Summer Solstice

 Summer Solstice 2026

Every morning, since the formation of our solar system, a new day dawns. From our perspective, the Earth’s rotation appears to mirror the larger cosmic cycles. Day and night, summer and winter, again and again. A spinning dance of light and dark, life and death, in perpetuity. In the northern hemisphere, the summer solstice marks the longest day (and shortest night) of the year, the sunlight’s peak in our annual journey around this glorious star we call our own. 

In the health and beauty field, we discourage sunbathing, especially during peak hours and without wearing sunblock, but some daylight exposure is inevitable, and can even be healthy for our circadian regulation and vitamin D synthesis. Also, some people love being out in the sun and, even the most diligent among us can find themselves in circumstances where over-exposure happens, resulting in sunburn. But what exactly is a sunburn, and what can be done to heal and minimize the damage one causes?

A sunburn is an inflammatory reaction to cellular damage of the skin, caused by ultraviolet radiation. Vulnerability to UV can be affected by duration of exposure, location in terms of altitude and proximity to the equator, time of day, use of sunblock or shade, the amount of melanin naturally present in the skin, use of exfoliants/retinoids, and certain medications. The symptoms can range from mild to severe, depending on the level of exposure and damage done. A mild case can be treated on your own, but a severe sunburn will require medical attention.

Symptoms can include:

• inflammation: redness/heat/swelling
• pain and tenderness
• dryness, itching, peeling skin
• blistering (don’t pop, seek medical attention for large blisters)

Seek immediate medical attention if you experience the following:

• fever/chills
• headache, confusion, dizziness, rapid heart rate, difficulty breathing
• pain that over-the-counter medication doesn’t manage
• large blisters
• peeling that reveals raw or bleeding skin
• signs of infection like pus, foul smell, or red streaking leading from the area

When you first notice a sunburn, go indoors or somewhere shady, preferably where it’s cool or even air-conditioned. Treating the burn by applying a cool (not frozen) compress to the affected area for 15 minutes every hour or two for a few hours, is a good start. After that, and throughout the healing process, use a hydrating, alcohol-and-fragrance-free gel at least twice daily. Look for ingredients like seaweed, aloe, stonecrop, cucumber, green tea, and cbd. Seaflora’s Seaweed Body Gel and Healthy Healing Gel (available at Rebel Esthetics / Renaissance Wellness Clinic)  are perfect for this! Wearing loose and breathable clothing until you’ve fully recovered will be more comfortable, and less irritating, than anything tight or rough. Stay out of the sun as much as possible until all redness, dryness, and peeling is gone. Drink plenty of water and get enough sleep until fully healed. It can take up to two or three weeks to recover.

Things to avoid while healing from sunburn:

• picking, scratching, intentionally peeling the skin
• scrubs, exfoliants, chemical peels
• harsh soaps and detergents
• fragrance
• alcohol (especially topically, but also limit how much you drink)
• hot baths, showers, or hot tubs
• ice packs
• anti-bacterial or petroleum-based ointments (unless recommended by your doctor)

Though the risks of sun exposure are real, without the Sun, there would be no life on Earth. No wild plants nor animals. No agriculture nor people. Just dirt, rocks, and ice, floating in the vast coldness of space. From ancient times to the modern day, our relationship with this giver of warmth, light, and life, has been the inspiration of myth, music, and art, connecting us to the natural world, and to one another. The Sun invokes rich symbolism, speaking to us of hope, illumination, awakening, revelation, truth, health, wholeness, and holiness.

May we all embody that brightness this summer.