My Summer Must Haves for Pool Time

Now that we are well into summer and it is finally sunny and warm in Wisconsin, we have been spending time splashing around in the pool.  I have a few items that are absolute must-haves if you are going to spend time in and around the pool. (I was sent samples of these products but received no incentive to recommend or talk about them.)

I’m pretty passionate about sunscreen, especially on my face.  Between my family history of skin cancer and my desire to avoid wrinkles for as long as possible, facial sunscreen is a must in my book.  My mail problems with it are that it either makes me break out like crazy or it doesn’t last long enough to any good.  Theraderm Platinum Protection Facial Sunscreen has saved me the past two summers.  With an SPF of 43, it keeps my skin from burning but also treats it well enough that I do not break out.  While it might be a bit pricier than the average drugstore brand, I find that a new tube at the beginning of the summer will last me through the year. (Yes, I use it year round – not just in the summer.)

LJ has some blond streaks in his hair that can turn a bit green looking after a few days of non-stop swimming.  His skin is also pretty sensitive, so we have to be careful about what kind of shampoo he uses or he will be looking at a nasty eczema outbreak.  Fairy Tales Lifeguard Clarifying Shampoo does a great job of getting the chlorine out without stripping his hair or irritating his skin.  (I actually used all three products on my own hair when I forgot to pack my own bag.  I really liked the CoCo Cabana Spray for myself!  It was kind of like a deep conditioning treatment.)  I hear Fairy Tales even has a lice repelling shampoo which I will be checking out for back to school!

For grown-ups, Ouidad has their Water Works Clarifying Shampoo.  This did a fabulous job of getting all of the summer junk – sweat, sunscreen, and chlorine out of my own hair.  I have to admit that I have been using this a few times a week even when we haven’t been at the pool.  I feel like it does a fabulous job of getting all that residual styling product out without stripping the color from my hair.