It's the first of the month, and you know what that means: The Beauty and Fashion Blog Community Blog Hop! This month we're talking about our summer essentials--things were absolutely need in our beach and pool bags. The weather in New York has been beautiful lately (minus some surprise showers), so this post is only getting me more excited for summer! Woohoo!
Enough about that. Let's get on to the good stuff~
SUN PROTECTION
This is huge. The #1 thing that I make sure to have in my bag (besides the usual ID/keys/wallet stuff) is products with SPF. Here are a few of my favorites.
SOLSCENTS Angelica SPF 30 Sunscreen ($14.95 for 8oz)
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I raved about this sunscreen in my Solscents Brand Overview. It's a sunscreen, body lotion, and fragrance all in one: you can't get better than that. I have the Angelica one, which is passionfruit, lily, and wild rose. Now the people who complain about the scent of sunscreen no longer have a reason to go without! It's a pretty short bottle, so it also fits nicely in a bag.
Not only do I like this, but Paula's Choice gave this product a "Best" rating, so you know it has to be good! While I use the SolScents for my body, this is the sunscreen I use over my face. This is a sunscreen with added antioxidants, and it actually does live up to its claims of being moisturizing. I also like that I can get SPF 30 protection without that dreaded white cast in photographs (though I know I don't bring my camera to the beach or anyplace with a large body of water). Its active ingredient is zinc oxide, making it a physical sunscreen that blocks the sun's rays (as opposed to chemical, which absorbs the sun's rays). I would recommend this facial sunscreen for those with dry skin--oily folk might find this to be a bit much.
SOLSCENTS Raspberry Dreams SPF 15 Lip Balm ($3.95)
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This was also mentioned in my Solscents Brand Overview, as well as my Lip Balm Bonanza Pt. 2. This lip balm smells like passionfruit, is actually moisturizing, and provides an SPF of 15. I really don't know what more you could want. Just remember to reapply after eating!
STUNNER OF THE MONTH Sunglasses ($9/month)
These are from my July Stunner of the Month, but I don't care what kind of sunglasses you buy as long as you buy them. You need to protect your eyes, as well as the skin around them! Try to get ones that wrap around the face, because the ones that just have the lenses and a thin frame leave the sides of your eyes unprotected. The sunglasses featured here are large and obnoxious, but at least they do a good job of protecting my eyes! Honestly, I'm terrible and typically go and buy a pair of cheap sunglasses from Charlotte Russe for $5, but if you are trustworthy and can have nice things, maybe invest in a pair that states to cover all UVA/UVB/Misc sun rays. Just to be safe.
MORE GOOD STUFF
Because who wants a bag full of sunscreen and nothing else?
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As stated in my May Favorites, this is my current hand cream. It's a small bottle that I can tuck into any crevice of my bag, and this travel size is actually pretty affordable for a mid-to-high-end brand. The larger size is a better deal, so if you don't mind carrying a huge tube, you might want to go for that one if you like a bargain.
The Wet Brush Paddle Brush in Purple ($12)
You have not lived until you've owned a Wet Brush (I wrote a poem about it in my April Favorites--a legit poem, a haiku). It has saved me aggravation, as well as many strands of hair, and you need to go buy one. Unless you have super curly hair and don't brush your hair to begin with, you need one. You just need one. If I had the money, I would buy all of you one, because you deserve it.
An Awesome Summer Playlist
This isn't an actual, physical item, but it's included because it's necessary.
OTHER IDEAS
Check out these other great blogs for more beach and pool bag essentials!
- Pretty in the East
- The Anna Belle Blog
- Subscription Therapy
- Lipstick and Yarn
- Beautiful Goodies
- Unpack the Box
Well, that's everything! Now all we have to do is wait for the weather to warm up just a little bit more so we can hit the beach!
What's in your beach bag?
Disclaimer: The SolScents products were sent to me for editorial consideration months ago, but I liked them so much I wanted to mention them again. Everything else was purchased by me. Not sponsored or affiliated. So, there.
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