One to the top spots to travel during the summer is the beach. From the California coast, to the Florida Keys, being bikini-ready and having silky skin can be easier than you think. Try these beach beauty tips and tricks to looking great on your seaside travels.

Related: 7 Uses for Coconut Oil: A Traveling Beauty Must-Have

Exfoliate

Rocking your favorite swim suit or shorts usually means trying to achieve that perfect, close shave for smooth skin. To release trapped hairs and slough away dead skin, make sure you exfoliate. Make sure you are gentle. Your skin naturally rids itself of dead skin, but exfoliation speeds up the process and gives you a closer shave. Exfoliating too aggressively or too often can actually damage your skin, so make sure you are using a deeper scrub for the days you plan on shaving.

SPF Smarts

Sunscreen is a must-have for any outdoor activity during the summer, especially. There are many myths and misconceptions, but there are several factors that you should note:

1. Reapply sunscreen every two hours.
2. Use a sunscreen that is labelled “broad spectrum” to ensure you are being covered from all harmful rays.
3. Don’t forget commonly missed spots. The backs of your hands are very important, as this is the place dark spots will appear first. Also, make sure you dab some sunscreen on the part in your hair. Use a cotton swab to apply sunscreen to your exposed scalp to prevent a damaging burn followed by flakes that will get caught in your strands.

Related: Pinterest Worthy Travel Tricks: Natural Homemade Sunscreen

Beach-Strong Mani-Pedi

The salt water and sand can damage your manicure and pedicure by drying out your skin or chipping away at your polish while you build sandcastles. Try a gel manicure for a stronger finish. If you’re not a fan of investing in a ton of expensive gel polishes, try simply using a clear gel top coat on your favorite every day polishes. Also, don’t skip a nourishing base coat which can make the difference in a mani-pedi lasting much longer.