We all know the importance of sunscreen, it helps protect our skin from harmful UV rays that can potentially damage our skin long-term, even cause skin disease such as melanoma. That should be enough to motivate you to pack the SPF, but if that doesn’t convince you, consider how a bad tropical sunburn can put a damper on your entire vacation. No more restful nights, no basking in the tropical sun, cancel any outdoor activities you have planned, and forget looking like anything but a lobster. Remember, the sun is more harsh south of the Equator, bump up the SPF to a minimum of 50.

Tip – Find a sunscreen that is not damaging to the ocean and coral reef. Certain sunscreen chemicals are harming to our beloved coral reefs the main chemicals are oxybenzone and Oxtinoxate – these chemicals convert harmful UV rays into harmless heat on your skin, but once these chemicals enter our oceans, they decrease the corals natural defense against bleaching.

For more information click here. Choose mineral safe sunscreens with no Nano zinc that oxides and look for reef safe sunscreen! there will be a reef safe logo on the bottle. If you’re looking for more coverage, try a tinted SPF.

#2- Face/Eye Masks

30,000 ft in the air can be quite drying for our skin, and what better way to make the long hours pass on the plane than to pamper ourselves! Face and eye masks will become your new favorite travel buddy.

My top picks are sheet face masks and eye patches, they have very fine packaging that takes up next-to-zero space in your luggage, and there is no messy cleanup!

click here for some sheet mask ideas! You deserve first class treatment on every flight and you can give it to yourself with a little plane-side pampering

#3 – SPF Lip Balm

Via JGI/JAMIE GRILL-Getty Images

Just like our skin, our lips need a little TLC too. The skin on our lips is so thin and delicate, it’s actually one of the easiest places to burn after a day in the sun.

There is a vast majority of lip balms that already include SPF, just make sure to read the label try to get at least a 15 SPF for your lip balm, and remember to reapply multiple times throughout the day, no one wants cracked lips!

#4 – Aloe Vera

#4 is the Holy Grail when it comes to skin care products, and even more so when it comes to Skin Care on a tropical vacation. I can’t even begin to tell you how many times does prickly little miracle plant has come to my rescue. This angel of a plant contains antioxidant, enzymes, vitamin A and C, and it’s also highly anti-inflammatory.

Aloe is great for sunburns because of its ability to reduce pain, redness, inflammation, and provide a cooling effect to hot sunburned skin. The gel that is extracted from the aloe plant leaves can help stimulate the production of collagen which speeds up the healing process, by improving dryness and elasticity. The aloe plant not only helps heal the burn, but aloe provides relief to itchy hot and stinging skin associated with sunburns. Aloe Vera is an absolute must for travel and skincare!

#5 – Body Moisturizer

At listed above, Aloe is great for healing and moisturizing the skin, however, having a separate everyday moisturizer is definitely a necessity for us. A lot of moisturizers are loaded and chemicals and additives that, frankly, are unnecessary and damaging to our skin. When looking for a body moisturizer remember, natural is best.

What is our go-to? Coconut oil! And for many reasons. The main reason our skin loves coconut oil is how natural and hydrating it is. Coconut oil has natural antibacterial properties and can make your skin feel Supple and smooth. It is widely available and because it’s a natural product, it’s safe for our oceans and reefs, which is a major plus in our books!

whatever you choose, go for oceans safe and as natural as possible!

#6 – Deep Conditioner For Hair

All day ocean swims can do wonders for our soul, but can be quite drying for our hair and skin. We’ve talked about how to care for our skin while on vacation, but what about our lion manes?

Our suggestion? – Shampoo less and condition more! Shampooing your hair strips it of the natural oils needed to keep it shiny, strong, and healthy. While on vacation, the salt water is drying for our hair, so we have to give it a little extra love to our scalp and hair. Deep conditioning is a great way to give your scalp and hair a major boost in hydration!

There are many products on the market that will do the trick, our favorite, as you may have guessed, is coconut oil! It is very affordable, multi-use, easily available, and most importantly, natural! We suggest once or twice a week, if you’re feeling really loving to yourself, massage a fair amount of coconut oil all over your scalp and hair, focusing on the scalp and the ends. Leave in for about an hour and rinse.

Your locks will love you for it. And this brings us to our next must have…

#7 – Dry Shampoo

Dry shampoo is a perfect quick fix for great looking hair in between washes. In the spirit of keeping our hair as healthy as we can, we also want it to be looking the best it can. Over shampooing can be so drying to our hair, however with shampooing less, we may experience some not so dry roots. Some dry shampoo in between washes not only saves you a ton of time, but it saves your hair from over washing, which as we know, can reek havoc on our locks. Dry shampoo is definitely a travel beauty hack worth exploring.

#8 – Shampoo And Conditioner Bars

Via Zero Waste Store

If dry shampoo is not your thing, we have you covered. A shampoo and conditioner bar are a great beauty alternative for carry-on only travel, not to mention better for the planet by eliminating extra, and unnecessary, plastic packaging. When travelling, especially to an island, you should aim to be as much of an Eco-friendly traveler as possible, and leave only footprints, keeping beautiful places, beautiful. A shampoo and conditioner bar is a great example of an Eco-friendly travel product, and for the carry-on only traveler, this is a must.

#9 – Aftershave

Shaving isn’t for everyone, but if you do enjoy a silky leg, or smooth face -I see you fellas – aftershave is a great product to take for vacation. The sun in the tropics can be harsh, and the oceans can be drying, then throw shaving into the mix and you’ll have your skin screaming for some extra love!

With staying on the natural beauty wagon, our go to aftershave is witch hazel. Witch hazel is an astringent that’s great for calming your skin and keeping it cool after a shave. It can help to reduce swelling, discoloration, and prevent the pesky, and dreaded razor burn, which can definitely put a damper on your sunbathing days. Witch hazel is a great option for natural aftershave skin care.

#10 – Hat And Sunglasses

We’ve talked about how to care for your sun exposed skin, let’s not forget to mention the best way to prevent any sun damage at all, preventive measures – A simple hat and sunglasses. There is no safer bet than shade and a little break from the harsh elements. So grab your favorite hat and sunglasses, find a spot in the shade, and enjoy your baby soft skin – wrinkle and sunspot free.