and it hurts! Well, we’ve got a few tips to help get you through the worst of it.

Prevent your sunburn

First of all, wear your sunscreen! If you sweat, reapply. Prevention is the best advice we could give you. There are all sorts, from waterproof to dry feeling, oil-free to moisturizing. There is even one that goes on wet skin. But if all else fails, here are some things to help. If you find yourself fried, start by taking some ibuprofen (if you have no health issues that prevent that). Its anti-inflammatory properties will help shrink some of the swelling, rendering you less tomato-like.

Soothe scortched skin

Next, soothe your skin with pure aloe (though be aware that it can be a bit sticky). You can also spritz with a topical analgesic like Brave Soldier First Defense. This product cools and relieves pain with lidocaine. It also has tea tree oil, aloe and comfrey. Since it’s antiseptic, it’s also great for minor scrapes and cuts. If you don’t mind getting messy, plain yogurt will give you some relief as well.

Camouflage your sunburn

Finally, camouflage. Sure, there are concelears and foundations that will even out your skin and cover up some of the burn, but they very often look like vanilla icing on red velvet cake. You can still see the burn right through. To soften the look, try Ben Nye’s Banana Visage Poudre. This stage makeup will take down a lot of the redness without looking cakey.

Don’t forget to get checked out at your doctor if you notice any changes in the shape, color or size of any moles. Skin cancer is very preventable! Also, maybe we shouldn’t fall asleep on the beach next time we go out?

More on preventing sun damage

How to protect your hair from sun damage
Preventing and treating sun damaged skin
Get a great-looking tan — without the sun