Photographed by Mario Testino, Vogue, May 2011
Despite your best efforts, it’s likely that you’ll still suffer from sunburn this summer. Whether you forgot to reapply SPF at the beach, or your favorite sunscreen has somehow disappeared from your bag, your burning skin is going to require a soothing solution.
When your sun protection efforts go awry, the first thing you should do is pop an over the counter anti-inflammatory like Ibuprofen to mitigate the pain. Next, you’ll want to soothe the irritation. Products spiked with hydrocortisone are known to offer relief, but if you can’t find any at home, don’t fret. There are a number of surprising household items in your fridge that offer relief from even the most painful of sunburns. If you can’t stand the heat, head to the kitchen.
Our favorite natural sunburn remedy is yogurt. The creamy snack is an age-old, natural sunburn solution. Since yogurt is potent in probiotics, it helps restore the skin’s natural barrier. In addition, the fats and proteins in yogurt work hard to soothe irritation.
What you need to do:
Pour 1 cup of plain, cold yogurt into a bowl
Using your fingers, dab a layer of yogurt onto the affected areas
Let it sit for 10-15 minutes
Rinse off. Reapply at least twice a day
Hack: Mix an essential oil (such as lavender oil or aloe vera) into your mixture to speed up the healing process.
Homepage image: Photographed by Mikael Jansson, Vogue, June 2006
