Summer Beach Day Essentials

Summer is by far the best time of year. My hair gets lighter, my skin gets darker and I get to spend most of my time at my favorite place in the world, the beach. Mexico Beach to be exact. It's a small, quiet place that I like to call paradise. Being a summer local, there's no doubt I experience the hot sun in full force and have had my fair share of bubbling sunburns. So I thought I'd share the items that are a must in my beach bag for the time spent in the sun and for the hours after a long beach day.

While in the sun:

1. Yeti Cup: Water is a definite when out in the sun for hours. I'm always drinking water to keep my self hydrated and happy at the beach. My go to cup is my Yeti I received as a gift from one of my best friends. This cup is literally the best cup you can own. It's stainless steel so it keeps my water ice cold all day (yes the ice cubes barely melt). I can't stand guzzling down warm water so this cup is my life saver when it comes to a refreshing beverage.

2. B & B Surf Spray: I'm a big fan of messy hair dos at the beach and this spray gives me volume and texture before I even reach the sand. I get a wind-blown feel which creates my effortless beach waves. All I do is spray B & B throughout my hair before heading to the beach and the wind does the rest!

3. Sunnies: You can never go wrong with your favorite pair of sunnies! I have a little obsession with sunglasses and may have a small drawer full but my favorite pair of the moment is shown above. These are Crap Eyewear sunnies, and though I'm not a fan of the name I'm a fan of the look and feel. I'm going through a little retro phase and these definitely have that style. But really, any brand will do as long as you're protecting your eyes (they can get sun burned too)!

4. Nivea/Banana Boat: Chapstick is the second best thing to coffee. I put it on every morning and every night. I love to mix these two particular brands when out in the sun. I'll put on Banana Boat SPF 30 first and then top it with Nivea Shimmer SPF 10 for a simple colored lip. I do this because I want to make sure my lips are protected with a higher SPF but I also love a lip shimmer! DO NOT forget to apply SPF to your lips, they will burn, they will peel, they will bleed TRUST ME!

5. Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream: Dream Fresh BB is one of my favorite beauty products I have ever used and I love how I can use it every day, not just at the beach, knowing my face will be protected with SPF 30. I have dry skin but my face almost always breaks out when I use normal face sunscreen due to all the oils and other heavy ingredients. With BB, my face never breaks out because there are 0% oils and it gives me a sun protected, even skin-tone face for a day in the sun.

6. Bose Speaker: Both of my parents are musicians so it's a given I love music (even if I don't play an instrument). I received my Bose Speaker as a present and use it almost everyday, you could say I'm obsessed. I bring it along every beach trip and it's music to my ears (literally). There's just something about the beach, good music and good people, now that's a good day at the beach.

8. Banana Boat Deep Tanning Oil: This stuff will turn you into a bronze goddess, no question. But be careful, you're basically an oiled up chicken in an oven. Do not use this with out sunscreen even if it says sunscreen is in it. There's only a tiny amount and You. Will. Burn. It's a blessing and a curse but mostly a blessing.

After a beach day:

1. Victoria Secret Beach Sexy Tinted Body Lotion: Exactly what the name says. I use it after I hop out of the shower to moisturize my skin from the sun exposure and it also enhances my tan!

2. John Frieda Sheer Blonde Lightening Spray: This one's only for the blondes, sorry brunettes... I spray this product all over my damp hair after a shower and blow dry until it's completely dry. The secret is the more heat you use the lighter your hair will get. So keep your blowdryer on the hottest setting possible. I take it to the next step and straighten my hair afterwards to get my hair even lighter. Now I'm not saying this extreme heat is the best thing for your hair, in fact too much will damage it, but hey you'll have bright blonde hair...beauty is pain and if that means actually cutting your long blonde hair to get it healthy again then so be it.

3. Olay Fresh Effects Deep Pore Clean: This cleanser is Out Of This Swirled!!! It's a mixture of moisture-rich swirls and exfoliating microbeads to give your pores a deep clean. I like to use this in the shower after a beach day (or any day really) to clean out all the sweat and sunscreen that gets trapped in my pores.

4. Softlips Chapstick: I like chapstick, I like soft lips. What can I say!?

5. Olay Fresh Effect Gel Moisturizer: I've fallen in love with this moisturizer. It's super lightweight and oil free and it doesn't clog my pores and cause me to breakout...YAY!!!

Always always always take a break from the sun. Even though us girls love to be tan we should take breaks now in then. Don't forget a hat and an umbrella and of course the tanning oil!!!

Keep Reading:

5 Reasons to Wear a High-Waisted Bathing Suit

9 Must-Have Trends to Try this Summer