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How to Deal with Sunburn

Olivia Arasim
Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Blake Acquarulo
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at BC chapter.

Even though caring for your skin all year round is important, it becomes especially critical as the weather warms up. After getting sunburnt on Marathon Monday, I thought I’d share some skincare and wellness tips for those of you who also forgot to put on sunblock.

Moisturize

Probably the most important step, moisturizing helps calm your skin and prevent it from completely drying out. While aloe works the best, any moisturizer, oil, or after-sun lotion can help. Wash your face immediately after being out in the sun and then apply as needed. This will refresh your skin and may also help the redness fade.

Avoid Exfoliating

While exfoliation should be done sparingly as is, try to avoid it when burnt if it is in your normal regimen. The extra abrasion could damage your skin further and cause irritation. Try to stick to washing with just a gentle cleanser until the sunburn begins to fade, then you can pick up your normal routine.

Drink Plenty of Water

Everyone knows that water is one of the best things for your skin. Similar to moisturizing, water will prevent your skin from drying out. Having too much sun exposure tends to leave you feeling dehydrated. To help prevent this from happening, it’s important to drink lots of water or beverages that have electrolytes in them such as Powerade. Try infusing your water with cucumbers or lemons for added hydration!

Incorporate SPF into your Daily Routine

While it’s not really possible to reverse the damage of a sunburn, it is possible to prevent it from happening again. There are tons of ways to wear SPF on a daily basis that don’t involve actually putting sunscreen on. Several brands of foundation carry BB creams, CC creams, and even tinted moisturizers that contain SPF that will protect your face. Also try purchasing a lip balm with SPF. Fresh’s Sugar Lip Treatments contain SPF and are offered in a variety of bright shades for the spring and summer.  

Hopefully some of these tips will help you the next time you spend too much time in the sun!

Sources:

http://www.zastavki.com/pictures/2560×1600/2011/Nature_Clouds_Sunshine_0…

http://magar.co.uk/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d…

https://greenblender.com/smoothies/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Fruit-Infu…

Hi I'm Olivia! I'm a junior at BC who loves writing, photography, John Mayer, and anything beauty related.
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Blake is a senior at Boston College and is pursuing Biology and Pre-Med, as well as the perfect slice of pizza. She is so excited to be a co-Campus Correspondent along with Emily this year! As well as being a writer for Her Campus BC, she is also a member of the Girls Club Lacrosse team, the Public Health Club, and is a physics tutor on campus.