Shoppers Say This Soothing Cream "Drastically Reduces" Sunburn and Peeling Skin

Unless you've been living under a rock for the last 10 to 20 years (jealous), you probably know about the importance of sunscreen. But who hasn't made mistakes? Forgetting to reapply — or falling victim to an accidental nap — happens to the best of us, and that's when it pays to have a soothing lotion on hand. And according to thousands of pleased shoppers, Burt's Bees' After Sun Soother is remarkably effective at speeding up the healing process, with some calling it a "heavenly" moisturizer.

A look at customers' before-and-after images alone is enough to jolt your stomach; their angry, dark red burns could be used in health classes. But per one fan, the lotion made a huge difference in their gulp-inducing burn within a day — the redness "mostly faded," and the pain was "so much better." The cream's raked in over 6,000 five-star ratings from similarly impressed users, even one who applied it on their "looks-like-a-lobster-feels-like-fire" burn and found it eliminated the pain and itchiness and "drastically reduced" their peeling skin.

What makes it so good? The paraben- and phthalate-free formula is a mega-moisturizer, thanks to its combination of aloe, glycerin, shea butter, vitamin E, and coconut, sunflower, and jojoba oil. Aloe's effectiveness on sunburns is likely surprising to no one, since squeezy tubes of the gel are a burn treatment mainstay. Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Dendy Engelman, MD, previously told InStyle she recommends a lightweight aloe lotion to keep picking at a minimum, since scrabbling at flakes can damage the skin underneath (oops).

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But it's the addition of shea butter and coconut and jojoba oils that levels up the Burt's Bees formula (and makes it less sticky than unadulterated aloe). As cosmetic chemist Krupa Koestline previously told InStyle, coconut oil has been shown to reduce inflammation thanks to its polyphenol content. Jojoba oil, too, is antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and rich in antioxidants and fatty acids. And as cosmetic chemist Dr. Shuting Hu previously told InStyle, shea butter is "fantastic" for skin thanks to its high levels of fatty acids and vitamins.

With the above ingredients in its pocket, it's no wonder reviewers love the After Sun Soother, even as a regular moisturizer. One such person wrote that they've seen it diminish their age spots, and another user said they watched it transform skin that was "dry, scaly, and bumpy to soft and hydrated." A 71-year-old commented that it's won their ongoing allegiance, and another enthusiast added it immediately alleviated their skin's post-sun tightness — and has left even the "worst burns" as non-peeling tans.

"After using it over and over and getting the same fantastic results, I can say that it is truly a miracle product," the above shopper concluded. "An added bonus is how super soft it makes your skin." If you'd like to have the burn fixer-cum-hydrator on hand going into the summer months, get Burt's Bees' After Sun Soother while it's on sale for $8.