Summer Essentials

I can't believe I have been on summer break for about three weeks now. You'd think by this time I'd have traveled a little or been on some grand summer trip, but I haven't had much luck. That's not to say I haven't been having fun with friends and exploring my local area! It helps to live relatively close to several beaches and well known cities because I've still been able to discover some pretty fun activities. While making sure I don't become a couch potato, I figured out some summer essentials for this season, and thought some might find it helpful!

For my summer fashion essentials I included a bathing suit, of course! What's summer without a bathing suit? And of course, you need a good pair of sandals. I suggest simple nude or neutral ones that you can easily pair with all your cute summer outfits. Moving on to accessories, you definitely want to have sunglasses to protect your eyes from the UV rays and hair ties to keep you cool so you don't have to sweat buckets under a blanket of hair. If you are going to the beach, or some other adventure, a backpack is amazing for carrying all of the miscellaneous junk that we all think we need. But seriously, like it doesn't hurt to be prepared. Backpacks are so convenient and easy to carry, perfect for snacks (which is basically all I ever keep in my bag...). And my last summer fashion essential would be a simple piece of jewelry. It makes any outfit look a little more put together, which is a total plus when you're running out the door in just a t-shirt and shorts.

As for my summer beauty essentials, I have a few more items than the previous category. Sun protection is so important ladies, you do not want to get wrinkles or worse... skin cancer. That is why I like to use this SunBum lip balm with SPF 30. I recently discovered it when I went on a beach trip with my friend, and it smells and tastes really good haha so it's a win win situation ya know? And for my face, I use CC cream because it gives light coverage and gives you a little SPF too. As for protecting the rest of your body, I prefer some kind of spray sunscreen if you are going to be outside all day. I just feel like it reaches more places and is easier when you have to reapply. If you are not going to be outside that much, then I would just use a daily lotion that has some SPF in it. Of course, we must have gorgeous hair, so what I love to do is curl my hair with a curling wand and then brush it out so it turns into looser curls. After that, I spray my hair with the Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Texturizing Spray, which by the way smells so good, and it gives you a really nice "just came from the beach" look. Totally fab. One thing that makes any outfit would definitely be nail polish. Keep your 10 little canvases either nice and naked or perfectly polished, otherwise your handy helpers won't look that professional, or Instagram worthy! Okay we're down to the last two essentials, bronzer and baby powder. Alright so I don't wear much makeup at all in any season, but in summer I feel like you should wear even less. Give your face a chance to breathe and feel the fresh summer breeze! So that is why I would try to choose one makeup product (or around that) to wear and nothing else. I think a light touch of bronzer is good because it gives you a healthy sun kissed glow. Now you may be wondering what in the world the baby powder is for. You know when you get sand stuck all over you at the beach and no matter how much you try to wipe it off it doesn't come off? Well all you have to do is sprinkle some baby power on it and rub them both right off. No sand left! 

Finally, we have come to my random summer essentials. The GoPro is perfect for capturing all your fun summer moments, whether it's at the beach, pool, skatepark, hiking trail, or even just hanging at home. You can be so creative with it. I'm planning on making some cool videos with it soon! And if you didn't get to record something, I like to write it down in a notebook so I can look back and read all the fun activities I did. Next essential would be headphones so that you can listen to your summer playlist on repeat. Music totally changes your mood, so if you want to be productive, listen to upbeat music, and if you wanna just chill listen to your fave chill music. Pretty self explanatory. Also, it's pretty important to stay active, so go take your bike out for a ride! Personally I don't have a bike, which is so sad because I really want one. But I do have a longboard that my dad gave to me as a graduation gift! I'm better at it than I thought I would be, and it's super fun too. If you're hanging out outside, you need to stay hydrated. My favorite drink this summer would be the Very Berry Hibiscus Refresher from Starbucks. I order it with extra berries, and it's fan-tas-tic. However, I'm not always near a Starbucks and I don't always want to spend my money, so most of the time I just fill a reusable water bottle with water and fresh cut up fruit. It's amazing if you let it soak overnight because all the fruit flavors make the water taste like heaven. My last random summer essential would be fresh flowers to put in your room. Flowers make me so happy. The colors, the smell, the delicate design. They're so beautiful, and they brighten up any room. 

I hope you enjoyed reading about all of my summer essentials! Did I miss any of your summer essentials? Let me know! Alright, well I hope you all have a super fabulous day!

XO, Lauren