The Best Body Products For Healing Sunburn & Sun Damage
As I write this, my skin is a scaly mess because I decided I wanted to get the best tan possible while laying naked on Negril's Seven Mile beach. Mind you, this is weeks later. Now, I know that belief that black women can't get sun cancer is a myth even with our built-in melanin protection. Luckily, I was smart enough to apply Supergoop's Glow Stick Sunscreen to my face. But, I hadn't accounted for the sunburn I got on my boobs or the peeling alligator skin I am now trying to figure out how to manage because I didn't apply any SPF to my body.
Which is what brought me to writing this round-up — ya girl needed soothing, healing options fast, and I figured I am not the lone brown girl out there in need of giving their skin a little TLC from the summer sun. With that, I've rounded up a list of products you can use from head to toe (including your scalp) after a day (or days) of fun in the sun.
*This list is specially curated by the xoNecole team and some links are affiliate links. If you purchase an item from an affiliate link, xoNecole might earn a small commission.
*Some links are affiliate links. If you make a purchase, xoNecole may earn a small commission.
Eau Thermale Avene Soothing Sheet Mask
Eau Thermale Avene
I am a huge fan of Avene. Their products are made with sensitive skin in mind. When I saw their sheet masks, I knew I had to give them a try. They do not only lend themselves to self-care, but their hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic, fragrance-free masks soothe red, irritated skin in no time.
Base Butter Radiate Face Jelly
Base Butter
Aloe is always a must-have after you've overdone it in the sunshine, and Base Butter's holy grail moisturizer is made with aloe as a key ingredient along alongside lavender and witch hazel which balance and soothe distressed skin.
Aspen Kay Oatmeal Soap Bar
Amazon
One of the best ways to cool your body down and ease sunburn is a cold shower. Using a bar of soap or body wash with oatmeal can calm and nourish the skin, think about how oatmeal can soothe the stomach; the same applies to our skin.
FRESH Brown Sugar Body Polish
Nordstrom
FRESH is one of my favorite beauty brands because their products are made with good ingredients that warrant an elevated price point. Now, I wouldn't recommend scrubbing blistered, or skin that is broken as that would make things worse. Once the pain subsides, you'll want to get the damaged layer(s) of skin off with a gentle scrub. Made with brown sugar crystals and jojoba oils, this scrub will help revive troubled skin.
SheaMoisture Manuka Honey & Yogurt Skin Renewal Recipe Body Scrub
I would like to personally thank this scrub for soothing and getting my flakey skin together. This scrub feels more like a yogurt and honey creme with a hint of exfoliation, which was just what my skin needed.
Hanahana Beauty Eucalyptus Shea Body Butter
Eucalyptus Shea Body Butter
With shea butter and eucalyptus as ingredients, your skin will thank you. If your scalp got burned, you could use this to oil it as well.
Ceramedx Restoring Body Lotion
Ceramedx comes highly rated by skincare professionals. Thanks to its blend of plant-based ceramides and hyaluronic acid, it helps soothe everything from allergic reactions to eczema.
One word of advice. Don't be like me. Be sure to protect your skin with sunscreen daily.
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Bianca Lambert is a proud Atlanta native soaking up the Los Angeles sun. She is the founder of Mae B: a stationery company for women of color and a digital content creator on a mission to elevate the voices of women of color everywhere.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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You've Never Seen Luke James In A Role Quite Like This
Over the years, we've watched Luke James play countless characters we'd deem sex symbols, movie stars, and even his complicated character in Lena Waithe's The Chi. For the first time in his career, the New Orleans-born actor has taken on a role where his signature good looks take a backseat as he transforms into Edmund in Them: The Scare—a mentally deranged character in the second installment of the horror anthology series that you won't be able to take your eyes off.
Trust us, Edmund will literally make you do a double take.
xoNecole sat down with Luke James to talk about his latest series and all the complexity surrounding it—from the challenges taking on this out-of-the-box role to the show's depiction of the perplexing history of the relationship between Black Americans and police. When describing the opportunity to bring Edmund's character to life, Luke was overjoyed to show the audience yet another level of his masterful acting talents.
"It was like bathing in the sun," he said. "I was like, thank you! Another opportunity for me to be great—for me to expand my territory. I'm just elated to be a part of it and to see myself in a different light, something I didn't think I could do." He continued, "There are parts of you that says, 'Go for it because this is what you do.' But then also that's why it's a challenge because you're like, 'um, I don't know if I'm as free as I need to be to be able to do this.' Little Marvin just created such a safe space for me to be able to do this, and I'm grateful for everything I've been able to do to lead to this."
Courtesy
Them: The Scare, like the first season, shines a light on the plight of Black Americans in the United States. This time, the story is taking place in the 1990s, at the height of the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles. While the series presents many underlying themes, one that stands out is Black people and the complicated relationship with the police. "For the audience, I think it sets the tone for the era that we're in and the amount of chaos that's in the air in Los Angeles and around the country from this heinous incident. And I say it just sets the tone of the anxiety and anxiousness that everybody is feeling in their own households."
James has been a longtime advocate against police brutality himself. He has even featured Elijah McClain, the 23-year-old Colorado man who died after being forcibly detained by officers, as his Instagram avatar for the past five years. So, as you can imagine, this script was close to his heart. "Elijah was a soft-loving oddball. Different than anyone but loving and a musical genius. He was just open and wanted to be loved and seen."
Getty Images
Luke continued, "His life was taken from him. I resonate with his spirit and his words...through all the struggle and the pain he still found it in him to say, 'I love you and I forgive you.' And that's who we are as people—to our own detriment sometimes. He's someone I don't want people to forget. I have yet to remove his face from my world because I have yet to let go of his voice, let go of that being [because] there's so many people we have lost in our history that so often get forgotten."
He concluded, "I think that's the importance of such artwork that moves us to think and talk about it. Yes, it's entertaining. We get to come together and be spooked together. But then we come together and we think, 'Damn, Edmund needed someone to talk to. Edmund needed help... a lot [of] things could have been different. Edmund could have been saved.'
Check out the full interview below.
Luke James Talks Ditching Sex Symbol Status For "Them: The Scare", Elijah McClain, & Morewww.youtube.com
Featured image by Getty Images