How to Care for a Sunburn

Summer's here and it's haaat out. If you're like us, most days are spent soaking up the sun’s rays, but before you know it, the sun's kiss can turn into a bite leaving skin sunburned and sensitive. And when that happens, it's time for a little TLC—tender Lush care!

Nursing a sunburn

Even the most careful suffer from time to time, so what’s a sore body to do?

1. Crack a cold one

No matter how sore your burn might be, you’ll still need to shower and get clean. Grab our Twilight, Conga or Whoosh Shower Jelly, pop it in the fridge or freezer, and keep it cold! Not only will they feel amazing on sensitive skin, but their carrageenan extract base means these silky-soft jigglers will ensure that skin feels cool, soothed, and happy.

2. Get your soak on

Soaking in a cooling summer bath can get the healing process started and relieve initial discomfort. Add a refreshing bath bomb, like Avobath to your water. Its mashed avocado and lemongrass blend will get to work, creating a skin-soothing utopia that’ll quench and soften dehydrated skin. Other bath bombs that’ll quench and cool parched skin? Ickle Baby Bot, Twilight and Intergalactic are great places to start.

Quick cool bath tip: Adding a bath bomb to your cool bath is awesome, because many contain refreshing and soothing oils that’ll ensure yours fizzes easily in colder water. However, we’d suggest avoiding bath bombs, like Butterball, which is packed with butters that need warmer water to melt completely.

Dip into the cooling waters of Intergalactic to ease angry skin.

A closeup of Intergalactic Bath Bomb’s swirling colors in the bathtub.

3. Lock in moisture

When a sunburn strikes, your skin loses moisture, but it’s easy to work it back in. Rich, conditioning products, like Aqua Marina Face And Body Cleanser and Rosy Cheeks each have a calamine base to soothe and hydrate troubled skin. If your skin can handle warmer waters, bathing with our luxurious Ceridwen's Cauldron Bath Oil or an in-shower body conditioner like Tingle will also help lock in moisture and give you some relief. Or avoid the shower altogether and grab a little Therapy. This massage bar is a solid block of ultra-moisturizing cocoa and shea butters with a touch of skin-calming lavender.

4. Give new skin extra care

Peeling skin is usually the last stage of your sunburn and the new skin underneath needs some love. Dream Cream Body Lotion is a lightweight lotion made with soothing, gentle oat milk, an ingredient that’s been used to help restore and nourish skin for hundreds of years. There’s also Cosmetic Lad, a soothing blend of lavender honey, aloe vera and fresh wheatgrass for suffering faces. It helps ease irritation, while giving skin the moisture it needs. The days are still long, and the sunshine is calling.

Preventative care

Sometimes, a little prep before you know you’ll be in the sun can go a long way. Repeated damage to skin cells can wear them out over time and weaken skin’s elasticity, so it’s more vulnerable to sun damage. In which case, you should never leave home without sunglasses, a hat (wide-brimmed, if you’ve got it), and sunscreen, especially ones that block UVA and UVB rays. Choose one with at least SPF 30 or higher.

Still not sure how to handle sensitive skin? Let us help, visit your local Lush shop, where our experts will help you find everything you need for happy, healthy skin and hair.