Make Like A {Mermaid}

Always an advocate of the fact that you don’t need to leave the city to have a vacation, when my love is visiting from out of town, we like nothing better than to put the dramas of daily life on hold and head down to the pool to catch a few rays and spend some quality time, just us.

 

While we love the feel of the sun on our skin and sipping on chilled vodka lemonade all day, there’s nothing we enjoy more than a good old dive into a cold, blue pool when things start to get too warm.

 

I was careful to slather on the SPF whenever I got the chance, but there are a few things I could have done differently to avoid frizzy hair and freckled skin entirely. Here’s what you should be doing when you next head out for a well-deserved swim:

 

STRESS-FREE STRANDS

I don’t even need to mention the damage chlorinated water does to a girl’s hair. We’ve all been there. And unless you’re seriously committed to oiling, conditioning, deep conditioning and wearing those ghastly swim caps while in the pool, it can leave your hair dry and rough to say the least. It lightens hair colour, makes highlights brassy and gives you split ends if you swim everyday. The horror! However, I find that wetting my hair completely before I get in the water and then applying a thin layer of your regular conditioner as a sealant  prevents your hair from absorbing any chlorinated water and leaves it smooth and silky after.

 

THE PERFECT TAN

If it’s a tan you seek, we’re in the same boat! There’s something so glam about a nice, warm, cinnamon glow. Just make sure you know your basics before you begin:

 

1. Never skip sunblock – Your skin will start to go red, peel and become a playground for freckles. Slathering sunblock on won’t stop you from getting  a tan, but it will definitely lessen the damage and give you a better overall colour.

 

2. Know your SPF – Those little numbers on your sunblock tubes don’t determine how strong the product’s formula is or how effective it is in protecting you. Basically, an SPF number is the amount of time you take to burn in the sun, multiplied by ten. so if you start to burn in the sun after 20 minutes, SPF 20 will keep your protected for 120 minutes of sun exposure. I find SPF 50 to be perfect for just about anyone.

 

3. Reapply whenever possible – If you take a dip in the pool, the water washes away most of your sunblock. Towel-drying after doesn’t help the situation either. Always re-apply once you’ve been in the water to ensure you stay protected.

 

4. Flip regularly – To make sure you tan evenly, lie on your back or stomach for equal lengths of time. For areas that don’t tan easily like your decolletage, cover up the exposed areas that tan easily, and leave the tricky areas exposed for as long as you can.

 

5. Know that tan lines are inevitable. Sexy even. Embrace them.

 

SUPPLE SKIN

Always make sure you take good care of your skin during and after sun damage.

1. Stay hydrated – The sun and chlorine in the pool really wreak havoc with a girl’s skin, often drying it out completely. Drink lots of water while you’re down by the pool to stay hydrated.

 

2. Moisturize – After you’re done sunning for the day and head home, apply baby oil after a shower when your skin is still damp to lock in moisture, then slather on your favourite moisturizer to make up for the natural moisture your body lost during the day.

 

3. Exfoliate – Wait a day or two for the damage to settle after your pool day, then use a loofah or scrub all over your skin and repeat the intense moisturizing process mentioned above to give your skin an iridescent glow.

 

FAKE BAKE

1. If you want to enhance your new tan or perk it up when it starts to fade, mix a little powder bronzer with your daily moisturizer and apply it to your arms and legs like you usually would.

2. Love the way the sun hit your face? Replicate it by opting for a foundation one shad darker than the one you usually go for. Then lightly dust bronzer onto your cheekbones, temples and on either side of the bridge of your nose.

3. Get your glow on by using a highlighting powder at the top of your cheekbones, your collar bones, shoulders and along your shins.