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.
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.