So, you were going for bronzed goddess and ended up a little overbaked? Don’t get (even more) red in the face freaking out about your new lobster look. We’ve got six tricks to help you disguise that sunburn.
#1 Prevention!
Let’s just get this out of the way — you should’ve been wearing sunscreen. You already know that sun protection is important and sunburns can lead to skin cancer, so we won’t linger here. But next time, slather on the SPF (at least 50) and opt for a good bronzer.
#2 Moisturize
If you haven’t start peeling yet, you can avoid blistering by applying moisturizer to the burn. All that UV radiation that’s making your skin red hot has basically sucked the antioxidants out of your skin, destroying the fatty acids that keep it moisturized, leaving you with a dry, flaky dermis (ouch). Putting that moisture back into your skin will not only prevent you from a case of the peels, it will speed your recovery time.
#3 Take Anti-Inflammatory Measures
That redness and swelling is your body’s inflammatory reaction to getting cooked and you can take some of the sting out by popping a few anti-inflammatory pills like ibuprofen. Apply soothing hydrocortisone or aloe vera, but make sure that your product doesn’t contain alcohol, which will just dry the skin out further. Cold compresses will also reduce the swelling and cool you off to boot. In extreme cases, a pain-relieving cream containing lidocaine can numb the area.
#4 Keep Redness Undercover
If your face got sunburned (and we really hope for your sake, you weren’t wearing sunglasses), you can mellow some of that redness with foundation. Look for a hypoallergenic mineral foundation so you don’t irritate your skin further. Avoid foundation with rosy undertones and instead opt for green or yellow tinted moisturizer to neutralize a flushed face.
#5 Give Yourself the Beach Bronze You Were Going For
While you might shy away from adding more color to your face, a touch of bronzer on the apples of the cheeks can actually balance out the redness and turn your sunburn into more of a glow.
#6 Don’t See Red
While you’re getting over a bad burn, dark-colored clothing is your best friend. Remember the old trick of wearing white to look more tan? Well, it also makes you look more sunburned. Tight clothes will rub on your burn and create blisters, while skimpy skirts and tops will expose your burn to more sun. So, stick with soft clothes in dark colors and generous cuts. Your new scarlet sundress is an obvious no-no, and this is definitely not the time to try out a bold red lip.
