It's easy to get caught up in the joys of summer and forget to take care of your skin and you're left to deal with the embarrassing pain the next day.
Hey, it's Lillian! I made this mistake while enjoying a day at the beach with the family. I have very sensitive skin and take suncare very seriously although sometimes I forget to reapply and immediately regret it.
You know what I found to be the best medicine to heal a sunburn quickly?
Black Tea!
So I get home from the beach take a shower and immediately feel the pain from a sunburn. I grab a box of black tea, soak a few bags, cool it down in a cup and take it to the bathroom while my British husband looks at me like I'm crazy...
To avoid making a mess I drench my sunburn with the tea bags straight on my skin while in the shower then I soak old bath cloths (ones you don't mind ruining) and lay them on the sunburn. I lay like this for as long as I can then I removed the towels, lay a towel on my bed to protect the sheets from getting stained and go to sleep as the black tea soaks into my skin. The next morning I take a shower to rinse off the tea and immediately my skin starts to heal and I'm not in pain or embarrassingly red. It still take time to heal so avoid the sun but I have found this trick does speed up the process without any questionable chemicals.
Soak black tea bags in hot water for 4min (until dark in color) then transfer to cup or pitcher when cool.
Soak the tea bags directly onto your skin and soak old cloths into the tea and lay them on your sunburn.
Let the tea soak in and you can remove cloths when you're ready.
Get ready for bed while the tea works its magic. Enjoy a cup of tea as your British husband tells you you are not supposed to bathe in tea. Drink plenty of water to keep your skin hydrated.
Wake up and shower and feel the relief!
Why it works:
The antioxidants and anti inflammatory properties in black tea will soothe the skin naturally!
Now things to do to AVOID getting sunburned in the first place.
Wear protective clothing! Wear a longsleeve sunshirt, faceshield and a big hat protected with UPF (ultraviolet protection factor) UPF 50+ rates excellent with the skin cancer foundation. And don't forget the sunglasses!
Wear and reapply a reef friendly sunscreen! Atleast Spf 30 or zinc to get extra care on those easily burns spots like your nose and cheeks. Let the sunscreen soak in before swimming. Reapply after 2 hours. And don't forget the lips, ears and hands!
Stay out of the sun or seek shade when the sun is the strongest at 10am-4pm.
Be aware of the medications you're using and how they can be sensitive to the sun. Also did you know lime juice/citrus juice can cause severe burns when exposed to the sun so make sure you keep your hands free of any citrus juice when youre adding them to your summer drinks!!
Drink plenty of water and drinks with electrolites to stay hydrated to avoid other sun related illnesses like heat exhaustion and heat stroke!
As someone who loves the sun but also is learning this lesson too many times... I hope this helps heal your summertime sunburns and advocates for the importance of taking care of your skin!
Do you have any tricks to dealing with sunburn?
What are some of your favorite sunscreens?
Did this help you?
Chat with us! We would love to hear from you.
Thanks for reading and continue to stay safe and healthy!
Love, Lillian and Arthur
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