I am so honored and thankful to be featured in Local Sugar Hawai'i's "What's in Your Beach Bag?" Feature!!! Check it out here and enter to win the contest to win $100 in prizes in her Victoria Secret Beach Bag Giveaway!!
These are my go-to's and must-haves for my beach bag:
- 1. You gotta have a pretty bathing suit or bikini. I opt for a full piece suit because I'm not as hawt as some of the other ladies I see at the beach. That and I swim a lot and bikinis do not go well with my full figure or large bust. haha. My favorite suits lately are by Speedo. This is for two reasons. The first being that they have a large range of sizes and are available from $20-$60 at Costco and other retailers and they have a vast selection of colors and styles. The second reason is because I am a strong swimmer and swim a lot, I like a suit that I know won't fall off when I'm diving under waves. This suit is one I actually own. It fits perfectly and the print is flattering and helps make me look like I'm in better shape than I am.
- 2. Cute earrings. Like Nicole said in her beach bag post, Hawai'i is a small place and living here means that at any given time you may run into someone you know and perhaps you don't want to look like you're unkempt or what some of us in Hawai'i refer to as "all hash" which basically means you look like crap. That's why I take some cute accessories with me for after I leave the beach so just in case I'm at the store and run into someone I know, I don't look awful. These earrings are lovely but way overpriced. I own a few pairs similar to these that are made by local designers that don't have websites yet so I couldn't find a picture to use. I find that anything that is slightly dangling works really well with a beachy, sunkissed look.
- 3. Kai perfume oil is a must have whether I'm at the beach or not. It's the perfect gardenia scent. It's not cheesy or overpowering like other gardenia scents I've sniffed in my lifetime. The scent is balanced and floral and not overwhelming yet it lasts on your skin all day. This roll on is handy to keep with you at all times. It's worth the money in my opinion. Utter perfection if you like floral scents!
- 4. I actually own these Oliver Peoples aviator glasses. I got them as a gift from my mother and they are my most treasured accessory as they were rather expensive. I have a hard time finding glasses that fit my head and my nose and these fit perfectly. I am so lucky to have an awesome mom who just got them for me one day. Thanks mom!
- 5. Waterproof mascara is a must have!! Lately I've been loving the Maybelline Falsies Volum' Express Mascara Waterproof formula in black. It doesn't give the results you see in those commercials, but it gives me the right balance of length and fullness and doesn't wash off or smudge when I wipe my eyes. Winning! You can find the mascara at Drugstore.com!
- 6. I use the Fresh Sugar Rose Tinted Lip Treatment SPF 15 every day whether I go to the beach or not. It really leaves your lips soft like butter and has a pleasant smell. It has a soft pink tint that really flatters every skin tone. I love this stuff!
- 7. I just put any brush that I have on hand in my bag. I need it to keep my hair from getting tangled. I use it after I rinse and wash my hair before I leave the beach.
- 8. I use the Molton Brown Vitalising Vitamin AB+C Bath & Shower
pretty much every day. I discovered how much I loved it after I got it in a free gift with purchase at Nordstrom or something and since then, I've been hooked. It cleans without leaving a film or drying my skin out and it smells great. You may be thinking, why is she taking body wash to the beach? Most beaches here on Oahu have showers, most of which are cold but I don't mind. The majority of people use it to wash up with soap and shampoo because a lot of people go out right after spending time at the beach.
- 9. My favorite sunscreen for the last 4 months is the Aveeno Active Naturals Aveeno Hydrosport SPF 30 Spray, 5 oz
. I am super sensitive to sunscreen and if I wear one that doesn't agree with me, my skin itches and my eyes burn. This one by Aveeno is great because it does not burn my skin or eyes, it lasts all day and when you spray it on, it doesn't leave white spots.
- 10. I absolutely love my Surf Stitch canvas bag that I got from one of my best friends on my birthday. I found it online here. There are lots of readily available and cheaper canvas bags like this available all over the place during the summer. In fact, I saw some really cute striped canvas bags at Barnes and Noble for around $10 with purchase of a few books.
- 11. I am absolutely in love with this necklace by Heather Gardener although I am pretty sure this love will be unrequited as it's too expensive for my taste. The turquoise is lovely. This is a perfect beachy necklace. I'm sure you could find something equally beautiful for much less at places like Forever 21, Aldo Accessories or somewhere like that.
- 12. Gotta love the simplicity of Kieh's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Lotion. It's simple but it works. My skin is acne prone but this oil free lotion doesn't cause me to break out but it gives the perfect amount of moisture.
- 13. I have a few of these Tie Die Hibiscus beach towels. They're soft, absorbent and the colors don't fade when you wash it.
- 14. Hawai'i has some of the most beautiful and crystal clear blue water but it also has killer currents and at some beaches, big waves. I usually take my fins with me to the beach because I like to swim the expanse of the area we are going to be swimming at to check for sharks or anything that might attract sharks (like sea turtles). Call me paranoid but as someone who spent every day of my life at the beach for a few years, I've seen a shark or two when I was body boarding. They never bothered me but when I have my son with me, his safety is my first concern. My favorite brand is Da Fin because they're short but they help me swim along and against the current.
- 15. Reef slippahs (flip/flops anywhere out of Hawai'i) are pricey but my favorite to wear. I walk a lot in slippahs so I like having something that has support, lasts a long time and is aesthetically pleasing.
- 16. This Cool Change Pom Pom Tie Die Dress is effortlessly chic at it's best. It's loose fit is flattering with or without a belt and it's really breezy so you can put it over a wet suit and it dries really fast.
- 17. I've been using the Philosophy Clear Days Ahead Oil-Free Salicylic Acid Acne Treatment Cleanser 8 oz
for about a month now to clear up my skin. I actually am working on a review of it right now but I wanted to give it a full 6 weeks before I post my thoughts. So far, so good. It works really well without burning my skin. The line is very gentle but effective. You don't get any of that burning sensation that other acne products tend to cause. I like using it after the beach because it cleanses my skin thoroughly without causing any irritation which is really important to me.
- 18. Being a photographer, I always like to have a camera on me though I haven't taken any photos of underwater critters yet. I usually just take snaps of my son and nieces. I love this Lumix TS3 point and shoot waterproof camera. I've used many point and shoots in my day including a lot of other "waterproof" models and none work as well or as clearly as this one.
- 19. I don't use Wen on a daily basis but when I go to the beach, it's a must. Wen normally makes my hair too oily since I have a naturally oily scalp. When I go to the beach, Wen is perfect because it's a shampoo/conditioner in one, it's sulfate free and it leaves your hair silky smooth.
- 20. Last but not least, the most important thing besides sunscreen for me to bring to the beach. I get this Aladdin 16oz perfect water bottle at Target. I take 3-4 of these when I go for my son and I to share. This is hands down the best water bottle I've ever used. It keeps my water ice cold. I've gone to the beach for over 5 hours and still had ice that was only half way melted. Add to that the fact that this is BPA free, it's an amazing product.
I hope you all enjoyed a peek into my beach bag. What are you go-to's or must haves for the beach, lake or pool? I love to cool down when the weather is hot and humid like it has been here. Have a wonderful weekend and go have some fun at the beach, lake or pool!!
