Planning a summer trip away and feeling overwhelmed with what to pack? Don’t worry I have you covered. Here are my beach bag beauty essentials along with a breakdown, recommendations and checklist so you don’t forget the all-important.

With summer 2023 finally upon us and lots of us planning our escapes to sunny destinations (after what felt like the longest UK winter ever!) I thought it may be useful to share with you what beauty products I consider essentials when travelling to hotter climates for a day trip to the beach, lounging by a pool or a beach club.

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Checklist

Chic Beach Bag

First of all, a chic beach bag. A statement beach bag can make a look. I like one that is big enough to fit a towel, a bottle of water and the essentials in, throw on your shoulder and go. It must be practical and preferably one with a hard wearing material that won’t rub up against you in the heat. I recently treated myself to a new Loewe beach bag to add to my collection with my upcoming trips in mind. I like that it has the option of two handles for the option to wear over your shoulder or tuck inside for a crook of the elbow moment, along with a tie centre for some security.

That’s not to say beach bags must break the bank. There are plenty of gorgeous and practical high-street options available on the market that come in all shapes and sizes, whether you prefer a slouchy tote or a more structured basket bag. I’ll link a few I own/currently have my eye on below!

LOEWE | Paula’s Ibiza Anagram basket bag

Cosmetic Pouch

A little pouch to contain all the good stuff. I like separating my smaller items like lip balm, airpods, hair ties, comb/brush and any makeup I’m carrying that day into a cosmetic pouch. Any will do but I prefer something transparent or perspex so I can quickly find what I’m looking for. This way you can grab it quickly and find what you need with ease without rummaging around in the bottom of your bag.

Body SPF

I hope everyone reading this knows the importance of body SPF by now – I don’t think I need to say much here! As a naturally fair skinned girl who relies on getting her tan from a bottle… I lather up on the SPF50 to avoid the burn. I’m not super loyal with body SPF’s, I’ll usually use whatever’s on hand.

Although one worth mentioning that I’m loving is by a brand called Coola that Grace Gargini Beauty Editor at Selfridges introduced me to whilst on a recent PR trip. It’s an SPF50, spray that is easy to apply, doesn’t take ages to rub in or leave white residue and smells great!

COOLA | Classic Sunscreen Spray

Face SPF

Okay now face SPF I can speak on! I wear it as the last step in my morning skincare routine every single day, rain or shine. I have tried countless face SPF’s and always have a couple of SPF30-50’s on rotation depending on what finish I’m after on that day.

When I go away, I usually like to take a tinted and non-tinted SPF along. As I don’t tend to tan my face, it’s usually a couple shades lighter than my body. The tinted SPF evens out my complexion to match with my body whilst providing a little extra coverage on those no makeup days by the beach or pool. My other SPF of choice would be a lightweight, glowy finish, UltraViolette are a brand to check out for innovative SPF launches. Here are two I’ve been reaching most for when I pack my bags!

Lip Balm (SPF)

If you’ve ever burnt your lips in the sun you know you know the pain of forgetting your lip SPF.. ouch! Plenty of lip balms are available with SPF benefits. One of my favourites being the UltraViolette sheen screen that is non sticky and gives a healthy, tinted, juicy finish in a range of shades.

ULTRA VIOLETTE | Sheen Screen SPF 50

Hair Brush & Comb

We can’t forget about hair. Nobody wants to go through the pain of brushing out knots built up at the end of a beach day or fresh out the pool! I always carry a hairbrush or comb in case I fancy a dip. I love my mini Denman, as it’s really gentle on my natural curl pattern when wet and also easy to clean, or a wide tooth comb.

Hair Ties/Claw Clip

Whilst it’s not often you catch me with my hair up (unless I’m squeezing an extra day out of hair wash day), I can’t stand being hot and sticky with my hair sticking to my back, or the frizz my hair accumulates in high humidity. So, it’s never long before my hair is up out of my face! I love using either a claw clip to scoop it up (a strong hold one as I have a lot of hair), or a silk scrunchie/bobble that is gentle on wet hair and doesn’t get tangled. They’re usually available in a wide range of colours too depending on your preference/hair colour.

Sunglasses

As soon as there is a glimpse of sun, the sunnies are out! Especially when I want the ease of no makeup during the day on holiday, a good pair of sunglasses always makes me feel more confident! I like to pack a couple of designs/colours with me – usually black, tortoise shell and cream/white. Of course, one pair will do the trick, but I love to colour coordinate with my outfits (or bikini’s!). Here are my currents on rotation!

Entertainment

There’s only so long I can take sitting in the sun, so you’ll most likely find me under an umbrella in the shade. My phone, AirPods and a good book is all I need to keep me entertained for hours. I’m all ears for self-help, so my book of choice as of recent is Roxie Nafousi’s Manifest & Manifest Dive Deeper. In fact, I’ve bought her first book a total of 5 times… I’ve gifted it to many friends and family members and each time I get a little bit further I end up passing it onto someone else.

Practicalities

If you’re planning on spending a long time on the beach you may want to think about a portable power bank to charge your tech. I’ll leave mine linked below, it’s lightweight and sleek, has a long battery life and charges equipment quickly! I was gifted a handheld fan for a PR trip recently and it will now be living in my beach bag for my travels! If you plan on heading out after a beach trip you may also want to pack some wipes and hand sanitiser along with any other beauty essentials to freshen up with after!

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