Summer has officially been here, or if you live in Florida like I do, it pretty much only leaves for a couple of months. Except for weeks like this, I'm standing in my back yard by the pool in the rain singing a Glee-worthy mash-up of "Rain Rain Go Away/The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow/Bring Back the Sun (who doesn't love a little Our Lady Peace?). Anyhoo, let's take a look-see into the Beach/Pool bag and see what we have:
Necessities:
Sunscreen: A given. I'm not going to give any brand recommendations here. The main points I will make are:
*Make sure your sunscreen follows the new FDA requirements that I posted about before.
*Use at the very least an SPF 15. Higher is definitely recommended, but there is a limit in the FDA requirements, so SPF 150 is absolutely not a possibility.
*Reapply every two hours, especially when swimming and during activities where you're sweating a lot.
*I'm not suggesting any particular brands, because as long as they follow the regulations and don't have any nuclear, mutant-producing chemicals in them, you just have to pick what works for you. I'm in the water a lot, in my pool, I go to the beach, I hang out at other friends' pools, go to the zoo with my family, amusement parks, walk my dog, I need a multi-tasking sunscreen. I actually need a new one, as I ran out of mine on the last beach trip. I like the sprays, and saw an ad for one I'm going to try out. I've said before I tan well and don't really burn, but I do need the UVB protection for aging and cancer. Okay, I said I wasn't going to mention a brand name, but I do use my SkinCeuticals Physical Sunscreen on my face. It protects very well, and I still get color safely. I have another trick too that I'll share in my self-tanning vs. spray tanning post.
Eye Protection: Sunglasses. A Hat. Suncreen creams, balms or sticks targeted for the eyes and other sensitive areas. Try to stay water-resistant. Reapply like your sunscreen.
Lip Protection: I've already told you about my lip balm addiction. There are many from the drugstore to Sephora I could recommend (I think I already have!), but as always, a minimum SPF 15, water-resistant (sometimes hard to find in favorites, but other ingredients like the oils, butters and waxes can naturally repel water). Reapply as often as needed.
Hair Protection: This definitely varies from person to person. I have very long, color-treated hair. Usually I put argan oil or conditioner in my hair, twist it in a bun, and wrap my head with a bandana. I've recently received some samples of UV hair treatments through my sample programs as well as the beauty supply stores, and am trying those out. For other people, just rinsing the chlorine out or leaving in a good conditioner while in the sun may be enough. I have friends who have salt-water pools, I'm honestly too busy having fun to care about my hair. That's horrible, I know.
Water: Yes, aqua. At the beach, by the pool, stay hydrated. Extremely important. Also great to have the empty bottles to help the kiddos collect beach water to make sand castles with. :)
***A Very Important Note: Medications- If you're on any medications, especially ones that affect the skin, know what effect sun exposure can have while you're on them. If you're using a skin-lightener like hydroquinone, sun exposure can cause further hyperpigmentation. Don't plan a skin treatment like a peel or a microderm the day before a weekend at the beach with the gals. Ask your dermatologist or esthetician when you can get back into the sun after a treatment, if they don't tell you up front.***
Other Things in My Bag to Make it Heavy for the Sheer Fun of It:
Keeping in mind that some of my beach days turn into early dinners, as do pool parties at friends' houses:
Towels (of course)
Facial Cleansing Cloths
Change of clothes
Deodorant
Makeup (I usually start off with minimal double-duty products like waterproof mascara and eyeliner, so all I need for some freshening-up is a bit of lip gloss, and maybe a tad of powder if we're taking pictures!)
Comb
Hair Oil
Hair Elastics
Body Spritz or Mini-Perfume
Day to Night, very easy. Confession: I actually have a fully-stocked bag in the trunk of my car, with some friends I never know what I'm going to need and when I'm going to need it. Guys have it so easy.
Days by the Pool, a Little Slice of My Life
I love these days, this week full of rain has killed my pool time. First, I prepare one of the best investments I've ever made, a waterproof iPod holder. I swim my laps, do some other pool exercises, then hop on my pool float with my coconut water and let the tunes carry me away to my happy place.
When I'm out of the pool, I do love to read, not any of that Fabio romance stuff. More mystery, true-life adventure, inspirational, biographies. And magazines, of course, in between catching up on Facebook.
Much of that reading is done on the porch, though, where I can check on my little pond of fishies, watch my doggie chase squirrels in the back yard, and just enjoy the peace and quiet.
Next up: After the Sun
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