It's been almost two weeks since I got sunburned in San Diego. My skin is still a little bit red and peeling, but it no longer hurts and I no longer have to hide it with scarves and layers. I'm sure it wouldn't have healed as quickly without some TLC and some wonderful beauty products. Here are my recommendations for which products to use when you're dealing with any sort of sunburn.
Aloe Vera Gel
Any brand of this will work. The one I purchased was from a souvenir shop in Sea World, and I'm sure it worked just as well as one I could have purchased at any other store. This is a must for any sunburn. I recommend putting it in the fridge so it is extra cooling on sore, burning skin. I like the thicker gels because I find they go on easier and help prevent the skin from drying out and peeling.
Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion
This is my favorite moisturizer at all times of the year. It's great because it isn't sticky or greasy, it's all natural, and it works great on sensitive skin (I get allergic reactions really easily from scented beauty products). I grew up in Northern Alberta in Canada, and in the winter when my skin was dry this worked like a charm. Highly recommended.
St. Ives Collagen Elastin Facial Moisturizer
My boyfriend's mother gave me this moisturizer when the skin on my face was severely dry over the holidays. This moisturizer worked great and my skin felt infinitely better after a few applications. When this sunburn happened and I ran out of Aveeno lotion, I decided to try this out on the sunburn. My logic was that if it worked on my face, it should work on my shoulders. It worked wonderfully. Highly recommended.
Pur Minerals 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Foundation With SPF 15
I forgot my concealer in the USA when I went to visit family in Canada, and needed to borrow some. My mother was a make-up artist for years and has a make-up collection that rivals Sephora. She recommended this foundation, and now it's the only one I use. I like it because it's a powder, so it's really easy to apply and it covers absolutely everything. I tried it on my sunburn and it worked wonderfully, you couldn't even tell I was sunburned from a few feet away. My only complaint is that it goes on a bit thick, so if you're not careful it can look like you're wearing heavy stage make-up. With that said, for $25, you won't find a better powdered foundation anywhere.
As a bonus, here is a DO NOT BUY recommendation:
Clinique: Cool Lustre Body Moisture
I found this in my beauty product stash when I was looking for moisturizer after I got back from San Diego. I really like Clinique products, and I use Clinique toner regularly, but this moisturizer is terrible. I will agree that it did give a cooling sensation, but I do not feel it was an adequate moisturizer. My skin felt moisturized for maybe 2 minutes (it didn't even last an entire commercial break). Also, it turned my dry skin a greenish color, which made it look more diseased than anything else. I see it is no longer available on Nordstrom's website, and this is for good reason. If you ever see this, DO NOT BUY.
