A soothing, carefree day on the beach can turn south real quick. If you don’t take the right precautions against sun exposure and cancer-causing UV rays, then you can end up with burned, red skin with the potential for far more severe problems. And even if you temper the exposure or play chicken with each reapplication, you’re still susceptible to the sun’s photo-aging effects. That is to say, if you don’t properly prepare your skin against even the mildest of exposure, you increase the drying, roughing, wrinkling and discoloration of your skin.
It’s not just your skin that is at risk: Extended, direct sun exposure is also damaging and drying to the hair. It frustrates your hairstyle, leads to breakage and compromises any dye and bleach — it causes silver and blonde hair to turn dull and gray.
You’ve heard it from us a few times here, and you’ve heard it a few thousand times prior: You have to protect yourself from the sun, and promote healthy recovery after the fact. These products will do the trick, for hair, body and face.
Protection
For Hair (and Color-Dyed Hair): Sachajuan Hair in the Sun
You might not realize that your hair is as susceptible to sun damage as your skin. While you don’t feel the pain from the damage, you can see it, in the form of dehydration, fraying and breakage. Part styling cream, part UV shield, Sachajuan’s fantastic hair shield deploys its proprietary Ocean Silk technology to coat each strand and protect from such damage. It’s sturdy enough to withstand a rinse, too, should you need to freshen up midday. Reapply each day, as necessary.
For Bleached or Silver Hair: Christophe Robin Shade Variation Blonde Hair Mask
Paired with a blonde-toning hair care regimen (see below), a hair mask pumps all kinds of color-preserving ingredients into your silvers and blondes. It’s both preventative and reactive, and thus an essential part of your summer in the sun. Christophe Robin uses almond butter and buriti oil in this nourishing, soothing hair mask which has an acidic pH of 4.5 (that decreases porosity in the hair, and in turn, prevents discoloration or pigment fading). It helps keep brassy, dull and yellow tones at bay — all of which are a threat when you sit in the sun all day or soak in the sea for even a minute. Apply it to clean, towel-dried hair once every few days for five to 30 minutes, as needed.
For Heat-Proof Hair Styles: By Villain Sidekick
Working as both a heat shield and hair spray, By Villain’s Sidekick helps lock in your desired style — sea breeze and humidity be damned. You can add it first to towel-dried hair, combing through prior to applying your styling product, or as a final step for added hold, definition and texture.
For Body: Svens Mineral Broad-Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 33
New to the scene, Svens’ SPF 33 mineral sunscreen combines titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, and is reef friendly. It’s a strong debut from the skincare brand, as the sunscreen absorbs easily, wears light, and defends against both UVA and UVB rays. Like all other sunblocks, you need to reapply every two hours, or after swimming and sweating profusely.
For Face (and Beard!): Stubble + ‘Stache Broad Spectrum Moisturizer SPF 30
A 3-in-1 product, Stubble + ‘Stache’s newest product moisturizes your hair and whiskers with aloe, argan oil, vitamin C and green tea extract, among many other nourishing ingredients. It also protects against UVA and UVB rays, absorbs fast, and doesn’t leave a greasy, shiny residue on the skin. Keep it on hand for the non-beach days, too, for all its nourishing and anti-aging powers.
Recovery
For Hair: Fekkai Apres Soleil Crème
After a long, dehydrating day in the sun, your hair needs serious replenishment. (Just like how your body and skin feel dehydrated after the same.) Fekkai’s hair cream is infused with sunflower seed oil, and acts as a dual styler and leave-in conditioner to neutralize frizzing, restore shine and keep hair buoyant.
For Bleached or Silver Hair: Davines Alchemic Silver Shampoo and Conditioner
As your stylist should have told you, it’s imperative to use color-toning shampoo and conditioner on bleach-blonde hair, in order to prevent brassiness and yellowing. The same goes for naturally silver hair. There is no place more threatening to your hair than the beach or pool, because of the direct sun and exposure to chlorine or seawater. Davines’ Alchemic Silver lineup is an effective daily treatment; you can double stock the conditioner since you’ll need it on the daily while rotating in the shampoo every two to three days. Apply each product separately, always concluding with the conditioner, and let each one absorb and tone hair for one to two minutes before rinsing.
For Body: La Mer After Sun Enhancer
Even though you aren’t sunburnt, you still need to nourish and soothe your skin after sun exposure. That’s because it still took a beating, despite your best efforts to bounce the UV rays. (After all, our skin still absorbs color despite UV defenses.) La Mer’s body gel cools on contact with the brand’s signature Miracle Broth, rich in giant sea kelp. It’s also made with lime tea and algae ferment to help the skin look and feel radiant, rather than parched.
For Sunburn: COOLA ER+ Radical Recovery After-Sun Lotion
Packed with aloe, agave, nourishing oils, vitamins and antioxidants, Coola’s post-sun recovery helps sore, reddened skin recover quickly. It’s good for general sun recovery, too, if your skin is feeling dry and sensitive despite your sun-shielding measures. You can even apply this lotion to the face, and should do so frequently in the event of a sunburn. You’ll spare a few days of agonizing recovery.