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Heading to the beach? Pack right to beat the sun

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By Times staff | Friday, June 13, 2008 |

Summer style should be as easy as a day at the beach. But even that requires a little planning. Here are some tips and tricks to get that carefree, effortless look:

WARDROBE: For women, a long patio dress, a pair of shorts, a colorful embellished shirt and a pair of flat metallic sandals will go a long way for a beach vacation, says Ken Downing, senior vice president and fashion director for Neiman Marcus. “And you have to have large, oversized sunglasses. They’re the best way to protect yourself from wrinkles,” he adds.

HAIR: Rinse your hair in iron-rich tap water before going into a pool or the ocean because that will help repel chlorine or salt, celebrity stylist David Evangelista advises. He also recommends a homemade leave-in conditioner using three parts tap water to one part conditioner. (The rinse-out conditioner already in your shower will do.) Put the conditioner in a spray bottle and mist the hair while you’re in the sun to keep it hydrated. Since hair grows more quickly in the summer, you may find yourself needing your hair cut more often, he says. The good news is that you’ll end up cutting the driest, most damaged part of the hair.

SKIN: Wear a lightweight, non-greasy moisturizer — preferably one with plant extracts such as white tea, thermis hermophilus or rhodiola rosea that offer resistance to environmental aggressors — under a sunscreen that protects against UVA and UVB, advises Ramona Ionescu, primary esthetician at the Cornelia Day Report. That combination is good for daily use, but you also should use the occasional mask to replenish nutrients in the skin, she says. Ionescu recommends using puree of cucumber, avocado, apricot or papaya with yogurt, honey and oatmeal as the base for an all-natural mask. If your skin is oily, she’d add a bit of lemon juice or rosewater if your skin is dry. Apply the mask evenly to the face, let it sit for 15-20 minutes and then rinse with warm water.

MAKEUP: The lipstick that went mushy in your beach bag is not a total disaster, makeup artist Napoleon Perdis says. The key, he adds, is applying lip liner first, which acts as a base. Then apply the lipstick with a lip brush, which will not only keep the stick from changing shape, but also will help the color stay put on the lips. But Perdis says you can avoid the problem entirely by using lip gloss from a squeeze tube. His own brand offers Auto Pilot Lip Service, which has Vitamin E to keep lips moisturized and menthol to keep them cool.

SNACK: You can fight free-radical damage to the skin from the inside, too. Eric Helms, founder of Juice Generation, a New York-based mini-chain of juice stores, suggests mixing wheatgrass in a juicer with fresh mint, pineapple, apples and pear for a tropical-tasting drink. A high-energy drink would include wheatgrass, carrots, celery, beets and spinach. There are also good things for the skin in smoothies. Helms says fruits high in vitamin C, such as oranges, promote strong collagen; green vegetables, like spinach and celery, have vitamin A to support skin-cell growth; and antioxidant-rich blueberries, pomegranate and mangosteens help fight signs of aging, which are exacerbated by UV rays.

TOTE: If you’re the Carrie Bradshaw type, bring a quilted Chanel tote to the beach, says Neiman’s Downing, but most people are better off with a canvas bag — they’re durable, can be wiped down and rinsed off. The boho-chic, global vibe adopted by the fashion world this season has led to many canvas choices, including bright ikat prints and colorful embroideries.

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