Olympic Beach Volleyball Player Alix Klineman Has the Best Sunscreen Advice

July 23, 2021 | 05:12pm

The pro athlete spends hours on the sand and in the sun, making her extra motivated to find the best possible sunscreen formulas.

Olympic Beach Volleyball Player Alix Klineman Has the Best Sunscreen Advice

Alix Klineman might not be a dermatologist, but she knows a thing or two about protecting her skin: As a leading beach volleyball player who will be competing for team USA at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, Klineman spends a lot of time in the sun and sand. The pro athlete, who stands at 6’5”, had been an indoor volleyball player from eight to 26 before she transitioned to beach volleyball. “I had such baby skin; my skin was so young and not damaged. [At first] I was just like, ‘Oh, this is fine. I'm getting a little tan,’” says Klineman of her skin-care journey. “I've kind of learned the hard way because now I do notice that I have some hyperpigmentation and a little bit of melasma,” she adds. “Now, I’m like ‘I need to take care of it and do everything I can to protect it.’”

On an average day of practice, Klineman spends two to three hours on the sand, which leads to cumulative sun exposure. All that time under the rays has motivated her to find the best possible formulas for her needs. “I have a different sunscreen for different situations, but I’ve tested so many and I feel like I really know which ones are the best,” she says. “I feel like I've hacked the whole sunscreen industry.” She counts Eir’s Surf Mud Pro balm as a major go-to. “It’s my favorite because it is so heavy duty,” says Klineman, who requires a protective layer that will last through a 90-minute game. “It’s not realistic for us to reapply while we are playing. At that point, we have sweat and sand on us and we aren’t blank canvas anymore.”

Of course, it’s not only sunscreen that Klineman is taking into consideration as she gears up for the Olympics. There’s other skincare —like how to actually get the sunscreen off (she prefers oil-based cleansers)—as well as her focus on mindfulness.