{"id":565476,"date":"2026-07-24T06:08:11","date_gmt":"2026-07-24T06:08:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/565476\/"},"modified":"2026-07-24T06:08:11","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T06:08:11","slug":"simone-gannon-heres-how-to-help-your-skin-recover-from-the-sun-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/565476\/","title":{"rendered":"Simone Gannon: Here\u2019s how to help your skin recover from the sun \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019ve read this column for any length of time, you\u2019ll know one of my favourite topics to cover is the importance of wearing sunscreen and protecting your skin from all the ill effects that come from UV exposure. <\/p>\n

But what if, despite your very best efforts, you suddenly find yourself sunburned, dehydrated and altogether uncomfortable from too much time in the sun? <\/p>\n

If that happens, don\u2019t panic. Here are my quick fixes for cooling down overly sun-kissed skin, along with the signs to stop treating it at home and seek medical attention instead. <\/p>\n

First things first, if you\u2019ve had too much sun or if you\u2019re sunburned, get out of the sun immediately and stay out of it. Drink water regularly, wear loose clothing and do everything you can to cool yourself down. Stay indoors if possible, use a fan, take a cool shower and if the heat is mainly affecting your face, neck or chest, use a cool compress for some instant relief. And cool is the operative word here. Do not, I repeat, do not use ice from the freezer directly on your skin, or ice packs \u2013 they can burn the skin and make it feel even worse than it already does. <\/p>\n

Once you\u2019ve cooled down, it\u2019s time to simplify your skincare. Pause all active products for a few days (or longer, if necessary). By active products, I mean things like retinol, vitamin C, exfoliating products and so on. Strip your skincare routine back to the absolute basics to help repair your skin barrier: a very gentle, non-exfoliating cleanser such as CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser (\u20ac13 from Boots) or Dr Sam\u2019s Flawless Cleanser (\u20ac24 from drsambunting.com). Use a barrier-repairing moisturiser like Dr Althea 345 Relief Cream (\u20ac28 from phare.store) or La Roche-Posay Dermallergo Soothing Cream (\u20ac26 from Boots), and, of course, sunscreen. <\/p>\n

\"CeraVeCeraVe Hydrating Cleanser (\u20ac13 for 236ml at Boots) and Dr Sam’s Flawless Cleanser (\u20ac24 from drsambunting.com) <\/p>\n

Sunscreen is essential all year round, but when your skin is already inflamed and irritated, protecting it from further UV exposure is non-negotiable. Apply generously to the face, neck, chest and any other exposed skin before going anywhere, and reapply every two hours or more frequently if you\u2019re swimming, exercising or sweating heavily. Sunscreen will not stay on indefinitely, and you can never apply too much really, so to use a very technical term \u2013 lash it on. <\/p>\n

Some of my favourite everyday sunscreens include Solas Skin Hydrating Face Cream SPF50 (\u20ac34.99 from solasskin.ie), CeraVe Invisible Hydrating Fluid Sunscreen SPF50 (\u20ac21.99 from Boots) and SKN TO SKN Glow & Go Daily Moisturiser SPF30 (\u20ac38 from millies.ie). <\/p>\n

\"SolasSolas Skin Hydrating Face Cream SPF50 (\u20ac34.99 from solasskin.ie) \"SKNSKN TO SKN Glow & Go Daily Moisturiser with Mineral SPF30 (\u20ac38 from Boots) <\/p>\n

For instant relief on the face, I always keep a couple of repairing, calming sheet masks in the fridge. They\u2019re cool enough to provide immediate relief, but not so cold that they\u2019ll irritate the skin further. My all-time favourite option is Dr Jart Ceramidin Sheet Mask (\u20ac35 for a pack of five from Brown Thomas), closely followed by Skingredients Hydra-Hit Instant Facial Mask (\u20ac9 from skingredients.com) and Pestle and Mortar Pure Hyaluronic Sheet Mask (\u20ac19 for a pack of three from pestleandmortar.com).<\/p>\n

\"DrDr Jart Ceramidin Skin Barrier Moisturising Mask (\u20ac11 from Brown Thomas) and Skingredients Hydra-Hit Instant Facial Mask (\u20ac9 from skingredients.com) <\/p>\n

If you\u2019re dealing with sunburn on the body, a cool shower or bath can feel amazing. Avoid hot water at all costs, as this can make the skin even more irritated. And when you hop out of the shower or bath, and your skin is still damp, slather on a soothing body cream or moisturiser to speed up healing. Damp skin is much more permeable than dry skin, so it will absorb more readily and feel especially comforting. Aloe vera-based formulas are particularly good for sunburned skin, like Dr Organic Aloe Vera Body Lotion (\u20ac11.69 from Holland & Barrett) or Vaseline Intensive Care Aloe Soothe Body Lotion (\u20ac8.49 from Boots). <\/p>\n

\"VaselineVaseline Intensive Care Aloe Soothe Body Lotion (\u20ac8.49 from Boots) and Dr Organic Aloe Vera Body Lotion (\u20ac11.69 from Holland & Barrett) <\/p>\n

The scalp is another area that is often overlooked when it comes to sun exposure, and unfortunately, it\u2019s one of the most uncomfortable when burned. Until it has healed, avoid hot showers, hair dryers, hair tools and other heat sources. A thin layer of something soothing and protective like CeraVe Advanced Repair Ointment to the scalp (\u20ac13.50 from Boots) can help, as can regularly spritzing the area with Av\u00e8ne Thermal Spring Water Spray (\u20ac11.50 for 150ml from Boots). In the future, make sure to wear a hat whenever possible, and apply sunscreen to the hairline, hair parting, and any other exposed areas of the scalp. This is especially important if you\u2019re experiencing male or female patterned hair loss. <\/p>\n

\"CeraVeCeraVe Advanced Repair Ointment (\u20ac12.50 from Boots) <\/p>\n

Finally, know when home care just isn\u2019t enough. If you\u2019re struggling to cool down, if you\u2019re experiencing a temperature, chills, nausea, if you spot red streaks or blistering anywhere on the skin, or if you\u2019re generally feeling unwell, seek medical attention as soon as possible. <\/p>\n

This week I\u2019m loving \u2026 Hildun Beauty Blur Balm\"HildunHildun Beauty Blur Balm (\u20ac16 from hildunbeauty.com) <\/p>\n

Multi-purpose products are still very much the moment, and Hildun Beauty has stepped up to the mark with the launch of Blur Balm (\u20ac16 from hildunbeauty.com). Three appealing shades: Soft Rose, Berry Blur and Velvet Peach, housed in palm-sized packaging and designed to be worn on the lips and cheeks. A creamy, almost gel-like formula at first swipe, it settles into a soft, almost diffused flush of colour on the skin. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"If you\u2019ve read this column for any length of time, you\u2019ll know one of my favourite topics to…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":565477,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[1902,631,103,61,60,709,3273,15950],"class_list":["post-565476","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health","tag-beauty","tag-for-you","tag-health","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-magazine","tag-skincare","tag-weather-ireland"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/565476","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=565476"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/565476\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/565477"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=565476"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=565476"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=565476"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}