Baby, My Bags Are Packed (for Summer Vacation)

The sun is shining and temperatures are steadily climbing the thermometers! We are getting the summer itch to ditch the winter booties, pack our beach bag essentials, and head to the nearest body of water and their colorful boardwalks. Whether you’re planning a day trip or a weekend getaway, it’s always good to feel prepared with the right sunscreen and summer products to keep you feeling calm and collected and not worrying about the small stuff. Our beach side essentials include:

1. A Hair Brush

First up on the list is the often forgotten, but very necessary hair brush. Even though beach days are perfect for the good ol’ relax and reboot, they can also be long, all-day endeavors. If you’re planning to swim, a hair brush can make the difference between beach waves or tangled chaos. We recommend using a wet brush. Wet brushes have special bristles to reduce breakage and snagging while combing through wet hair. They’re perfect for every day, too.

If you’d like to invest in a more universal brush, we can never recommend the Aveda wooden mini paddle brush enough! It’s mini too, so it’ll fit in any day pack.

2. Sunscreen (For Your Skin & Hair!)

Is it possible to even make an essentials list for the beach and not include sunscreen? It’s not new news that in addition to protecting your beautiful skin while sunbathing, you also need to protect your hair from sun damage and color fading. There’s a wide variety of products out there for the job, but few products are cruelty-free and plant-derived, like this one (for your skin) and this one (for your hair). Personally recommended by us!

3. A Beach Read Like No Other

It’s inevitable that despite your intentions to unplug and do nothing but sit and soak up the sun, boredom may strike, and you want to be prepared. A good beach book will solve your woes. Not a big reader? Magazines are great for striking that visual and reading balance. It’s great to just have something you can flip through while staring out across the blue horizon. Our top three summer book recommendations are: Normal People by Sally Rooney, Heartbreaker by Claudia Dey, and Pretend I’m Dead by Jen Beagin. We’ve got the literary, the plot-driven, and the funny book options for you, listed in that order!

4. Eco-Friendly Water Bottle

It’s so easy to forget the obvious necessities. Water! Staying hydrated is essential to finishing your beach day strong and feeling rejuvenated instead of fatigued. If you’re used to buying a case of plastic water bottles, try to save the plastic this summer. Invest in an eco-friendly water bottle that’s reusable. Not only does this save money in the long run, but it’ll reduce beach pollution, too. This month our team went on our annual beach clean-up at The Little Red Lighthouse beach under the GW Bridge! Here’s a cute picture of our day!

5. Body Cleanser

After spending a few hours beachside, you’ll want to cleanup before hitting the boardwalk. From the ocean’s sea salt to the grimy feeling of chlorine from a pool, this hair and body cleanser gently removes the grime while adding moisture back into the skin with its tamanu and organic coconut oils. Beat the dryness and you’ll be winning for the day!

6. Soy Candle

This trick is for your weekend getaways, or anytime you travel, really! Bringing your favorite scented candle from home is the perfect way to take away that sterile hotel room smell while making the space feel that much more cozy. It’s all about that personalization, and don’t forget that there are plenty of travel size candle options!

7. Lightweight Cover Up

We’ve all done it before, bringing jean shorts and a tee as your post-beach cover up. It’s definitely a cute, classic look, but there’s nothing worse than getting rug burn from the friction between your beach grime (sand, salt, and possibly a wet swimsuit) and your denim. That’s why we’re emphasizing the lightweight, airy, and free flowing cover up options. Think soft cotton, rompers, and the beloved straw hat. You’ll thank us later!