4 Surprising Simple Tips to Improve Your Overall Health this Summer

Summer naturally offers many health benefits that we can enjoy with just a little effort. Here are 3 simple tips to improve overall health this summer.

Editor’s Picks: The Best Products for Every Summer Beauty Need

So you can relax under an umbrella looking all glowy instead of anxiously studying labels at the drugstore.

7 Amazon Items to Bring to the Beach

Picture yourself basking in the golden rays, feeling the soft chill of the ocean breeze on your skin, and surrendering to pure, well, let’s hope, tranquility. As the sun-filled season begins, it’s the perfect time to gather your beach essentials so you’re good and ready to immerse yourself in a day of sandy shores, perhaps even surfing, and definitely some restfulness. Here are nine items from Amazon to enhance your coastal bliss.     1. Tinted Moisturizer: combines skincare benefits with a natural and luminous finish. With ingredients like plant-based squalane and hyaluronic acid, Saie Slip Tint hydrates and protects your skin from the sun’s harmful rays. Its non-greasy formula ensures comfortable wear, even in the heat, making it the go-to choice for a flawless, no-makeup look that lasts all day.  $36.00 at Amazon  (Image: Amazon)  2. Reusable Storage Bag: Wave goodbye to flimsy, single-use plastic bags and welcome this eco-friendly alternative into your beach bag. The Stasher Silicone Reusable Storage bag is perfect for storing nutritious snacks, sandwiches, or fresh fruit and protects your belongings from sand and water. Made from premium food-grade silicone, it is safe, non-toxic, and easy to clean, guaranteeing your snacks remain fresh. $39.06 at Amazon  (Image: Amazon) 3. Hydro Flask: Staying hydrated is paramount to your overall health and well-being, especially under the scorching sun. The Hydro Flask ensures a constant supply of refreshing water within reach, encouraging you to hydrate regularly throughout your beach time. Its double-wall vacuum insulation maintains the temperature of your drink, keeping it cool and refreshing, even in the hottest conditions.  $26.96 at Amazon  (Image: Amazon) 4. Straw Hat: The beach offers little shade, leaving your head and face vulnerable to harmful UV rays. A stylish and functional straw hat provides much-needed shade, shielding you from the scorching sun and reducing the risk of sunburn and heatstroke.  $24.99 at Amazon  (Image: Amazon) 5. Sunscreen: In an age where we prioritize the well-being of our bodies and the environment, this mineral sunscreen stands as a non-negotiable. Nécessaire Sunscreen is free from harmful chemicals and provides broad-spectrum protection against UVA and UVB rays, shielding your skin from the sun’s damaging effects. Knowing your skin is safeguarded, you can confidently indulge in the sun’s warm embrace.   $45 at Amazon   (Image: Amazon) 6. Portable Speaker: Whether you prefer relaxing melodies, energizing beats, or soothing nature sounds, a portable Bluetooth speaker is a necessity for delivering audio that improves a long day at the beach. Think of it as a companion for yoga or meditation sessions by the water, elevating your mindfulness practice to new heights. Music can uplift spirits, reduce stress, and evoke positive emotions, making it a valuable tool for enhancing mental and emotional well-being. With a portable Bluetooth speaker, you can curate the perfect soundtrack for your beach days.  $19.99 at Amazon  (Image: Amazon) 7. Soft Cooler: A YETI soft cooler guarantees a delightful beach experience, keeping your refreshments chilled and your snacks fresh. With the YETI soft cooler, you can indulge in wholesome, homemade meals, avoiding unhealthy fast food options often found at beachside concessions.  $200 at Amazon  (Image: Amazon)   (Featured Image: Shutterstock)

The Surprising Truth About Vitamin D and Sunscreen

Dr. Whitney Bowe says you may be worried about the wrong things when it comes to the sunshine vitamin.

Oxybenzone: What to Know About This Controversial Sunscreen Ingredient

There are all kinds of confusing terms used to describe sunscreen: chemical, mineral, natural. And the controversial ingredient that drives a lot of the labeling chaos is oxybenzone. Some dermatologists say chemical sunscreens that contain oxybenzone are more effective at protecting you from UV rays. Some health experts say it gets into your bloodstream and disrupts your hormones. Some environmental advocates say it’s bad for the planet. Take a deep breath. Dr. Whitney Bowe is here to break it all down for you in a simple, comprehensive way.   Dr. Bowe is a superstar dermatologist in New York City who not only specializes in skin rejuvenation and laser dermatology but also focuses on how lifestyle factors like nutrition, exercise, and stress affect your skin. She helps her patients and people all over the country figure out how to get #thatboweglow every day (and has also been a rockstar speaker at Nutrition Life Studio’s Masterclass events in the past). Now, she’ll be sharing some of her genius tips and tricks, here, in a series of videos on hot skin-care topics. Get her take on oxybenzone, now, by watching the video, below. Oxybenzone: Is It Safe for You and the Environment? Get more smart skin-care tips from Dr. Whitney Bowe by visiting her website, www.drwhitneybowe.com

The Healthy Sunscreens Beauty Experts Actually Use

Sunscreen is a non-negotiable part of a healthy lifestyle, but choosing healthy sunscreens can be tricky. Maybe you’re concerned about chemical ingredients like oxybenzone, but then every time you buy something labeled “natural” you end up looking like someone colored your body with chalk (great beach look, obviously). The Environmental Working Group (EWG) provides an awesome guide to safer sunscreens. Unfortunately the scientists who create it aren’t focused on the pettier practical issues, like how many great waves you missed trying to apply a thick paste. RELATED: How to Switch to Healthier Beauty Products in 2 Simple Steps That’s where the beauty pros come in. We asked skincare experts to share the healthy sunscreens they actually use—for summer lounging and outdoor workouts. All of their picks are mineral-based (made with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide instead of chemical filters) and free of potentially harmful inactive ingredients. Follow their lead to protect your skin (and whole self) while soaking up the happiness-boosting great outdoors. The Healthy Sunscreens Beauty Experts Trust Mineral Cremé SPF 50 by MD SolarSciences, $30 This silky, matte, eco-cert SPF formula works well for all skin types. It’s excellent on it’s own for oily skin and also paired with other moisturizers and foundation for skin that is dehydrated or dry. It doesn’t feel greasy or leave your skin shiny. Bonus: It’s safe enough to use on babies six months or older. —Jillian Wright, founder, Jillian Wright Skincare, co-founder Indie Beauty Expo, @jillianwrightskincare Drunk Elephant Umbra Tinte Physical Daily Defense SPF 30, $36 If you suffer from pigmentation issues (like me), it’s really important to use a zinc-based sunscreen, but it’s really hard to find a good zinc-based sunscreen. I am completely infatuated with the new Drunk Elephant Tinted Umbra. Normally I hate tinted sunscreens, but I love this one. I absolutely love the texture and color of the product—it’s a perfect balance of matte but still glowy, which suits my oily/combination skin perfectly. The formula also features antioxidants to help defend against free radicals. —Robin Shobin, founder, CharlottesBook.com, @robinshobin Josh Rosebrook Nutrient Day Cream SPF 30, $85 I’m a big fan of Josh Rosebrook’s Nutrient Day Cream. It performs as both a moisturizer and SPF 30 sunscreen, which is perfect for keeping your skincare light in the summer. It’s full of nourishing plant-based ingredients like aloe vera gel, rose hips, borage, nettles, and so many more. Plus, it feels great going on and doesn’t leave an oily finish or white cast on the skin. There’s even a tinted version if you want a little bit of color! —Rebecca Casciano, Makeup artist/natural beauty expert, @rebeccacasciano My all-time favorite sunscreen is Josh Rosebrook’s Nutrient Day Cream. It’s also a top seller for Follain all year long. I love that it’s the only daily face moisturizer I have to use in the warmer months. It’s a powerful anti-aging face cream packed with hydrating oils and butters, along with a ton of non-nano, non-pasty white zinc oxide. —Tara Foley, founder and CEO, Follain, @tcofoley Naturopathica Daily UV Defense Cream SPF 50, $58 I love this sunscreen! The smell is light and soothing, plus I feel good putting it on my skin because it’s made with incredible ingredients. The zinc oxide protects your skin from the sun, deep sea enzymes preserve your precious skin, and green tea leaf extract is anti-inflammatory as well as being an excellent source of antioxidants and vitamins. —Nitika Chopra, talk show host/beauty and lifestyle expert, @nitikachopra Babo Botanicals Super Shield Sport Stick Sunscreen SPF 50, $16 This is one of my many picks from my recent guide to the best natural sunscreens. I grab this little sunscreen stick when I need serious protection on my face. It’s called a “sport stick” because this stuff doesn’t budge. Sweat proof and waterproof, it’s ideal if you’re headed to the beach, river, hiking, etc. also because it won’t just streak off the moment you begin sweat or get in the water. For being such high coverage SPF, it’s pretty amazing that it’s not super chalky or heavy when applied. It’s so small that I can just toss this in my purse and easily apply if needed when I’m out and about. —Kristen Arnett, natural and organic makeup artist, founder, Green Beauty Team, @kristenarnettbeauty