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Packing for a beach day should be fun and easy – not a chore involving spending hours scrutinizing product labels and comparing options. You want eco-friendly, vegan, and clean products that aren’t packed with sketchy chemicals or sold in single-use plastic that’s headed to the landfill the next day. We’ve got you covered. Below find picks for some of our favorite sunscreen, bug repellant, and haircare products for summer, along with ethical essentials, from sunglasses to sandals. Stock up for whatever your summer has in store.
1. STATE Graham XL Tote
First thing’s first: You’ll need a cute bag to hold all your beach-bound goodies. Tie-dye is still trending, and STATE is using this retro print to bring all the summer feels to its Graham XL Tote. Nearly half the bag is made from recycled materials, including an interior lining made from ex water bottles, and for each product purchased, the brand supports American children and families in need. statebags.com, $115.
2. Bouclème Revive 5 Glow Hair Oil
It can feel difficult to pull off “hot girl summer” when your beachy waves morph into a halo of frizz, so get those curls under control with Bouclème’s Revive 5 Glow. The company was founded by Michele Scott-Lynch, a Black woman who battled against her own hair until her 30s. She developed clean haircare products that give curly girls just what they need: hydration. A few pumps of this multi-purpose, vegan formulation (which comes in a recyclable glass bottle) will add moisture, shine, and humidity-protection to your locks. It can also be used to add a golden glow highlight to décolletage, cheeks, arms, and legs. boucleme.us, $44.
3. LARQ Self-Cleaning Water Bottle
Reusable water bottles are notoriously difficult to thoroughly sanitize — even when you remember to. The self-cleaning LARQ Bottle PureVis promises to neutralize up to 99.9999 percent of harmful bacteria and viruses through UV technology. Plus, it’ll keep your favorite beverage cold for up to 24 hours, comes with carbon-neutral shipping in recyclable packaging, and the brand gives back with every purchase to 1% for the Planet. livelarq.com, $95.
4. Leaf People Hand Sanitizer
After high-fiving your friends during a spirited game of beach volleyball, but before you dig into your post-workout snack, sanitize your hands with Leaf People’s rinse-free hand cleanser. The certified organic and certified herbicide- and pesticide-free Garden Sanctuary scent uses 65 percent pure organic alcohol and nourishing botanicals, such as calendula, horsetail, green tea, and aloe. leafpeople.com, $21 for a set of three bottles.
5. YUNI Shower Sheets
Running short on time between sitting the sand and meeting your main squeeze for drinks? Freshen up on the go with biodegradable, plant-based, and cruelty-free peppermint-and-citrus shower sheets from YUNI. These large, waterless sheets cleanse and deodorize the skin for that just-showered feeling. Each wipe is infused with 100 natural ingredients — and, more importantly, they are free from all the yuckies, including parabens, sulfates, phthalates, and mineral oil. yunibeauty.com, $16.50
6. La Gotta CBD sunscreen
The single most important thing you can do at the beach (and every day, for that matter) is to protect your skin from damaging UV rays. Latina-founded swim brand La Gotta recently launched an invisible antioxidant facial sunscreen that’s reef-safe, non-oily, fragrance-free, and made with titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. It also contains full-spectrum CBD oil, and vitamins C and E. lagottaswimwear.com, $45.
7. Kinfield Golden Hour Bug Repellant
Kinfield’s DEET-free bug repellant Golden Hour uses a variety of citronella from Indonesia that’s way more effective than your typical backyard candle. The vegan, Leaping Bunny-certified formula smells great, too, with notes of citrus and vanilla. When you’re done with the bottle, it’s Type 1 plastic you can simply clean and toss in your home recycling bin. Should any biters slip through, the clean products brand also sells an all-natural soothing balm in a take-anywhere stick. kinfield, $22.
8. Cure Hydration Electrolytes
When you’re feeling dehydrated from a long, hot day, skip the sugary sports drinks and high-calorie coconut water in favor of a water with a Cure Hydration packet. With only 25 calories, zero added sugar, and organic ingredients, these vegan and gluten-free packets are easy to slip into your beach bag and pour into a water bottle as needed. While all the flavors are tasty, catch us enjoying Endless Summer Watermelon. curehydration.com, $21.
9. PAPR deodorant
Swipe this vegan and aluminum-free PAPR Cosmetics deodorant onto your underarms and consider yourself good to go without worrying about sweat and smells. The deodorant is made from cold-pressed essential oils and all-natural ingredients such as baking soda, tapioca starch, jojoba ester, coconut oil, castor oil, and shea butter. The brand takes its commitment to eco-friendliness a step farther than most natural deodorant brands by coming in biodegradable paperboard packaging printed with soy ink, rather than the typical plastic applicator. papercosmetics.com, $14.
10. Clean Waves Type 01 Sunglasses
These stylish sunglasses are made by Clean Waves in collaboration with the Parley for the Oceans Global Cleanup Network. Before becoming chic shades, the plastic in these frames were fishing gear and plastic debris collected from beaches. All proceeds from the sale of Clean Waves sunglasses go back into funding island cleanup projects in the Maldives. cleanwaves.com, $280.
11. Noyah Lip Balm
Salt and sand can do a number on your delicate lip skin, so keep your kisser hydrated with noyah lip balms. These clean products only have five ingredients — coconut oil, beeswax, extra virgin olive oil, natural flavor and stevia — are cruelty-free, certified Organic, and are free of preservatives, parabens and sulphates. The earth-friendly packaging is made from 70 percent post-consumer recycled materials. ulta.com, $12 for a set of four.
12. NAE Vegan Shoes Jackie Sandals
Everything from NAE is vegan (the name even stands for No Animal Exploitation) and done with eco-friendliness in mind. Jackie is a go-with-anything summer sandal made from GOTS-certified organic cotton with an antimicrobial fiber footbed that resists odors (not that we would know anything about that problem). nae-vegan.com, $119.
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