Felt so good to be back on the beach after they have been closed in Southern California since late March.
Summer days mean beach days and yesterday was my first day back lounging on the beach since the quarantine started in southern California. I grabbed my “go to” straw beach bag and had to restock it with my essentials. Here are a few of my beach day basics when preparing for a fun day in the sun!
A big hat and some shades. In midlife, I’m trying to take as good care of my skin as possible and wearing a hat that gives my whole face good protection from the sun is a priority. I prefer wearing a larger hat on my longer days at the beach instead of a baseball style hat simply for better coverage. It is also a great way to contain beach hair from looking too messy. A hat just completes beach style all together!
Sunscreen and skincare. At the beginning of the summer season, I love to wear sunscreen that has a bit of a bronzer in it. I really like the spray gel kind with instant bronzer. I never have been one to easily get sunburns but for the health of my skin, I lather on the sunscreen. The smell of Coppertone sunscreen is an old familiar as is Hawaiian Tropic sunscreen and I usually keep one of those in my bag. For my face, I have a couple different ones I like. Neutrogena clear face sunscreen SPF 55 and I recently got interested in Image Skincare daily tinted moisturizer with SPF 30. It is a bit on the heavier side but I don’t have oily skin so it seems to work great for me. I love the amount of tinted coverage it gives my face and neck. I keep my bag packed with a lip balm with SPF too.
Drink up! Water in a thermal bottle so it stays cool is the only way to go. I love to squeeze some lemon, orange or lime juice into the water for a nice refreshing taste. Always hydrate well any day but especially for the days spent at the beach.
Reading time. A book or a magazine is always in my beach bag. There’s no guarantee I will read while at the beach but it‘s good to have the option. I prefer a light and easy magazine that I can aimlessly flip through and just let my brain rest. I’m all for light reading for a relaxing beach day.
Grab the beach umbrella. Time in the sun feels so good but having the umbrella to stake in the sand is perfect for when its times to take a nap out of the sun. Getting out of the sun a bit extends your beach day too. Toss your towel or blanket under the umbrella and you have a total beach camp!
A few other items I toss in my beach bag are easy snacks to eat on the sand. Some of my favorites are fruit, carrots, almonds, protein bar, pretzels or a simple peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I also keep a small travel pack of wet hand wipes and extra napkins in my bag. A small notebook and a pen in case are a must too in case I get a writing inspiration or idea while I am listening to the sound of the waves.
If you live coastal or visit lakes or beaches often during the summer, keep your bag always stocked and packed so you are ready to go at a moments notice. Summer beach days are meant to be fun and easy so a little preparation ahead of time gets your beach day off to the right start!