So you stayed out in the sun a little too long, forgot to wear sunblock — and now you’re completely sunburnt. We get it. It happens. Sure, there are tons of ways to protect yourself (and some not-so-obvious sun protection methods as well). But sometimes we make mistakes, and before we know it, we are twinning with Mr. Krabs from SpongeBob Squarepants. No judgment over here.
Now you’re sporting really red, sore, itchy, peeling skin that looks terrible with this season’s off-the-shoulder tops and spaghetti-strap slip dresses. What do you do when the damage has been done? We’re sharing some useful hacks and DIY remedies that will help ease the pain and minimize that awful lobster redness we all know and hate.
1. Aloe Ice FTW: Cold compresses are really great for diminishing some of the redness and swelling that comes after too much time in the sun with too little SPF. Kick your compress up a notch by adding aloe vera gel (get it straight from the plant or buy a bottle at your local health food store) to your everyday ice cube tray before putting it in the freezer. Aloe contains over 150 nutrients, some of which help ease the effects of sunburns.
2. Cucumber Slices for Days: That’s right. The veggies that work overtime when deflating the shopping bags under your eyes are great at relieving sunburns for the exact same reason. Each slice contains natural antioxidants that kickstart healing and pain-relieving properties to get rid of the discomfort. You can slice a cucumber and apply directly to your sunburn or blend up a cucumber and apply the paste to your scorched skin.
3. Oil and Vinegar for Your Skin, Not Your Salad: Apple cider vinegar, or ACV for the uninitiated, is a multipurpose product that does a lot of heavy lifting. Much like coconut oil, there isn’t much that it can’t fix. In addition to being great for your face, diet and hair, it’s also ideal for after-sunburn care. ACV works as an astringent to reduce inflammation and help your skin heal. Meanwhile, coconut oil helps moisturize your skin and reduce all that ugly peeling. To apply, fill a spray bottle to the halfway mark with ACV and top off with water. Spray directly onto sunburned skin and then slather on some coconut oil to get your skin back to normal in no time.
4. Corn Starch Sprinkles: You’re tired, burned, red and just want to crawl into bed and crash, but you’re worried about spending a night tossing and turning in sheets that now feel like a burlap sack. The simple solution to your problem is to sprinkle your sheets with powder. Well, not just any powder — corn starch. Before hitting the hay, shake some corn starch onto your sheets. The powder helps to minimize painful, burn-irritating friction while you snooze.
5. Spray, Spray, Spray: Sunburns are hella inconvenient and sometimes they are located on parts of your body that aren’t easy to access. Prepare this sunburn spray to make those annoying burns easier to reach and soothe. The spray contains water, aloe vera gel, lavender oil and peppermint. The lavender oil soothes skin while the peppermint oil gives your scorched skin a nice, welcome cooling feeling.
What are your favorite sunburn hacks? Follow us on Pinterest for more beauty secrets!
(Photos via Getty)
It can be intimidating to step out on your own and build a business from the ground up. As part of our collaboration with Office Depot, we're talking with Selfmade alum and solopreneur Colette Lawrence, the faith-based motivator and relationship builder behind The M.E.E. Movement, about ways in which women in business can find success.
B + C: How did you know M.E.E. Movement was your business to start?
The M.E.E Movement represents motivation, empowerment, and encouragement for women. It is what represents me. I did not know at first that it was my business to start, but then the thought of monetizing what I loved came to me. It scared me, however. I registered the business in July 2020 and have been slowly building my wings since.
B + C: What's one strategy that's helped you start your business?
Thinking through and researching what the requirements are to start my business, and then asking questions of people who are in the business. Not all advice worked; however, it helped me to figure out what I needed to do and not to do.
B + C: Did you always know life coaching would be your entrepreneurial path?
(Smiles) No, I did not. I 'stumbled" on it. I knew that people were always coming to me for advice and I found that I loved having conversations with them, especially with women, young and old.
B + C: What was your most valuable takeaway from Selfmade?
My most valuable takeaway was the first day of training: Get out of your own way. There were a lot of great moments and important takeaways from every presenter. However, getting out of my own way, pushing past doubts, was for me my most valuable takeaway. Doing something that I had never done before took courage. If I do not focus on what is happening with me mentally then I cannot deliver to my clients successfully.
B + C: What's one piece of advice you would give to female entrepreneurs on the brink of starting?
Get out of your head. You have something to offer. You have what you need to succeed so go ahead and do it.
B + C: How do you stay motivated?
I stay motivated by listening to music and listening to motivational speakers, and sometimes someone will just reach out and talk about the impact that I made in their life. That adds the extra juice or sauce I need to pummel through the day.
B + C: What's your best organizational tip?
Keep a diary and journal. It's the best way for me to keep organized and it also provides a source motivation as I record not only my "losses" but my wins as well.
B + C: Who inspires you in the entrepreneurial space?
Shirley Toliver – She motivates and empowers and makes me always want to show up.
B + C: What has receiving the Office Depot scholarship to Selfmade done to help you start or grow your business?
The scholarship was a blessing in that all the areas that were covered offered valuable information that I needed, from social media to HR. As a new business owner, I needed to know this to increase my own personal awareness in what it takes to run a successful business. The candidness of the presenters made it easy to see myself in their shoes and helped me to realize that I can also get there.
Thanks Colette! You can follow The M.E.E. Movement on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Want to feel motivated to take the next step for your business? Let Office Depot OfficeMax give you the confidence you need with a suite of business services & solutions to help you put your best foot forward. Make a good first impression with business cards & build the business pitch of your dreams with custom presentations. With Office Depot OfficeMax you'll find the tools to reach new customers with confidence.
Head to Office Depot's Selfmade page to check out even more amazing business resources (and discounts!) to help you accomplish more on your entrepreneurial journey. These offers are available for a limited time only, so be sure to take advantage of all this goodness while supplies last. Want to join the next Selfmade cohort this summer? Check out all of the scholarship details right here.