Hello from Maine! I'm currently on vacation at the beach with my family for the week, so I thought I'd go through all of my beach bag essentials.
The most important thing is that SPF. I'm pale as a ghost and will burn after about 10 minutes of sun exposure, so protecting my skin is super important to me. I'm a convert to the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch sunscreen - after dealing with sticky limbs every year, I've finally found one that doesn't make me want to run for the showers immediately. I've got the SPF 100+ pictured but I'll probably be using something more like the 55 this year - is it true everything above 50 is all the same?
Another SPF I'm excited to try is the Supergoop! Defense Refresh Setting Mist with Rosemary SPF 50. I spotted this in Sephora while doing some last-minute shopping before I left and thought it sounded like the coolest idea. Reapplying sunscreen on my face all day really clogs up my pores and makes my skin so congested, so I'm really intrigued by having the SPF in mist form. I've tested it out a couple times already, and it really controls excess oil and smells quite minty and herbal, so I think it will be a great refreshing remedy for when I'm overheating on the beach. I'll report back on this one.
I also always make sure to bring along a lip balm with sun protection in it. I've got one from Hawaiian Tropic that has SPF 45, which sounds great and smells like coconuts, but as my lips are very randomly sensitive, I'm also bringing along the Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm with SPF 25 in the Black Tea & Blackberry scent just in case since I know that one won't give me a reaction.
Now that we've got SPF covered, the other most important thing for me to bring is a book. Since the water is so so cold in Maine, I mostly just sit on the beach and read. This summer I'm desperate to get back into reading the Game of Thrones books - I embarrassingly started A Clash of Kings a couple years ago and never finished it. In case I just can't get into it right now, I'm also bringing Dark Places by Gillian Flynn. I completely devoured Gone Girl when I read it in the fall, and I've heard her other books are just as good if not better.
In case I do go in the water, I always bring along a wide-tooth comb so my hair doesn't get too tangled up by the time I get back to the house. I didn't include it in the picture, but I'm also considering popping a mini of the Bumble & Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Primer in my bag too to give my hair some UV protection and to help detangle. I've also got to have my hair clip with me at all times - I can't stand my hair blowing in my face so I just clip it up into a very attractive top knot when I get too annoyed with it.
The last bits and bobs I carry around are my phone, some headphones, and some sunglasses. I've got three pairs I've been rotating through this summer, and they're all from Target (including those pictured). I'll also make sure I've got a water bottle with me so I don't get dehydrated, along with a loose dress or shirt I can throw on over my bikini.
What do you keep in your beach bag?