Sunburn happens to the best of us. As a person of East Indian decent, I didn’t think that I needed to wear sunscreen on the Victoria Day long weekend. As it turns out, I was wrong.

I was enjoying the sunshine at my cottage without a care in the world when my sister told me that my nose had a red tint. When I went inside and looked in the mirror, I realized that she wasn’t kidding. My face was turning red and it was unmistakably sunburn.

While applying sunscreen or seeking shade are the best ways to prevent sunburn, what do you do when you’re already burnt?

The first thing my mom told me was to apply aloe or moisturizing cream. This is a nice way to soothe the affected area once you’ve noticed the burn. Well.ca carries many creams with aloe in the after sun care category.

Another good thing to do is to keep the skin cool, with either cool water or a dampened cloth. Not only does a little cooling feel nice on a hot sunny day, but this can reduce the heat and swelling that your skin may have after a long day in the sun.

There are also many natural home remedies that might do the trick for you. Cucumbers, green tea compresses, or pure lavender oil may yield the results you’re looking for.

No matter what you choose, make sure you stay out of the sun as much as possible once you’ve been burnt… and more importantly, make sure you have sunscreen around for the next time you’re enjoying the sunny outdoors!