Ouch! Nothing can put a damper on your outdoor fun quite like a nasty sunburn. Redness, heat, pain, and peeling, all common symptoms of this affliction, are easy to see and feel on the surface of your skin. But what's happening under the surface of your skin when you get a sunburn? Let's dive in a little deeper, to the level of your DNA.

Sunlight contains two harmful types of ultraviolet light, known as UVA and UVB. Overexposure to this type of radiation actually alters and damages your skin's DNA. Sunburn is the body's reaction to this damage. When your body recognizes that your skin is being sunburned, it releases a particular cocktail of chemical compounds. These chemicals are what cause the redness, inflammation, and nerve pain that are typically associated with sunburns. Though this chemical reaction is intended to help repair the sun's damage in the short term, in the long term it can lead to premature skin aging, carcinomas, and even deadly melanoma.

How susceptible you are to sunburn depends in large part on your skin type (those with less melanin will burn faster), the time of day and duration of sun exposure, and your age.

Fortunately, we can protect our skin from the sun's harmful rays by using products such as Thank You Farmer Sun Project Sun Cream, which provides SPF 50 protection, is designed for all skin types, and can be comfortably worn under makeup. Or you can use makeup products with SPF protection conveniently built right in, many of which are available through MissPalettable. Protecting your skin can be an easy and manageable part of your daily beauty routine.

If it's too late for prevention and you find yourself nursing a painful sunburn, don't despair! You can speed up the healing process by keeping the area well moisturized, preferably with a soothing cream made of natural ingredients such as Thank You Farmer True Water Light Gel Cream. Try to stay out of the sun until the burn has healed completely, and make sure to drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration, as your skin draws fluids to the surface to aid in healing. 

To browse a wide range of natural skin care products, please visit our site or contact us for more information.