Who is dreaming of a summer beach vacation on this lovely Monday morning? Um, me…clearly.
My Aunt has the most beautiful beach house on the west coast of Florida on one of my favorite little places on earth, Anna Maria Island. Every year, I try to drive across Florida and spend a few days there to simply detach. All I do is lay on the beach, read and drink Herradura tequila.
On an island where the most formal restaurant requires only that you are wearing a shirt, it’s a few days of little makeup, no blow dryer and some extra freckles. That being said, who doesn’t want to look great on a beach? With my annual beach trip quickly approaching, I started thinking about prep. There are a few things I do beforehand to ensure hot, happy and safe beach time.
- Stop Retinols and Retinoids one week prior. While likely the very best thing you can add to your skincare regime towards anti-aging(I am slightly Obagi Tretinoin obsessed thanks to my super rad, savvy Aunt), you want to give it a break before the beach. Retinols and Retinoids put you at a higher risk for sunburn and sunburn puts you at a higher risk for skin cancer(and wrinkles). There are animal studies showing that Retinol caused skin tumors to develop faster when the treated area was exposed to UV light from the sun. Don’t do it.
- Waxing, shaving, plucking. We all want smooth, hair-free skin for the beach, right? Right. If you have ever been waxed anywhere, you know that those people that say it doesn’t hurt are liars. It hurts. Like a bitch. In the most worth-it way. While removing hair, the wax also exfoliates by removing dead skin calls. This makes your skin more sensitive and more prone to sunburn and irritation. Schedule your wax three days before beaching it to ensure maximum comfort minimal irritation.
- Buff your bod. As we get older, cellular turnover slows and your skin may need some help looking less dull. The obvious benefit of a body scrub, exfoliation, is not the only benefit. The physical massaging motion can boost circulation to the skin’s surface and help drain the lymph nodes potentially leading to smoother skin. And, honestly, any excuse to buy a new salt scrub is excuse enough for me.
- No-Chip Nails. After years of gel manicures lasting me 3-4 days at best, I discovered Nexgen. It was love at first dip. This stuff is shiny, tough and lasts weeks. If you haven’t tried it yet, swap out your gel mani for Nexgen before vacation. No one likes chipped nails on a beach. Also, Seche Vite top coat is magic. The patented top coat penetrates through to the base coat, creating one solid, durable nail plate coating. Magic for pedicures.
- Bathing Suits. Find a bathing suit you L-O-V-E and that fits perfectly. When brands started making mix-and-match tops and bottoms, I was thrilled. Although, I still could not find a top with the cup size I needed that had a small enough band around the rib cage. Therefore, I was always altering things, tugging at the top, suffering nip-slips(what do you even say when that happens? I’m sorry? You’re welcome?) and being overall uncomfortable. Recently, I discovered Monday Swimwear which claims to have suits that cater to larger breasts and smaller ribcages. They do not lie. Hot suits, great fit. Sold. And sold again.
- And the most important of all. Sunscreen. Lots and lots of sunscreen. Buy more than you think you will need – island shops double their prices on sunscreen, I swear. Apply, re-apply. I apply everywhere before suiting up. And don’t forget a lip balm with SPF. This is some pretty standard advice but I would be remiss not to mention it as I have seen too many Mohs procedures(google it…) to ever go out in the sun without it.
