Even the most diligent of sunscreen users can forget to reapply that second coat or miss a spot on their back, leaving them with a red, painful sunburn that's hot to the touch. But instead of reaching for the aloe, one mum turns to an unconventional product for soothing her irritated skin: shaving cream.
Specifically, menthol foam shaving cream, Cindie Allen-Stewart wrote in a Facebook post detailing her sunburn "hack" for friends and family. To her surprise, the post went viral, with over 223,000 shares and 48,000 comments as of today.
"Apply the shaving cream on the burn. It may seem like it's a strange shaving ritual, but trust me! Don't rub it in, just let it sit on your skin," Allen-Stewart explained in her post. "It will start bringing all that heat out (you'll be able to feel it). You may feel like you are itchy too, but that's a good thing! Itching means healing."
She recommends leaving the shaving cream on for about 30 minutes until the cream seems to have dissolved in some spots and is a little dried out. The sunburned area will begin to have a cooling sensation, at which point she recommends rinsing with lukewarm or cool water to remove the residue. Usually the sunburn disappears after a second treatment the next day, she said, adding that she has been using this method for healing sunburns for 10 years and has never been left with peeling or a burning sensation from the menthol.
Should you put shaving cream on your sunburn?
Well, you can-there's no harm in doing so, dermatologist Dr Ross Radusky explained to InsideEdition.com, and the moisturising ingredients may actually soothe your skin. Another dermatologist told Allure that the menthol present in some men's shaving creams may also soothe a sunburn.
But, let's be real: it's super messy, and shaving cream is expensive.
Natural sunburn remedies that work
If you don't feel like slathering your body in shaving cream today, don't worry. There are plenty of other easy, all-natural sunburn relievers out there that dermatologists have recommended to Prevention.
Take a bath in cool water and baking soda-it's been shown to relieve itching and inflammation. Apple cider and white vinegar also work well when mixed with cool bath water. Just take a soak and feel the relief.
Moisturise, moisturise, moisturise-a natural bath oil followed by a moisturising cream will quench your burned skin.
Embrace the power of a bag of frozen peas-this old trick does the job amazingly well, helping to absorb heat, constrict blood vessels, and reduce swelling.
Stay hydrated, even with food-may we recommended a juicy watermelon, which packs more than a cup of water in one large wedge.
A cold compress never fails-plus, combining water with witch hazel will help relieve the itchiness and keep the area from getting too dry.
Hit up the kitchen-you'd be surprised how many sunburn remedies are hiding in your fridge and cabinets. Milk, cornstarch, yoghurt, even lettuce-all of these have secret soothing properties when properly applied to sunburned skin.
We've got more sunburn tips here, but remember: The best thing you can do is prevent a sunburn from ever occurring through consistent use of a broad-spectrum sunscreen, preferably one that's water-resistant and at least SPF 30!
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