Getting rid of sunburn 101

Spring Break for most people was a crazy week full of bad decisions and/or copious amounts of partying. If you were one of those people, chances are one of those bad decisions included sitting on the beach for way too long and getting seriously sunburned. 

Here are some ways to ease the pain of your skin, even though no one can erase the pain of coming back to school and slowly dying in a mountain of work...sorry:

Technique #1: Aloe Vera

This is a tried and true classic. You can either buy a bottle of Aloe Vera gel at CVS or any grocery store, or if you happen to have an Aloe Vera plant, you can scrape the gel off the inside of the leaves yourself and apply it to the burned area. Repeat several times a day!

Technique #2: Tea

Take five tea bags and toss them into a quart of boiling water. Let steep/cool for an hour, then pick out the tea bags. Use cotton balls or a soft cloth to apply the tea to your burn. Make sure that the tea you use is black or green, both of which have high amounts of tannin (which help heal the burn)!

Technique #3: Coconut Oil

Disclaimer: I use coconut oil for everything and it's my personal favorite remedy. Seriously, if you don't have a jar in your possession, there's something very wrong in your life you need to fix that ASAP. To help sunburn, rub gently into the skin at least a day after sun exposure! It'll lessen the stinging and smell real nice. 

Technique #4: Ice Cubes and Water

Ah, good 'ol H2O. By drinking lots of water and staying hydrated, you'll help reduce inflammation in your skin and keep your body temp lower. You can also apply ice cubes (wrapped in a paper towel or cloth, don't put them directly on your skin!) to the burned area for immediate relief. 

Technique #5: Potato

Okay, this is a weird one, but I've been told that it works pretty well. You make a potato paste by grinding up the potatoes, and then apply the paste to the burned area. Let it dry and then wash it off with water! I have no idea who figured this out or why it would work, but there ya have it. 

@calliewilliamss