Makeup Tips for a Sunburned Face

It’s the time of year where sunburns are everywhere. Even if you apply sunscreen religiously, where a hat, and sit in the shade, you may end up with a sunburn. Keep up these good habits, as they drastically decrease the likelihood that you will get a burn.

If you’ve ever had a sunburn you know how to treat them – cool water, aloe vera, and no sun. But when it comes to a sunburned face, these treatments aren’t always practical for the workday.

Assuming your sunburn isn’t severe (there’s no blistering, peeling, swelling, or fever) you can consider applying makeup. Of course, your health needs to come first. If you find that your sunburned skin reacts badly to anything, see your doctor. Makeup isn’t worth permanent skin damage.

Applying makeup to sunburned skin requires extra care in comparison to your usual beauty routine. Here is everything you need to know about makeup for a sunburned face, from application to removal. The key to each step is to be as gentle as possible.

Start Clean

Before you put anything on your skin, cleanse it. Use cool – not cold – water to rinse your face. Apply a gentle cleanser, and massage your skin with your fingertips. Keeping your sunburn clean will help it heal more quickly.

Avoid exfoliating, since this will irritate the skin. If you find that your sunburn is flaking, use a super soft wash cloth. Rub very gently in small circles to loosen any skin that is ready to come off. Apply too much pressure will lift skin that isn’t ready to go.

Skip the Chemicals

If your usual post-wash routine includes toner and moisturizer, be careful what you put on sunburned skin. Since the skin is so much more sensitive than usual, the things you use on the regular might irritate it. For example, anything with retinol in it will likely make your face feel like it is on fire. 

Try using a toner with witch hazel in it. This is a natural astringent so it won’t be as harsh on your skin. Apply a small amount with a cotton ball, and be sure to dab instead of rubbing.

Instead of your usual moisturizer, try one with aloe vera in it. You may be able to get a sample size for free from a cosmetics counter – this should be enough to get you through the worst of your burn. If not, try a thin layer of aloe vera gel.

Even better, use a moisturizing sunscreen with aloe in it.

Use a Disposable Sponge

Keeping your damaged skin clean is priority #1. Use a disposable makeup sponge to apply your foundation. Your fingertips have oil on them, which you don’t want to transfer to your skin.

The ‘disposable’ part is important. Even when you wash your beauty blenders, they don’t always come out completely clean (click here to read about cleaning your beauty blenders).

Any bacteria left on your application tools can easily cause an infection in burned skin. This is the last thing you want to do to your face - it will hurt, and take a while to clear up. 

Go Easy

When putting on your makeup, err on the side of lighter coverage rather than darker. It’s super tempting to layer on everything in your arsenal, but the more you put on the worse off your skin will be.

Keep your skin simple – foundation followed by a light dusting of powder is best, and don’t even think the word ‘contour’. The blending required for contouring is pretty much guaranteed to make your skin worse.

To apply your foundation, gently pat it into place. The goal is to cover up the redness, not rub the foundation into the pores. Use the softest brush you have to apply the powder. Tap off any excess, and use small circles to apply it to your face. 

Stay Away from Red/Bright Pink

This includes lips, blush, and eyeshadow. These tones will draw attention to the fact that your face has taken on a cherry hue. Any warm tones (think red, pink, orange, copper) will accentuate the sunburn instead of covering it up.

Instead, try a blue or green. Cool tones will counteract the warmth of the red. This is the same reasoning behind green concealer. Again, take it easy on the colour.

For your lips, stick to a nude shade. Adding a bold lip to the mix won’t help. If nude isn't your thing, try a pastel purple. Since it is a cool tone it will mix well with the other colours, and it won't be so bold as to overdo your face.

Keep this in mind for your clothing, as well. For the duration of your burn, try sticking to neutrals and cool colours.

Try a Natural Remover

We’re big fans of Erase Your Face cloths. These super gentle cloths are reusable, wash like a dream, and don’t require any makeup remover to take everything off your face. They are incredibly soft so they won't irritate sensitive skin, and they do a great job of taking off cosmetics. 

If you don’t have these at hand, try a remover with a natural base ingredient, like coconut oil.

Use a Soft Wash Cloth

If you’re opting for makeup remover and a wash, use the softest cloth you can. Avoid rubbing too hard, and take your time.

Like before, use cool water. Rinse thoroughly, and pat dry.