How to Cover Up Sunburn with Makeup (Video Tutorial!)

Even though we all try to avoid sun damage, it still happens to the best of us occasionally. If you find yourself sporting a fiery pink glow after a long day at the beach, here's how to cover up sunburn with makeup. I've also included my favorite tip to help quickly heal a burn and turn it tan overnight!

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Learn how to cover sunburn with makeup while you wait for it to heal, plus one easy tip to speed up the healing process! Click To Tweet

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How to Cover Up Sunburn with Makeup

Before I go any further, I want to repeat something I always mention here on the blog: Always wear a broad spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30+. It's the best thing you can do for your skin! I wore sunscreen the day I got burned in my video below, but then I fell asleep and didn't reapply like I should have.

Links to Purchase

NOTE: Tarte's Swamp Queen palette was limited edition and is no longer available. If they ever re-release it, I recommend putting it in your cart immediately. It's my favorite palette I've ever owned. The Carli Bybel palette is a good dupe for the highlighter.

After Sunburn Skin Care Steps:

Apply a green tea face mask to skin to soothe and encourage faster healing. Green tea contains powerful anti-oxidants that help heal and protect skin from environmental damage.
Thoroughly apply apple cider vinegar using a cotton ball. TIP: Buy apple cider vinegar *with the mother*. It'll be listed on the packaging (or just get the one I use to be sure). It's always worked best for me!
Apply a broad spectrum sunscreen with an SPF 30+ if you plan to spend any time at all outdoors. Be sure to cover your neck and ears!
Moisturize thoroughly with a cream (preferred since it's more moisturizing) or lotion.

Makeup Tips to Cover Up a Sunburn:

Use a color-correcting green primer or regular primer. (NOTE: I haven't been using green primers lately, but I have used them before to cover redness. You can see a great example in this video at the 2:12 minute-mark.)
Apply a medium to heavy coverage foundation. I like my Too Faced foundation because it covers well without looking like a mask. (Carry the foundation down your neck if your sunburn extends to that area.)
Spot conceal where necessary to further reduce redness or conceal blemishes
Set with translucent powder. (Always use translucent powder over concealer before adding any bronzer, otherwise the concealer will soak up the bronzer and make blemishes more apparent!)
Apply powder blush (optional/if needed)
Apply bronzer to help cancel out some of the red undertones.

That's it! I hope these tips for covering a sunburn are helpful. Remember not to skimp on the sunscreen! Find a cute hat and wear it anytime you're venturing out with skin that's already showing signs of sun damage.

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Comments

Grace says
June 12, 2018 at 9:21 PM
This post came at the right time! I just came back from a trip and I got sunburned all over just spending half a day outside. I’ve never had any luck with green concealers but I might just have to give them a go again to cover up the redness. Awesome tips!!
Chenille Lafleur says
June 11, 2018 at 1:58 PM
Haha I wish I had this tutorial a couple weeks ago when my entire side was burned. I have also used some makeup to cover up sunburns on other parts of my body, not just my face! Thanks for this!
Kristi McAllister says
June 11, 2018 at 12:31 PM
This is a very useful post for me because I’m Irish, which means I never tan! I burn and then I peel and my sunburns are always hard to cover up! Pinning!