The 12 Beauty Products You Need on Beach and Pool Days
From fancy, safe-for-sea-creatures sunscreens to an updated version of Sun-In, here are the 12 beach beauty products you want in your tote bag this summer.
The arrival of June means a lot of things — the year's already half over, it's Gemini season, strawberries are finally affordable, etc. — but mainly that it's time to jet off to far-flung destinations where salty waves, white sand beaches and lots of photo opportunities await. Or at the very least, it's time to hoof it to the nearest pool.
Of course, hand in hand with all the backstroking, sun-bathing and sweltering temperatures comes a whole set of beauty conundrums: fried hair, parched skin, sweat, sweat and more sweat. When you're spending a drastic amount of time outside or submerged in salty or chlorinated water, sunscreen, hair serums and moisturizers of all kinds become super important. Makeup, not so much — but we still want to look our best, whatever the occasion.
Click through the slideshow for 12 products that'll help you master beach babe beauty. Needless to say, there's a lot of SPF involved.
First and foremost, you need a capital-S Stellar sunscreen. Even if you're pale as Tilda Swinton in anything besides Trainwreck, even if your skin hasn't seen sun in months, you're in good hands with Supergoop. This particular formulation is ultra-lightweight, water-resistant and almost too fun to put on (hello, it's whipped). What's more, it's packed with moisturizing shea butter and antioxidant-rich blue sea kale to give your skin a nice, healthy glow. Also, unlike many sunscreens on the market today, it doesn't contain chemicals that kill coral reefs or accelerate the growth of skin tumors — always a plus.
Unlike other parts of your body, your lips don't have any sebaceous glands, so it's extra hard for them to retain moisture. That's why they shrivel up like raisins when exposed to salt or chlorine. The solution? Chug water and wear an SPF-fortified (and Environmental Working Group-approved) lip balm.
On days when we're swimming or basking in the sun for extended periods of time, we like to follow up our chapstick with a little Aquaphor. It's a very rich (but light) moisturizer that can be used on any part of your face and body, and it helps so much with soothing dryness and irritation. (Fun fact: It's also a great makeup remover.)
OK, last sunscreen suggestion, we swear. (In our defense, this one's face-specific.) At $39, it's a tad bit pricey, but definitely worth the investment: It doubles as a primer, it's got squalane (a hydration star), thermus thermphilus ferment (a hardcore antioxidant), zinc oxide (which protects the skin from UV rays and has healing properties) and mineral-based light reflectors (which smooth the appearance of wrinkles and other skin imperfections and make you look fresh and glow-y). Oh, and its EWG-approved, so again, no carcinogens or marine-life-harming chemicals.
