Anyone who’s ever been to the beach knows that it doesn’t pay to fight the current too much. The same tactic applies to beach beauty, though. If you can learn to use the elements to your advantage, you can avoid getting swept out to sea with vain attempts to look perfectly polished.

Provided that you wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen and reapply often, the beach is one of the best environments for your skin. A veritable natural spa, the minerals in the sea coupled with the exfoliating texture of the sand and a bit of gentle sunshine is exactly what you need to get a gorgeous natural glow. If you decide to fight with nature, though, you might wind up with an unsightly (and dangerous sunburn), so let the elements do what they will and be sure to lotion up often.

As for your hair, leave that salt in! Many hair stylists agree that sea salt is a great natural texturizer. After a day at the beach, spray some leave-in conditioner onto your tresses to help detangle them a little and restore a bit of shine. If you’re headed to a nice dinner, use a curling iron to polish a few select pieces, but don’t go too crazy – the tousled look works for you, we promise.