Beach Beauty: How to Keep Your Skin Safe in the Sun, Sand, and Ocean / by Ann Buenaobra

I spent two weeks in Hawaii in the latter part of August, swimming my little heart out at every beach I possibly could. While I was enjoying my beach vacay, my skin wasn’t having nearly as much fun. The combination of saltwater, sun, and heat proved to be very drying for my already dry skin. Though saltwater can have antibacterial effects for acne and eczema, it does draw out hydration from your skin. So, by the end of my two-week stint in paradise, my skin had suffered quite a bit; think sandpaper textured skin, milia, and acne bumps under the skin. In retrospect, I was so busy during this trip that I neglected a lot of key components to keep my skin healthy in the sun. So, on top of sharing tips for safe sun, I’ll also share what I did for my skin post-vacay to give it much-needed hydration.

While You’re Thriving in the Sun

  1. Drink Water. I know, I know, you’ve heard this so many times before, but it is crucial when you are on a tropical vacation. The combination of more activity than usual, heat, sun, and saltwater will draw out your energy and water is needed to cool down your body.

  2. Rinse Your Skin Post-Swim. Before you let the sun dry you up post-swim, rinse your face of saltwater first! You’ll notice that when you let salt water dry on your skin, it becomes tight and dry pretty instantly. By simply rinsing it off before it dries, you’ll help save your skin of dehydration.

  3. Keep A Hydrating Mist Nearby. Throw a gentle hydrating mist in your bag to refresh your skin throughout the day. I love using Evian’s Facial Water. It’s so simple and gentle—the only ingredient is Evian spring water.

  4. Apply Sunscreen Often. We all know sunscreen is queen—all the anti-aging, expensive facials, and layers of serum mean nothing if we aren’t protecting our skin of UVA and UVB rays. When you’re on a tropical vacay, sunscreen becomes even more important. Reapply your sunscreen after swimming and every hour (because let’s be real, we’re not always reapplying our sunscreen every day…)

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When Your Skin is Already Dry

  1. Fresh Aloe Vera. Once I got back from Hawaii, my sandpaper skin was starting to bother me, mainly because it was also itchy. The first thing I did was apply fresh aloe vera every night. I slathered my face in it and my skin was drinking it UP. After just three days, my skin’s texture was significantly smoother! I kept it up for one week to get my skin back to normal.

  2. Coconut Water. I also drank 8oz of coconut water every day for a week, in addition to my regular intake of 84oz of water. Coconut water is known to be a hydrator because of the electrolytes that naturally occur. Adding this daily helped me to get my skin back up to speed.

  3. Cut Alcohol. Chances are, if you’re on a tropical vacay, you’ll want to sip on some mai tais on the beach. I know I did! I was also in Hawaii for a wedding, so it was only right that I drank as one does at a wedding with an open bar. I cut alcohol for two weeks after my beach vacay, not only for my skin but for my body and overall health as well.