As a redhead who grew up at an altitude above 4500 feet, I have experienced more than my fair share of sunburns – like the blistering, literal color of lobster kinds – and have reached for the aloe vera gel or lotion, just to have something, anything, to please make my skin stop crawling and emitting what feels like literal radiation. Over the years I have tried many tactics, like the aforementioned aloe gel and lotion, the oatmeal/milk baths, and the wait-it-out-through-gritted-teeth-who-needs-sleep-anyway approach. Aloe, at least, made my skin kind of feel like it was not on fire, and the others hardly worked at all. But, one option that was not around for me then, but is now, is topical CBD.
Cannabis and Sunburn
Our skin is the body’s largest organ, and when it comes under attack from the sun’s rays, burning is the body’s healing response. The body releases inflammatory cells to help repair the damage, but that causes discomfort like swelling, skin pressure, heat and blistering. Studies have shown that CBD works well as an anti-inflammatory and can suppress the body’s inflammatory response. A CBD topical may also help to reduce pain at the site of the burn and help to prevent infections.
Aloe vera is another plant that, like cannabis, has been used for thousands of years because of its healing benefits. More than 75 compounds make up its curative arsenal, like amino acids, salicylic acid, and glycoproteins. These work together to reduce pain and inflammation and form a protective layer over the skin to hold in moisture and keep skin hydrated. When aloe and CBD work together, the synergy can be especially beneficial, by quieting the inflammatory response to speed healing and providing a cooling effect upon application.
Products to Try
Bozeman, Montana-based Lost Remedy created their Burn Formula, made of aloe gel, avocado oil, tea tree oil, and hemp-derived CBD. In the beginning, Burn Formula was intended for cancer patients who had radiation burns. Now, it is also used for sunburn and accidental burn pain relief.
If a lukewarm bath is your preferred post-sunburn go-to, add some of Mary Jane’s Medicinals Heavenly Hash Bath. With ingredients like grape seed oil, cannabis leaves, Epsom salts, and cooling and calming essential oils like lavender, chamomile, and peppermint, it will help soothe and moisturize the skin (Please note that Mary Jane’s Medicinals is only available in California and Colorado).
Another approach to reducing the pain from sunburn may be to go the internal route, by partaking of a high-CBD strain like ACDC, Charlotte’s Web or Hawaiian Dream. The high CBD content in these strains will help to suppress the inflammatory response causing sunburn pain, and has the added benefits of being anti-anxiety and pain relieving. Or, find a relaxing strain with a nice balance of THC to CBD to help you actually sleep through that sunburn pain!
If you would rather just not deal with the redness, peeling, and subsequent farmer tan that comes from a bad sunburn, why not avoid it altogether? Nevada-based Evergreen Organix has an SPF+THC sunscreen. Available in SPF 30, it contains anti-aging ingredients and THC cannabinoids to help hydrate and protect your skin. But remember to reapply every two hours (or more if you’re a freckly pale one like me), especially if you’ve been swimming or doing strenuous activities like running or hiking.
Beating the Burn
Most of the time, sunburns calm down in a few days and can act more like an itchy, peeling, inconvenience. But they can actually be very dangerous to your long term health. Excessive sun exposure can cause premature aging and wrinkling, and can cause skin cancer, including malignant melanoma. Every time you go outside unprotected, you are putting your skin at risk. So take care this summer, and treat your skin well!
CBD & THC SKINCARE FOR SUNBURNS & MOSQUITO BITES
Ah, summer. The time to revel in the joys of spending time outdoors. Whether your jam is lounging by the pool, swimming in the ocean, or taking yourself on a nice nature walk, soaking up the sun comes with its pros and cons. While the sun’s rays are a great source of Vitamin D for your mind and body, the sunburn and mosquitos that come with that are less than ideal. Remember that time you thought that initial application of sunscreen was going to be enough? Or that fun day of hiking when you forgot your bug spray? Yeah, us too, and we guarantee it will happen again. Fortunately, next time it does, you’ll know a few ways to soothe your sunburned skin or irritated mosquito bites with CBD & THC skincare.
What is Sunburn & Why Do Sunburns Happen?
Sunburn is an inflammatory reaction to the ultraviolet (UV) radiation contained within the sun’s light, which damages the skin’s outermost layers and causes inflammation, redness, pain, and peeling. Cannabis skincare can help to soothe your skin, moisturize, and repair damaged skin, as well as help with discomfort from sunburn.
Soothing Skincare Ingredients for Sunburn
The ingredients in Papa & Barkley’s cannabis skincare products were carefully chosen for their skin repairing properties and ability to complement the benefits of CBD & THC. Here are just a few of the amazing ingredients that can soothe and help heal skin cells affected by the sun’s UV rays.
Aloe Vera
Growing up in Southern California, I was always getting sunburned. After a long beach day or too much time spent by the pool, our family go-to was Aloe Vera gel. We kept it in the fridge, so it was extra cooling, and I still remember the feeling of relief after applying it. That’s why it’s one of my favorite ingredients in our Releaf Body Lotion! For those of you not familiar with the plant, Aloe Vera is a succulent plant species of the genus Aloe, grown in tropical, semi-tropical, and arid climates around the world. Aloe Vera is mainly cultivated for agricultural and medicinal uses, which is why we knew we had to include it in our body lotion. It’s an antiseptic full of vitamin C, B6, B12, and Acemannan that work together to kill bacteria and stimulate new, healthy tissue to heal wounds making it ideal for helping soothe sunburns. – Laine
The Resurrection Plant (Repair Cream)
You know the Resurrection Stone from Harry Potter? One of the three Deathly Hallows that gave its owner the power to bring back the dead? Yeah, that stone. Well, that’s basically what the Resurrection Plant does for your skin! The Resurrection Plant AKA Glyceryl Glucoside, lives in plants that thrive in the deserts of Africa under extreme conditions like long-term dryness, high temperatures and extreme UV-radiation. So, it’s no wonder that it’s helpful for soothing sunburns, too. It can help alleviate the irritation and redness that comes from too much sun exposure, while also providing all-day moisture and increasing skin elasticity as you heal. So next time you’re met with a burnt nose, grab our Releaf Repair Cream and let the plant work its magic.
Allantoin
Ever heard of Allantoin? We didn’t either, until it became a vital ingredient of our Releaf Body Lotion. Usually extracted from the root of the flowering plant comfrey, Allantoin can also be derived from sugar beets and wheat! This natural ingredient is non-toxic, non-irritating, and hypoallergenic, making it great for sensitive skin. It also boasts many regenerative properties to help soothe sunburns, chapped lips, alleviate irritations, and stimulate growth of healthy tissue. Whether you are dealing with hot skin from a fresh sunburn or trying to relieve the itching and redness on Day 3, the calming effects of Allantoin, Shea Butter, and Mango Seed oil in our Releaf Body Lotion will help you rejuvenate and heal.
How to Deal with Sunburn & Sunburn Peeling
Hate peeling after a sunburn? Everyone does, but do you know why you peel after being exposed to the sun for too long? It’s the body’s natural safeguards reacting to sunburn; when your skin begins to peel, it’s a sign that your body is trying to rid itself of the damaged skin cells. Depending on where your sunburn is, you can use one of Papa & Barkley’s skincare products. If you have burned your face or neck, turn to Papa & Barkley’s Releaf Repair Cream. Specifically formulated for face and neck, the Releaf Repair Cream blends fresh-pressed cannabis Rosin with moisturizing agents like Squalane and Jojoba oil. If you are trying to help sunburn on your back, chest, or legs, pick up Papa & Barkley’s Releaf Body Lotion. It is activated with fresh-pressed rosin and hydrating agents like jojoba oil, shea butter and mango seed oil, so you can moisturize your irritated skin and reduce swelling and pain. Start by applying either the lotion or the repair cream two times per day, or as often as your skin starts feeling dry and flaky. After several days the sunburn will recede, and your skin will feel better.
How to Stop Mosquito Bites from Itching
What’s even worse than a sunburn? Mosquito bites. Well, at least for me. I’ve recently learned than I am allergic to mosquitos, and they just so happen to love me. If I stand outside for just 10 minutes after 4pm, I’ll probably come away with at least 4-5 mosquito bites, and if I so much as scratch them once, they triple in size and turn into large welts. Fun, right? The itchiness and irritation are unbearable. It happened to me a couple weeks ago, and I was not having it, so naturally, I grabbed my Releaf Body Oil and massaged it into every spot I had a bite. The cooling effects of the Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Tea Tree, and Lavender blend mixed with the healing properties of the whole plant and Vitamin E, which brought the swelling down immensely and made it easier to sleep through the night. If you prefer a more targeted solution, try Papa & Barkley’s Releaf Balm. It will provide the same effects for your mosquito bites as our body oil, but without the slick, oily feeling on your skin. – Laine
