Mom’s Tip for Treating Sunburn Goes Viral, Dermatologists Say It Really Works

Illustration-Pixabay

A creative home hack from a mother of two in Mount Calm, Texas, has got people talking. Cindie Allen-Stewart, 35, claimed that this unusual remedy can cure a sunburn, and all it takes is a little help from a common bathroom commodity.

If you want to get rid of sunburn, Cindie says, then slap on some shaving cream! “I burn, then do the shaving cream, and then the next day, it’s usually gone,” Cindie shared, speaking to Inside Edition.

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The mom of two explained that if ever she, her husband, or her kids sustain a nasty sunburn, she simply reaches for a menthol-based shaving cream and lathers a thick layer directly onto the affected area. It usually makes a visible difference within several hours, Cindie assured, adding: “I rarely ever peel.”

After several successes, Cindie posted photos and a descriptive tutorial on Facebook. Summer was in full swing; the post went viral.

In a candid “before” photo, poor Cindie’s back was shown in all of its sore, sunburnt glory. The outline of the mom’s swimsuit streaked her shoulders in stark contrast to her fiery red, sunburnt skin. But the “after” shot told an entirely different story. Cindie shared her secret.

“First, buy some menthol foam shaving cream,” she wrote online. “It has to be the foam and it has to have menthol in it,” Cindie clarified. “Next,” she continued, “apply the shaving cream on the burn. It may seem like it’s a strange shaving ritual, but trust me!”

Cindie dissuaded her followers from rubbing the foam into the skin, saying “just let it sit” instead. “It will start bringing all that heat out,” she instructed. “You'll be able to feel it!”

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Cindie advised her followers that the heat should wear off after about 30 minutes, at which point a localized chill sets in; that’s the time to wash the foam away. “Rinse it off in a lukewarm shower or bath,” she suggested.

This unusual approach to curing sunburn was actually a 40-year-old family trick passed down from Cindie’s mother-in-law. Cindie claimed that it used to take up to two weeks for her sunburn to heal; the shaving cream stunt shaved days off her and her children’s recovery times.

But the very best thing about this nifty home hack has to be that it’s doctor-approved.

Dr. Ross Radusky of SoHo Skin in New York City explained exactly why Cindie and her family were on to something. “If you look at the ingredients of shaving cream, it’s really a great moisturizer,” Dr. Radusky said. “It has a lot of coconut oil, coconut butter, or derivatives of it.”

Miami dermatologist Dr. Jonette Keri backed up her East Coast contemporary in speaking to the Huffington Post: “Shaving cream, in a lot of cases, has menthol and other chemicals,” the doctor said. “Those things are naturally cooling and feel good to the skin.”

Illustration - Pixabay | Hans

Dr. Radusky, however, advised the public to exercise caution while putting shaving cream on their skin. “Things like coconut oil are highly comedogenic,” he said, “meaning they create lesions of acne.” Alleviating a painful sunburn is no good if it is replaced by an unsightly breakout; the trick is in the timing.

“I’m not saying to go out and do this,” Cindie told the Daily Mail. “I was just showing my friends what I do. I never expected to get this much attention.” But it seems to work, and the internet has been loving this ingenious, easy, and affordable solution to a sorrowful sunburn.

Cindie, we applaud your family’s imagination! A gentle reminder to all sun worshippers: nothing beats wearing sunblock to prevent burning in the first place.