Long time no talk! It has been a crazy few weeks and I have been a #slacker with my posts, but with every break comes more ideas and inspiration for this blog. Last weekend I went on a girls trip with my sisters, mom, and our very good family friends at their beach house in Ocean City, NJ. Although I live fairly close to the Jersey Shore, I have not done a proper trip to the beach in forever, so this weekend was exactly what the doctor ordered.
We did everything that a good girls trip entails, shopping, the beach, eating delicious food, and of course, MANY cocktails. The weather was beautiful and we lucked out with the temperature not being too hot while spending the day at the beach (thank GAWD).
While getting ready to spend some time on the beach, it got me thinking that I did not do a good job of bringing the essentials to prepare for a day in sun. Being of Irish descent, its no shocker that this gal burns instead of that tan that every girl goes for… extra SPF for me 🙂 I also tend to get bored very quickly, so bringing some other items to keep me entertained is a must!
Today’s blog post is all about what would be in my beach bag: the essentials to protect yourself from the sun, cute accessories to stunt in the sand, and anything to keep you busy when you aren’t swimming in the ocean or taking a glorious nap on in the sand.
Trader Joe’s Brazil Nut Body Butter: If you have ever tried or heard about the Sol de Janeiro Bum Bum body cream, this is an exact dupe for a fraction of the price! TJ’s body butter has the firming ingredients that the Bum Bum cream features. The only difference I have noticed is that the Trader Joe’s lotion is not as fragrant, but if you are anything like me and sensitive to smells, its an added bonus!
Simple Modern Insulated Tumblr: There are probably five of these tumblrs in my house. If you read the reviews on Amazon, they are all 100% accurate! They keep your water ice cold all day and have so many cute colors to choose from. This is definitely a must for the beach to keep you hydrated all day.
Yeezy Slide Dupes: When going to the beach, you want some comfortable shoes to walk to and from the beach, while protecting your feet from the hot sand. These Yeezy dupes come in multiple colors and are super affordable. I will definitely be placing an order of these so I can not only wear to the beach, but also out at the pool
Lulu Woven Straw Bag: This bag is probably the PERFECT beach bag to put all of your essential in it. It is a nice and light material and the style of the handbag allows you to just throw it on your shoulder and go.
Bondi Sands Aero Foam Self Tanner: This self tanner is my ride or die…. I am obsessed. I have been a Bondi Sands STAN for a few years now and recommend their products to all of my friends. It is so much more affordable than other tanners I have used, lasts longer, and smells so good. You can pick up these tanners on their website or at Walgreens. While you don’t necessarily need to keep this in your beach bag, it is great to use prior to spending the day in the sun because it gives you a nice glow while strutting in your bathing suits 🙂
Amazon Sunnies: I don’t think it is ever a good idea to bring designer sunglasses to the beach. Knowing my luck, they’ll get crushed in the sand, or swept away in the ocean while I am perfecting my boogie boarding skills. Because of those reasons, some cute sunnies from Amazon will do the trick for a beach day. I love the shape of these glasses and the color is so pretty for the summer.
Flowy Beach Pants: Nothing is worse than having to leave the beach and put on uncomfortable clothes to walk home. That is why these flowy pants from Abercrombie will be a perfect coverup to throw in your bag. Takes up little to no room in your beach bag when you are in your swimsuit, and when its time to leave, it will be a piece that won’t stick to you or be uncomfortable while your’e still drying off from the ocean.
Floppy Hat: I feel like everyone and their mothers (and their mother’s mothers) stresses the importance of protecting your skin while in the sun. Now I am not going to lie, I don’t want to be the one looking like a piece of leather when I am older, which is why I will be lathering SPF and wearing floppy hats like these for forever. This will be perfect for covering my face and neck, and is nice and lightweight so it won’t cause you to sweat in the sun.
Supergoop Sunscreen: Going along with my last comment, SPF is your friends gals!!! I picked up this Supergoop to provide optimal coverage and protecting this porcelain princess from the rays.
Malibu Rising: Now I am not much of a reader, but I feel like whenever I am at the beach or on vacation, a good fiction book is just chefs kisses. I keep hearing rave reviews about Malibu Rising, which is why I added this to my Beach Bag Essentials- will definitely be picking this up for my upcoming vacation- reviews to come!
AirPods: Last but not least… you simply NEED some good music at the beach. AirPods have been a life saver in my life and they are so easy to pack in your bag and whip out whenever you are ready to listen to some music or podcasts while relaxing in the sun. They also keep a charge for hours, so you won’t have to worry about these bad boys dying in the middle of the day.
And just like that, I feel like I am set for my next trip to the beach and my upcoming vacation. I hope this gave you some inspiration for what to pack on your next beach adventure. All products are linked under the photo above 🙂 As always, thank you for reading and talk to you later! xoxo Kelly
