By Lila Lopez

This summer has been busy!  I have taken a little break from my weekly blogs to enjoy some summer pool days and lots of family time!  We spent two weeks in Northwestern Montana, and before you 406 people get all angry, I was born and raised there, so I am allowed to still visit family right?  

Packing for a two week trip is a ton of work.  This year we decided to skip the $3000 rental SUV and take our own truck on the 19 hour trek from Arizona to Montana.  This allowed us to pack the back full of everything we would need, minus the stuff we forgot,  for our annual GRAHAM COUSINS CAMPING EXTRAVAGANZA.  (That's not what we call it, but I think I will get t-shirts made for next year.)  This annual camping trip started 3 summers ago when my cousin Jessie and I spent the week at our favorite quiet lake with our kids.  Each year we have grown in numbers and it has turned into a sort of Graham cousin reunion week.  

When you spend a week camping, you have to mentally prepare yourself for a certain level of dirtiness.  And before you picture us roughing it, sleeping in tents, living off the land, we were not.  (Ok, the kids were in a tent!) We were comfortably tucked in at night in a nice air conditioned 5th wheeler, just not tucked away clean.  Kids go to bed with dirt caked faces and feet.  Our hair smells like campfire and our skin smells of leftover sunscreen and burnt skin.  Luckily where we camp there is a beautiful crystal clear lake where we spend most hours of the day.  Having a swimmable lake is the only way this converted city gal can tolerate a week of camping.  Every few days I make a point to take my Pureology Hydrate travel size shampoo and conditioner down to the lake and try to scrub some of the soot out of my hair.  

On day 5 without a shower, I took a sideways glance at my armpits and decided they could use a few swipes of a razor.  This wasn't the first time I have had to shave in a lake.  I took my new razor along with my body wash and headed down to the lake to spend a little time attending to my out of control hairy armpits.  It was the beginning of the day, so the water was clear and fresh.  I assumed all of the kid pee, sunscreen and spilled Truly’s had flushed out of our little cove.  I lathered up and went to town.  Even though this wasn’t a real shower, it felt good to be able to raise my arms without looking like Bigfoot.  

The next day we were celebrating the 3th of July, and I woke up to the worst razor burn ever.  (I realize it is called the 3rd, but I call it the 3th.)  My armpits were covered in painful red bumps.  Not anticipating a case of razor burn, I had not packed my Tend Skin, so I was basically shit out of luck. 

Two days later when we packed up and headed back to the real world, I sent a message to my friend and esthetician Ginger Lee, explaining what I did to myself and asking her what I could do.  Her first response was, "Tend Skin will help!"  I had to laugh, I bet it would! If only I could find some.  We texted back and forth for the next couple days while I was trying every Pinterest remedy there was.  My favorite piece of advice from her was, and I quote, “Lol. Next time don’t open your pores to yucky redneck water. Lol.”

I hadn’t even really thought about it like that.  To me, I was just shaving.  The thought of my pores never really entered my mind.  

So what is Razor Burn? 

Razor burn is a skin irritation that can occur after shaving your face, legs, or other body parts to remove hair. The interaction between the blade, hair, and skin is what causes razor burn.  People with sensitive skin can be more susceptible to razor burn.   Signs of razor burn include red bumps, a rash and stinging.  

If you find yourself away from home and your normal after shaving products, you need to get your hands on a few anti-inflammatory products to help heal your angry skin.   

Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil is a natural remedy to heal minor wounds and soothe burns.  It is anti-inflammatory and also antimicrobial.  It is not to be used undiluted, make sure to mix a few drops with a carrier oil like coconut oil.  

Witch Hazel

Those witches really knew what they were doing when they started bottling this stuff!  Just kidding. Witch Hazel is basically a healing miracle plant.  Some of its benefits include treating inflammation, irritated skin, hemorrhoids and warding off infection.  Apply it to a cotton pad and apply directly to your irritated skin.

Hydrocortisone Cream

Hydrocortisone cream is a topical steroid that’s used to reduce irritation and inflammation. Apply it once or twice daily to affected areas.

Tend Skin

The first time I ever saw an ad for Tend Skin, was in my mom’s SHAPE magazines in the 90's.  I remember the blue bottle and pictures of a man's bumpy neck.  Fast  forward to getting my Cosmetology license, I found it on the shelves of Cosmoproff.  This stuff burns on a freshly shaved armpit.  But it works!  Apply it to dry skin morning and night.  I normally use it once a day to keep any irritation at bay. 

It took a couple days but my armpits finally calmed down.  The real lesson here is more of a lesson in vanity!  What is worse, hairy armpits or an armpit full of red painful bumps?  

I will go for hairy armpits from now on!

Have you had a nasty case of razor burn threaten your beach or lake vacation? Share your experience and remedies below!