Hydrate + Glow: Summer Glow Guide for Melanated Runners

Photo: Natalia Blauth

By RUNGRL Staff

Somewhere between mile two and your playlist finally hitting its stride, you feel it: the sun on your back, the sweat at your temples, the weight of the heat pressing against both your pace and your face. Running in the summer isn’t just about logging miles—it’s about surviving them with your skin, curls, and glow intact. For melanated runners, skin can be especially prone to dryness and more challenging to retain moisture, which means hydration has to be more than a bottle of water at the finish line. It’s a whole lifestyle.

Feed the Glow

Let’s start with the plate. Water-rich foods like watermelon, cucumber, strawberries, and bell peppers aren’t just picnic staples, they’re hydration heroes, clocking in at over 90% water content. Toss them in a smoothie, snack on them post-run, or layer them into a leafy salad. Add in mineral-rich options like leafy greens, celery, and a few sea-salted snacks, and you’re replenishing what your sweat takes away.

Hydrating Inside and Out

And while we’re talking sweat: if you’re training through the summer, you’re probably losing key electrolytes. Sodium, potassium, and magnesium are vital for muscle function and energy levels. A banana with sea salt or a post-run coconut water can help. For an easy upgrade, try electrolyte packets from Black-owned brands like Go Hydrate or check out Sugar + Spruce’s hydration blends that mix well and taste better than your average lemon-lime sports drink.

This hydration is crucial for not only an efficient running performance, but to your ongoing summer glow as well. But hydration doesn’t stop at the inside. Cue the skincare. 

Skin that Shines

Contrary to myth, melanin does not equal built-in sun protection. The Skin Cancer Foundation notes that deeper skin tones still need SPF 30 or higher to prevent sun damage, hyperpigmentation, and skin cancer. Thankfully, the days of purple-tinted sunscreen are behind us.

Black Girl Sunscreen is a cult favorite for a reason: nourishing, invisible, and rich in natural moisturizers. For those logging longer miles or needing higher coverage, La Roche-Posay Anthelios Melt-In Milk SPF 60 and Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF 50 are both clear, sweat-resistant options that layer well under makeup or solo. For hot and tropical climates, Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protector SPF 50+ is water-resistant and ideal for tropical climates.

Need something to take with you on the go? Sunsticks like e.l.f. SKIN Suntouchable Invisi-Stick SPF 50 and Abib Airy Sunstick Protection Bar Broad Spectrum SPF50+ are compact and great to reapply on the run–even if you’re wearing makeup–with no white cast in sight. A pop of color is always fun with an spf lipbalm as well, like Cay Skin Isle Lip Balm SPF 30, by model Winnie Harlow.

As for your post-run ritual? Cleanse with a gentle, non-drying face wash like Urban Skin Rx Combination Skin Cleansing Bar, and follow with a hyaluronic-acid moisturizer, such as Buttah Skin Oil-Free Hyaluronic Gel Cream, to bring hydration back into balance. Your melanin deserves a glow-up, not a flare-up.

Caring for Running Hair

Don’t forget your hair. Protective styles like twists, low buns, or braids help reduce friction and UV damage. But your scalp? It sweats too. Refresh between washes with a scalp serum like PATTERN Beauty Deep Scalp Detox and sooth with lightweight scalp oils like Mielle’s Rosemary Mint Oil, and if your crown needs a full refresh, a co-wash and leave-in combo post-run can bring it all back to life.

Summer running isn’t just about speed or distance. It’s about caring for your body like it carries your joy—because it does. From the snacks in your tote to the SPF on your cheeks, every detail is part of the ritual. Hydrate well, glow harder, and run like the sun is on your side.

Photo: Natalia Blauth

Shop the Article

RUNGRL IS HERE TO HELP YOU NAVIGATE THE WORLD OF HAIR AND FITNESS. THE PICKS IN THIS STORY HAVE BEEN TESTED AND APPROVED BY THE EDITORIAL TEAM, AND WE MAY EARN COMPENSATION FROM THE LINKS ON THIS PAGE.