It is that time of year again! School is almost out, light lingers later, and the smell of barbeque floats through my neighborhood

What do you do to look your best and stay healthy during the summer months? Beyond rule  number one - sunscreen, sunscreen & more sunscreen! - there are plenty of suncare, skincare and fair-weather products to assist you in feeling and looking beach-ready! 2nd Street Beauty has great lines to help you groom, tan and protect - the toning you’ll have to do on your own! - as well as summer accessories to show off and cover up in!

Sunscreen is so important, especially if you are fair-skinned like me. A great moisturizer with a full SPF 30 sunscreen built in is Ahava’s Mineral Suncare Sun Protection Anti-Aging Moisturizing Spray. Essential vitamins and moisturizing agents are incorporated to nourish and hydrate, while sunscreens and Dead Sea minerals reduce the damage caused by sun radiation. Proven to retain its SPF after 80 minutes of water activity, it is approved for sensitive skin and is allergy tested.

Dermalogica’s line of sunscreen and after-sun products is built around treating even the most delicate skin. Their Ultra Sensitive Face Block uses natural, ultra-fine porcelain particles to reflect the sun’s most damaging rays without irritation or sunscreen chemicals. A light tint ensures natural coverage, while herbal extracts and antioxidant-rich vitamins soothe the skin. There is Extra Rich Face Block as well, enriched with extra emollients to hydrate while providing sun protection. Solar Defense Booster (SPF- 30) can be worn alone or mixed with your regular moisturizer or foundation to add full-spectrum protection.  Shop our website for other hydrating and protecting products from Dermalogica - with soothing sun repair and after-sun sprays to convenient stick sunscreens like the SPF-15 Solar Shield for eyes, lips and ears, you’re bound to find something just right for you.

Hempz makes a wonderfully skin-calming after-sun gel called Sun Burn Relief Gel, enriched with pure hemp seed oil for dramatic skin rehydration, nourishment and conditioning. Aloe Vera cools and soothes UV-stressed skin, while tea tree oil contains a mild anesthetic to help soothe painful burns and help reduce blistering and peeling. And if you are bringing your babies and little ones to the beach or out for a day in the sun, the super sweet Mustela line has both a regular and sensitive-skin formula water-resistant SPF 50 sunblock lotion to ensure double protection: on the surface and at the cellular level using zinc and natural plant ingredients.

For those of you who want some color without being in the sun, Body Drench’s Quick Tan will do the trick. The fine-misting spray gives you immediate color and will not fade, streak, smear or leave you with the tell-tale orange glow of many self tanners. Tan Towel is a mess-free way to apply color - literally, a towel that you use to rub on color - but offers a spray mist for those more comfortable with a bottle tan.

Finally, Sun Labs has a huge array of self tanners, air brush tanners, and support products like exfoliators, aloe based moisturizers, and tan accelerators. Voted Number One tanning product for many years running, Sun Lab’s tanning lotions go on brown for easy application and a bit of instant color! And I love that their original tanning formula gives a lighter color and coverage for we fair-skinned beach goers, and is still available amongst all their deep, dark tanning products.

Worth noting of course is how much skin will be showing as we bikini-up for the summer months! To look your best in your itsy bitsy one- or two-piece, Gigi offers effective and easy-to-use at home waxing products like their Brazilian Bikini Wax to get you sleek and summer ready! Add to that one of 2nd Street Beauty’s gorgeous sun hats and a pair of splashy (and affordable!) JP Morgan sunglasses, and not only are you beach-ready, you are beach-beautiful.