10 Beach Essentials to Pack This Summer

A comfy blanket, chair and towel

(Left to right) Coppertone Sport Mineral Sunscreen Spray SPF 50; Sun Bum Original Sunscreen Spray SPF 50; Revlon Kiss Lip Balm SPF 20 in Fresh Strawberry; Fresh Sugar Lip Balm Sunscreen with SPF 15 in Rosé

Target (3); Nordstrom

Our aches, pains and experienced bones deserve a relaxing spot to recline, read and people watch (slathered and spritzed in sunscreen, of course!). We're so over dragging and drying standard cotton terry towels and stiff chairs and trying to brush sand off old blankets when the day is done. Updates in the form of lightweight, quick-drying blankets like the Wildhorn Outfitters Seaview Beach Blanket in Dark Blue ($38, amazon.com) and microfiber towels like the Your Choice Microfiber Beach Towel in B Blue Stripes ($16, amazon.com) turn these chores painless. Both are sand resistant, fold flat and fit in your tote. Lighter-weight chairs like the Coleman Lightweight Utopia Breeze Beach Chair ($61, walmart.com) with a low broad seat, a relaxed angled back pocket and mesh cup holder are a good idea, too. This one comes in its own carry bag.

The right sunscreens

(Clockwise from top left) Universal Thread Women’s Wide Brim Open Weave Straw Panama Hat; Brixton Bell Sun Hat; Alvantor Outdoor Automatic Pop-Up Hub Style Beach Tent

Target (2); Zappos

Apply your usual face sunscreen, of course. An SPF of at least 30+ is a must, no matter what color your skin tone or skin health history. However, adding a body spray makes covering large and hard-to-reach areas like legs, arms and back much easier. Choose a water-resistant formula — a mineral one like Coppertone Sport Mineral Sunscreen Spray SPF 50 ($12, target.com) or a chemical one like Sun Bum Original Sunscreen Spray SPF 50 ($17, target.com) — and reapply frequently. And don't forget your lips! An ordinary balm or lipstick won't protect thin, dry, delicate lip skin from burning rays. Choose a tinted balm with SPF like Revlon Kiss Lip Balm SPF 20 in Fresh Strawberry or Berry Burst ($4, target.com) or Fresh Sugar Lip Balm Sunscreen with SPF 15 in Rosé, Velvet or Honey ($24, nordstrom.com) for safety plus glamour.

Extra shade options

(Clockwise from bottom left) Puma Cool Cat in Knockout Pink; Ning Meng Quick-Dry Aqua Socks in Black; Vans La Costa Slide-On in Red

Zappos (2); Amazon

If you're 50-plus, even a balmy day at the shore is never without worries of skin cancer, precancerous lesions, brown spots and heat stroke. While classic baseball caps look cool, a wide-brimmed hat is a better bet for this situation. An airy, straw panama with an all-round brim — such as the Universal Thread Women's Wide Brim Open Weave Straw Panama Hat ($22, target.com) or Brixton Bell Sun Hat ($29, zappos.com) — shields not only the face but also exposed spots like your ears and nape of neck without looking too floppy or silly. For even more shelter try a sand tent like the Alvantor Outdoor Automatic Pop-Up Hub Style Beach Tent ($55, target.com) with UPF 50 fabric and mesh windows for ventilation. It provides a break from exposure and a hideaway for naps.

Waterproof sandals and water shoes

We're practical people, and that should extend to our feet and sandals. Why wreck perfectly good leather styles or leave our tootsies vulnerable to hot sand, gritty pool bottoms, shells, rocks or germy restroom floors? Just slipping on a pair of water socks like the Ning Meng Quick-Dry Aqua Socks in Black ($8–$19, amazon.com) protects your soles and toes during water aerobics, walks and dips. Waterproof slides like the Vans La Costa Slide-On in Red ($28, zappos.com) or Puma Cool Cat in Knockout Pink ($20, zappos.com) are trendy and comfy thanks to wide padded straps and contoured cushioned footbeds — a must for foot health. No more bare-feet visits to the restroom/locker room or snack bar!

Beach-to-barbecue essentials

Plenty of us head straight from the beach or pool to lunch, cocktails or a casual dinner. Just a little more grooming and polish makes the difference between sweaty and swell. Stash a stick deodorant like Dove 0% Aluminum Coconut and Pink Jasmine Deodorant ($8, cvs.com) and some wipes in your bag to freshen up and remove excess sunscreen residue. Depending on your needs, choose a cover-up of the right length that makes you feel “dressed” enough without looking overdone. Good examples are a breezy midi style like the Kona Sol Women's Midi Cover Up Dress in Yellow or Red ($25, target.com), a mid-thigh tunic shirt like the a.n.a Women's Dress Swimsuit Cover-up in Black or White ($21, jcpenney.com), or a cold-shoulder dress like the Vera Crochet Cold Shoulder Cover Up Dress in Black ($27, swimsuitsforall.com). And yes, before you ask, any swimsuit straps or details that show beneath are fine. Go with the flow!

(Left to right) Aegend Swim Caps for Women and Men 2 pack; Balneaire Silicone Long Hair Swim Cap for Women in Zebra; Venus Plus-Size Slimming V-Neck One Piece in Black Beauty

Amazon (2); VENUS

A hair-friendly bathing cap and an extra swimsuit

Whether you're a dedicated lap doer or just want to cool off, a bathing cap is a must — especially for those with color-treated, long or fragile hair. Look for one that's sleek and modern but has a roomier crown, such as the Aegend Swim Caps for Women and Men 2 pack ($10, amazon.com) or Balneaire Silicone Long Hair Swim Cap for Women in Zebra ($13, amazon.com). Stretchy silicone designs are way better than latex caps. They are easier to put on and pull off and won't tug at your hair, but they do cling at the hairline and ears where you need it. And no headache! The extra suit like the Venus Plus-Size Slimming V-Neck One Piece in Black Beauty ($72, venus.com)? It's just common sense.

Columbia Bora Bora Booney II (top left); Men’s Crocs Baya Slide in Black (bottom middle); Speedo Men’s Rash Guard in Navy (right)

Zappos; 6pm; Target

Guy things

If your beach/pool buddy is a man, sharing sunscreens, beach chairs and towels is fine — but add three things to his list of extras. If he's 50-plus he needs a brimmed beach hat with SPF 50+ like the Columbia Bora Bora Booney II ($30, zappos.com) to protect his ears, face and neck; a UPF 50+ rash guard tee like the Speedo Men's Rash Guard in Navy or Gray ($25, target.com) — especially if he's not great about reapplying sunscreen; and truly waterproof sandals like the Men's Crocs Baya Slide in Black ($30, 6pm.com), because athlete's foot and fungus are no fun. And always: a plastic bag for his wet suits and grimy sunscreen tubes.

Lois Joy Johnson is a beauty and style editor who focuses on women 50 and older. She was the beauty and style editor at Ladies’ Home Journal and a founding editor of More magazine. She has written three books: The Makeup Wakeup, The Wardrobe Wakeup and The Woman's Wakeup.