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Top 10 Summer Beauty Essentials

Summer fun has begun! And with fun in the sun comes the responsibility of taking care of your hair, body and skin. Check out our top 10 items you need to stay protected, cool and beautiful all summer long.

Aloe, whether taken straight from the ripped leaves of a plant or from store-bought aloe extract soothes sunburns
Courtesy of Raul654

An antiperspirant and deodorant with a fresh clean scent to use every day
Courtesy of Dove

All-natural lip balm with sun protection and a hint of color
Courtesy of Drugstore.com

Swim shampoo that washes out chlorine
Courtesy of UltraSwim

No. 10: Sunscreen

Check in with an all-over SPF of 30 or higher and you’ll have burn-free, beautiful skin all summer long. When you wake up each morning, apply sunscreen to all your exposed areas. Reapply after swimming, sweaty exercise or every 3 hours in the sun.

No. 9: Sunburn relief

No matter how smart you are about protecting your skin, sometimes even the best protection fails and you end up with a sunburn. When that happens, an aloe-based balm can soothe overbaked skin and leave you feeling better quickly. Other sunburn cures include aspirin (ask your parents first) and cold washcloths applied to the burned areas.

Aloe, whether taken straight from the ripped leaves of a plant or from store-bought aloe extract soothes sunburns
Courtesy of Raul654

No. 8: Hat

Protect yourself from sunburn and overheating with a great hat. Baseball caps, straw hats or any other style of hat that fits your look can keep the sun off your face and keep you cool for hours. Hats made from natural fibers like linen, straw or cotton, or fabrics made to keep you cool will keep the sun from baking through the top of your head!

No. 7: Sunglasses

Sunglasses protect your eyes and keep you from squinting your way into early wrinkles. Sunglasses come in all shapes, sizes and colors, so try on a bunch of different styles to find the best one for you. Most important, no matter how the sunglasses look, make sure they have UVA and UVB protection to shield your eyes from the sun’s harmful rays. Look for sunglasses that protect you from 99 to 100 percent of both UVA and UVB light, such as those labeled “UV400”.

No. 6: Lip Gloss with SPF

Your skin isn’t the only thing that can burn in the hot summer sun. Keep lips moist and protected with a lip gloss that has built in sun protection. It’s interesting to note that some petroleum-based lip protectors like Chap-Stick can dry out moments after applying them, causing you to lick your lips and create a cycle of drying them out and reapplying. A better bet – beeswax-based lip gloss or gloss made with natural oils and extracts that also contain sun-protection.

No. 5: Swim shampoo

If you’re swimming in the pool, chlorine can really damage your hair. Use a shampoo made to cleanse hair thoroughly, such as Neutrogena clarifying shampoo or Ultraswim, following directions on the bottle to keep hair healthy and strong, no matter how much time you spend in the pool.

No. 4: Leave-in conditioner

Sports, sweat and sun can damage hair as much as swimming. Use a leave-in conditioner to keep hair from breaking, splitting and frizzing. If you find your hair is getting lighter with all that exposure or your scalp is getting burned, look for a conditioner with SPF such as Bobbi Brown Leave-In Beach Conditioner or Smart Girls Who Surf Hair Sun Protector.

No. 3: Deodorant

Sweat happens, and as you get older, it happens even more, especially in certain areas. Protect your pits from wetness and odor with a deodorant/antiperspirant and use it every day, not just when you are headed out to play sports in hot weather.

No. 2: Hair remover

Another thing that happens as you get older is hair in new places. Ask your mom and friends for advice on their favorite hair removal products for armpits, legs and bikini area.

No. 1: Summer Hairstyle

Braids, ponytails, buns and other updos help you keep your cool in the heat of summer and help banish flyaways and frizzies that ruin your look in high humidity. Got short hair? Try a slicked back style with mud or gel. A new season is a good time to try new hairstyles so learn some new braiding techniques or play with hair product samples to create your new great look for summer!