It’s officially my favorite season! My only plan this summer is to spend as much time on the lake as possible! In the spring I compiled a list of 7 must-have items and I decided I want to make this a seasonal thing! So make sure to check back in the fall 😉 All of these items are tried and true by me, and I know you will love them too! I hope you enjoy this summer must haves list.
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- Sunscreen – I obviously had to make this the first item on the list. Now that I’m in my late 20’s, I’m unfortunately starting to see signs of aging from the sun. I’ve always hated wearing sunscreen because of the way it feels on my skin – but not anymore! I have found the absolute best sunscreens that you need this summer. For my face, I’m loving this glow screen. It’s a little tinted so it’s perfect on days that you don’t want to wear any makeup. I also just started using this gel sunscreen which is perfect if you don’t want anything shiny or tinted (my husband uses this one!). It also helps protect your skin from blue light from phone and computer screens. For the rest of my body I like this mineral sunscreen spray. You have to rub it in because it sprays on white, but it does not feel sticky or greasy at all!
- Amazon swim suit – Every year I like to purchase a new swimsuit to get in the spirit of summer. This year I grabbed this super affordable one and it exceeded all of my expectations! It’s super comfortable and I love the high waisted bottoms. I’ve already worn it a few times and gotten several compliments. Everyone is always surprised when they find out where I got it!
- Water Bottle – We all know how important it is to drink water, but it’s extra important to stay hydrated in the summer when you’re out in the sun more. I’ve been using this water bottle for months now and I love it for these reasons: 1. the built in straw, 2. the hook on the top makes it easy to carry, and 3. it keeps drinks cold.
- Vitamin C Serum – Like I mentioned above, I haven’t always done the best job of protecting my skin from the sun. This vitamin C serum has really helped to brighten and even my skin tone. When I ran out of the bottle I stopped using it for a few weeks to see if I would notice a difference. After just a few days I realized how much it was helping and ordered another bottle. I put it on in the morning after my diy glow serum, then I follow it up with moisturizer and sunscreen.
- Sunglasses – When it comes to sunglasses I’ve tried the cheap amazon ones that I can barely see though, and I’ve also splurged on the designer brands just to lose or scratch them. This summer I wanted to stock up on something right in the middle – good quality, without breaking the bank. I saw that Quay was having a 2 for $65 sale and I remembered how much I loved these ones that I purchased a few years ago. They are so durable and worth every single penny. This summer I grabbed these and these and they’re both soo cute!
- Kindle – One of my best friends convinced me to buy this and it’s honestly one of my best purchases ever! I love how compact it is and that the books are so much cheaper. It’s perfect for summer because it looks just like you’re reading on paper when you’re sitting in the sun. Since it has a built in light it’s easy to read in bed at night and doesn’t feel like you’re reading on a screen. I bought this case too and it comes in so many different colors!
- Olive and June Pedi System– If you read my mani system review you know I’m a huge fan of O&J. I purchased the pedi system for the summer and it did not disappoint! It seriously looks like I went and got them done at the salon. My feet even feel smoother because of the foot file and serum that comes with it. The systems are the absolute best deal because they come with all of the tools and 6 polishes of your choice. I always tell people that the key to getting your mani or pedi to last is all in the prep work, so make sure to get the system because it comes with all of the tools you will need. I actually have a promo code with them now so if you use the code thehomeblondy20 you will get 20% off your first system!
- LavaDerm After Sun Spray – I wrote about the diy after sun spray in this post, but if you’re not the do-it-yourself kind of person you have to try this one! This one is nice because it has aloe vera and other moisturizing oils in it. It sprays out like a lotion and feels cooling on the skin. I recently cut up my foot from standing in a rough area in the lake without shoes and spraying this on it helped heal all of the cuts almost immediately.
Thanks for reading! I hope you have the best summer ever!
Xo, Ciara
