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Summer-Proof Beauty Tips From Bathing Beauties

Come heat wave or high water, these summer tips from the Aqualillies synchronized swimming troupe will keep you looking beautiful all summer long
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Get Your Waterproof Mascara Off
Every mascara-wearing woman knows that while waterproof mascara won't betray your crying eyes, it might actually bring tears to your eyes when you try like hell to remove it -- unless you've got this synchronized swimmer makeup trick up your sleeve: "Put a regular coat of mascara on first, and follow it with your waterproof mascara. It comes off easily and doesn't involve pulling and tugging at your eyes," says Young.

Still not a fan of the waterproof stuff? Aqualillies member Renee D'Amour, right, won't touch it, even though she's in and out of the water for performances all the time. "Once it pools under your eyes, it's painful to get off and damaging to your skin to rub hard enough to remove it." D'Amour swears by L'Oreal Voluminous Original Mascara and Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara. "[Those] won't run through a whole show if I don't rub my eyes," she says.

Renee D'Amour of Aqualillies

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Beach-Proof Your Manis and Pedis
A long soak in chlorinated or salt water won't do your manicure any favors. Chipped nails aren't allowed during Aqualilly performances, so these women turn to gel or acrylics to keep their nails in pristine condition. "No polish stands up to water except the mighty gel manicure," says D'Amour, who claims that her gel manicures last up to three weeks. Barnes confesses that she even gets gel on her toes. "We dance on the side of the pool between performances, so we need something that can go up against pavement and getting in and out of the pool," says Barnes.

Aqualillies member Tyler Rolling keeps her nails strong through a healthy diet. "Diet plays a big role in nail and hair strength, because they're made of protein," she says. Rolling, who is currently studying to be a registered dietician, eats lean proteins like chicken and fish to keep her nails from breaking and peeling.

Tyler Rolling of Aqualillies, photographed by Resolution Photographics

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Get Rid of Weirdo Tan Lines
This season's trend of high-waisted bottoms and cut-out bikini tops is really cute, but also responsible for providing really interesting tan lines. It's something the Aqualillies deal with during each performance, since they wear oddly-cut suits all the time. Unsurprisingly, all of the 'Lillies protect themselves against the sun with sunblock, and lots of it. "I get out of the water and reapply ever hour," says Rolling.

Here are their recommendations:

-Badger Sun Block for Face and Body because it's all-natural and smells like lavender.
-Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen because it's not shiny and doesn't gum up under makeup.
-Alba Botanica Very Emollient Sunscreen because it's all-natural and water-resistant.

If a weird tan line does develop, Barnes says she uses L'Oreal Paris Sunless Sublime Bronze Tinted Self-Tanning Lotion to even things out. "It's super cheap and works better than a spray tan if you apply it well," she says. Barnes stands between two full-sized mirrors so that she can see everywhere she applies it. "Pay extra attention to hands and ankles," she advises.

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Save Your Eyes
Remember diving for pool rings as a kid? You'd surface to the top, gripping the weighted plastic ring like a prize with one hand, and rubbing your burning eyes with the other. Chlorine has never been a friend to our peepers. Aqualillies don't wear goggles during performances, so they need something to provide relief to raw, red eyes that have to remain open underwater to keep in sync.

Both Rolling and Barnes use Rohto eye drops, but warn that it's not for the faint of heart. "It's like putting a Listerine strip on your eyeball," jokes Rolling. The minty concoction burns for a few seconds, but leaves your eyes white and soothed, says Barnes.

Mermaids are portrayed as beautiful, siren-like creatures with gorgeous, long locks; glowing skin and perfect makeup that never runs. But in real life, we know Ariel's fire-engine red hair wouldn't stand a chance against the sun and water. Skin without SPF would burn and blister (not to mention, leave some serious clamshell tan lines), and we'd hate to think of the prune-like state our fingers and toes would be in after a lifetime submerged. What's a mermaid to do? We asked the closest thing to it, members of the Aqualillies, a professional synchronized swimming troupe, who can spend a whole day in the water, and still look gorgeous. Here, their best summer hair, makeup and skin care secrets against which chlorine, sun and surf don't stand a chance.
BY EMILY WOODRUFF | JUL 9, 2014 | SHARES
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