Summer Checklist: The 5 Essentials

Summer is finally here and I could not be more excited.

With a new season, comes new clothes, beauty and skincare products. Here are the five summer essentials that you need this year.

Isle of Paradise Tanning Water

We all want that perfect summer tan, right? But who actually has the time to sit out in the sun for hours on end. I’m obsessed with the Isle of Paradise Tanning Water at the moment. So many self tanners are a pain to apply, or leave you looking orange, which is just the worst, but that’s not the case with Isle of Paradise. This stuff makes your skin look bronzed and natural — what’s not to love?

Still take a few minutes to get outside and see the sunlight everyday. Your body needs vitiman D to stay healthy and vibrant, so don’t let the fake tan fool you! — staying active and getting outside everyday is what will really make you glow from within.

For The Face

While you can douse your body in self tanners, I’m always a little but more careful with what I put on my face. The Dr. Dennis Gros Alpha Beta Glow Pads work really well on the face, and add a subtle but beautiful glow. If I’m going to use anything on my face, this is it. With that being said, I do have really delicate skin, and especially during the first few weeks of any season, my skin tends to freak out from different temperatures and allergies. When my skin is feeling really sensitive, I always make sure to have a good skincare and makeup routine. I’ve talked tons about skincare before so I’m not going to go through that (I’ll link the post here though), but I do want to take a minute to go through some of my makeup favs.

I don’t always wear blush, but if I do I’ll go for the Glossier Cloud Paint. I like to put it a little bit higher on my cheeks (think where you’d normally put highlighter), as well as on the bridge of my nose. These are the points that the sun would naturally hit your face, so it gives you a really nice sunkissed look. One of my favorite products of all time is the Marc Jacobs Coconut Gel Highlighter. I’ve been using this product since it first came out, and I’m obsessed. I always get the shimmer finish and use it as a bronzer/highlighter on the high points of my cheeks — it looks unreal. Even on days that I’m not wearing much makeup, I’ll throw a tiny bit of this on my cheeks and eyelids (in place of eyeshadow), and I instantly look glowy and awake.

Sunscreen

Do yourself a favor and start protecting your skin now rather than later. You really should be wearing spf at least on your face all year round, but during the summer it’s crucial. I wear at least spf 15 on my face everyday, and I try to remember to put something on my neck, hands and shoulders too. For my face and neck, I'm a huge fan of the Invisible Shield by Glossier. I love this stuff because it honestly doesn’t feel like sunscreen at all. It doesn’t have a strong scent, is very lightweight, and doesn’t leave that gross residue on your skin. If you have sensitive skin, I’d highly reccomend this sunscreen for your face.

For the body, there are two sunscreens that I love at the moment. First is the Sunbum Sunscreen. This stuff smells amazing, is moisturizing, and again, doesn’t leave that gross spf residue on your skin. The Coppertone Glow Hydrating Suncreen is also a great option. Unlike most sunscreens on the market, this sunscreen is tinted with a really nice bronzy tone, so it actually adds a little but of color to your skin. If you’re wanting to enhance your tan while protecting your skin, this is your best bet.

The Perfect Summer Dress

Your summer wardrobe simple is not complete without the perfect sundress. This season is all about keeping it lightweight and comfortable, so why not do so and look bomb. Reformation and Réalization Par have some of the cutest dresses, but they can be a little pricey. If you’re looking for something for a little bit less, try Princess Polly, Verge Girl, or 12th Tribe.

Swimwear

Personally, I think swimwear is one of the most difficult things to shop for. I want something that’s good quality but not super expensive, and cute but not too revealing. At the end of the day, the really good quality swimwear ends up being a little bit more pricey, so I’d invest in one or two nice pieces, rather than five or six swimsuits that are not made well. Frankies, Vitamin A, and even Free People all have some really cute pieces at varying pricepoints. I also love finding smaller companies on my Instagram feed — depending on where you buy from, they tend to be a little less expensive, but still really well made.

What are your go-to summer musts? Let me know in the comment section, or reply to me directly here!

-seb.