Unlock the Secret Beach Bag Essentials That Beauty Editors Swear By to Stay Fresh and Radiant All Day

Beach bag space is limited, so I like to pack this face and body sunscreen from La Roche-Posay. The creamy lotion hydrates my skin and leaves it feeling velvety soft.

I’m not the only fan—dermatologist Ranella Hirsch, MD, and fitness editor Cori Ritchey, also enjoy using this lotion. Ritchey is a self-described heavy sweater, and didn’t experience any streaking with this sunscreen, making it a must-have for running along the beach or swimming.

“As long as you don’t smother yourself in it, I feel like it’s pretty light for a sunscreen,” Ritchey says. It’s also water-resistant for up to 60-minutes, making it a must for my fellow swimmers.

Dermatologists like using traditional lotion sunscreens and applying spray SPFs as a supplement to ensure we have enough product to cover every nook and cranny. The Vacation Classic Spray Sunscreen is my go-to. It’s a lightweight mist that sprays onto my body quickly and evenly. It smells better than the hundreds of other SPFs I’ve tested over my lifetime. Plus, it doesn’t irritate my sensitive, eczema-prone skin.

The soft bristles don’t itch or poke me when I slowly swirl them across my face. Instead, they deposit powder in a thin, even layer of SPF, even over my tinted face sunscreen and foundation. But the best way to use this SPF comes from dermatologist Hadley King, MD: use it as a mess-free scalp sunscreen and dry shampoo.

Pro tip: Dust on at least two layers for adequate coverage, dermatologist David E. Bank, M.D., previously told WH in our guide about reapplying sunscreen over makeup.

Overly sticky lip gloss are one of my beauty pet peeves. BeautyStat’s mineral SPF lip balm nourishes without feeling goopy or heavy. My hair also doesn’t adhere to my pout. This tinted balm combines sodium hyaluronate and squalane for ample hydration and nourishment. It has an enticing vanilla-creamsicle scent and offers impressive color payoff—I don’t need to layer a lipliner or lipstick underneath.

My skin can’t handle rich creams in the summer, so I like to soothe my skin with this lightweight post-sun gel. with a lighter post-sun gel, like this one from Sun Bum. The hypoallergenic gel is made with a handful of ingredients, like moisturizing glycerin, vitamin E and tea tree oil cool offer a faint cooling sensation, while aloe vera hydrates and calms any redness.

I’ve tried dozens of facial mists, but my go-to is the classic pink and white bottle of Evian. The French mineral water spray emits an ultra-fine mist that instantly hydrates my face, soothes my skin after a beach day, and even takes away a powdery finish when I’m heavy-handed with setting powder before grabbing dinner by the water.

Sure, a beach shower can help, but they’re few and far between. Truthfully, I don’t have the patience to wait in line for one when it’s available, but using these textured wipes removes sand, sweat, and even my tinted sunscreen. These new wipes are pH-balanced and made with dermatologist-approved ingredients, including niacinamide, vitamins C and E, and omega-5 and -9.

I got a chemical relaxer the same year I started swimming lessons. Not exactly the healthiest hair move to make. Thankfully my hairstylist gave me one of the best tips to protect my hair: Use a conditioner to create a buffer between my strands and the pool water. 20-plus years later, znc I still use this technique, including at the beach. My go-to product is this lightweight leave-in conditioner from Redken. It conditions and hydrates, detangles my locks, and prevents breakage. I can also use it after wash day because it works as a heat protectant.