Whether you’re headed on a family vacation to somewhere sunny, or drinking cocktails poolside with friends, sun protection is a must to keep our skin glowing and locks intact.

Here are a few essential tips and items to protect your hair and skin from the heat, and water:

1. Use a hair protectant or oil:
Chlorine and salt water is damaging to your hair! Swimming in chlorine pools or salt water removes sebum, the natural oil that is produced to keep hair healthy, from the hair. This results in dry, brittle hair and increased breakage. A coat of oil or protectant helps minimize the amount of chlorine or salt that your hair absorbs, thus reducing the amount of damage done to the hair.

PRO TIP: When wearing a swim cap, find one that has a snug (NOT tight) fit and add an essential oil or cream to your edges to help prevent breakage. (Recommended Product: Bolden Shea Oils, $24.50)

2. Shampoo & condition after each swim:
Simply rinsing your hair with water after swimming is not enough to remove chlorine and build-up from your hair. Look for deeply hydrating shampoos and conditioners, or use a vitamin C rinse immediately after swimming to prevent damage to your hair and to ensure a thorough cleanse.

PRO TIP: Thoroughly wet your hair with water for at least 10 minutes before swimming. This helps minimize the amount of chlorine or salt that the hair absorbs.

3. Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen:
Contrary to popular belief, black skin is susceptible to damage from UV rays. In order to maintain that beautiful melanin glow, apply a sunscreen with at least SPF 15 liberally. Don’t forget to reapply sunscreen, as most waterproof sunscreens are only waterproof for 40 minutes.

PRO TIP: Don’t forget your face and neck area! Most sunscreens are too thick to apply to the face, but facial moisturizers with SPF included will surely do the trick. (Recommended Product: Bolden's SPF 30 Brightening Moisturizer, $28. Coming soon!)

4. Replenish and repair:
After a day out in the sun, be sure to replenish your skin by using a gentle glycolic acid serum after cleansing your face. Dirt and sweat accumulated throughout the day can mix with dead skin cells and clog your pores. Glycolic acid serums remove dead skin cells and unclog pores, thus revealing fresher, brighter skin.

PRO TIP: For best results, use glycolic acid serum at night. The use of glycolic acid can
increase skin sensitivity to the sun, which could cause more problems. The skin naturally
begins to repair itself at night, and glycolic acid aids in skin repair.
(Recommended Product: Bolden’s Nighttime Repair Serum, $30. Coming soon!)

By following these tips, you'll be sure to have worry-free fun in the sun!