July 9, 2021 — Charlotte Palermino

How to Soothe Irritated Skin (And Say Bye to Sun Burns)

Skin feeling 🚩? Here's our recommendations for soothing and calming irritated skin. All images by the incredibly talented @discocubes.

1. If you’re sunburned, don’t beat yourself up.

Life happens. Try to keep out of the direct sun for as much as possible and wear sunscreen.

2. If you’ve avoided a sunburn but your skin isn’t thriving in the heat, same rules apply

Step 1: Stay hydrated

While drinking wanter doesn’t hydrate the skin directly (it’s a myth you can easily hydrate from within), being dehydrated certainly doesn’t help. We’re made up of a lot of water so, if you’re reading this, it’s a sign, go take a sip.

Step 2: Hydrate your skin

Your skin is a barrier and it's meant to keep the water IN your body. We don’t want it to evaporate. That being said, dehydrated skin feels tight/dry and is shiny but dull at the same time. If that's you, it means your skin is craving WATER.

And before you reach for that oil, remember, we don’t drink oil when we are thirsty.

Products rich in glycerin, panthenol and even just dampening your face before your moisturizer can make a world of difference.

Lock in hydration

Step 3: Lock in the hydration to keep it moisturized

This is especially true if you have a sunburn but also generally if your skin is irritated from the heat, a light moisturizer over that face spray, serum or essence will keep your skin hydrated (otherwise it will just evaporate).

Step 4: A cool bath can help calm things down

While we aren’t suggesting an ice bath (unless if that’s your thing) if your skin is feeling uncomfortably hot, a cool bath can feel soothing (especially if you got an accidental sunburn!).

Soothing ingredients added to baths are great (think oatmeal), but be careful of essential oils as they can irritate the skin especially if it’s in a vulnerable state.