Beach Bag Essentials

Having tons of fun in the sun can cause you to lose track of time. Thankfully, you can leave the kitchen timer at home — these wristbands change color in the sun to let you know when the UV rays are strongest, and when you need to reapply sunscreen.

$8.95 for a pack of seven, onestepahead.com

The spherical shape is easy to grip, plus the UVA/UVB protection wards off sunburned lips. This balm is especially handy since no one wants to be a white-lipped, lifeguard-on-duty look-alike in pictures.

$3.29, evolutionofsmooth.com

Sitting in the sun all day doesn't necessarily leave you feeling (or smelling) your freshest. This easy-to-tote body mist adds a hint of moisture and a revitalizing fruity scent to your skin.

$4.79, drugstore.com

No matter how hard you try, sand always manages to stick to your skin. This genius invention is a powder formula that you dust onto skin and voilà — sand be gone!

$12 + S&H, sandgone.com

Post-beach, sweat and sunscreen can make your face gleam, which is not conducive to beautiful family pictures along the boardwalk. Touch up your face and bring it back to matte with these blotting papers that soak up the shine.

$12 for pack of 30, tatcha.com

As with any nice investment, you want to make sure you're protecting your hair color. So whether you're kicking back at the pool, lake, or beach, this formula will guard your strands.

$23, drugstore.com

This antioxidant-packed, after-sun lotion is the refreshing drink that your skin needs. The super-smelling formula helps skin rejuvenate itself from sun damage while the aloe vera and tea tree oil help to prolong the life of your glow.

$12, victoriassecret.com

Keeping in check with money-saving and greener-living ways, take a pass on the Poland Spring water bottles and grab one of these guys with a built-in filter instead. That way, you can fill up at the water fountain but still know that your family is getting a healthy, clean H2O fix.

$9.95, waterbobble.com

Wet, knotty hair can be as miserable as getting sand in your bathing suit bottom. Gently detangle your jungle of a mane with a wide-tooth comb. The flexible teeth help prevent snagging and breakage.

$2.99, drugstore.com