What's in my Beach Bag?

Summer is just around the corner and I'm sure many of you have plans for a beach vacation, or even just some downtime by the pool.

I’ve lived in South Florida for almost 6 years and currently live less than 2 miles from Hollywood Beach, so I’ve had my fair share of days on the sand. These are the must have items I always have in my bag for the beach, and also double as what I would take with me for a relaxing day by the pool.

First things first, sun protection! Trust me when I say you do not want to get a sunburn as it will put a damper on your beach vacation or weekend by the pool. I carry a few sun protection items in my beach bag, one for the body, one for the face, and you cannot forget your lips. This Australian Gold is my favorite for the body because it not only has SPF 30, but also a built in bronzer to make you look extra glowy. For the face there are two that I really love and alternate between, ELTA MD and IT Cosmetics CC Cream. One difference between these two would be the amount of coverage. The ELTA MD sunscreen is just that - sunscreen; even though it is tinted it’s not going to cover imperfections you might want to hide when not wearing makeup. Also, this is a UV physical sunscreen, not a chemical sunscreen so it just sits on top of your skin and blocks UV rays (which is great for my acne prone ladies). My other go-to face product is the IT Cosmetics CC Cream oil-free matte. There are a few other varieties that IT Cosmetics makes, but I have found that this one is the best for being at the beach/pool because even when you sweat/get wet it stays on. I love that it’s SPF 40, and also has great coverage without looking like you’re wearing a full face of makeup. (No one wants to look like a cake face at the beach). As for chap stick, I can’t say I have a holy grail, but anything that has at least SPF 30 is great.

Two other great ways to protect your face from the sun are with sunglasses or a wide brim hat. I have an array of straw hats because I always want my face to be completely covered. A few of my most worn sunglasses would have to be my Quay Australia x Desi high keys, or my Ray Ban aviators. The Quay shades are an over-sized frame with a reflective lens, while my Ray Bans have a smaller frame size.

One thing I never leave the house without is a bottle of water. The great thing about this S’well bottle is that its triple-walled and keeps your water cold for up to 24 hours. I couldn’t believe that even after having my bottle at the beach directly in the sand with the sun beating down on it that it would still keep my water cold, but I was very impressed. Also, the print has a very tropical vibe, so that’s a plus. I added a link so you can find your own 25 oz bottle.

My portable Bose speaker was a Christmas gift from my boyfriend a few years ago, and let me tell you it has been put to use. It’s great that it can connect to multiple devices via Bluetooth at the same time in case you and your friends/family want to switch up who gets to play DJ. It is also water resistant and has a 12 hour battery life when fully charged.

I discovered anchor stakes for your beach towel that are such a life saver. You can find these on Amazon in many different variations - we have a set of whales and a set of alligators. Gone are the days of using your shoes to hold down the edges of your towel so the wind doesn’t blow them away while at the beach.

Last but not least is the beach bag. I bought this particular bag from Nordstrom a few summers back, but I continue to carry it. The size is amazing; I can fit two large beach towels, plus all the contents listed above. I also love that it has a zipper pocket on the inside for my credit card, ID, keys, phone, etc.