Summer Essentials 2015

_{Some items have been gifted}

Now that we are well into the swing of June I can confidently say that summer is here. While the weather may not always be perfect, the season is undoubtedly the most anticipated of the year. It’s when most of us take a well-earned holiday, many of us finish our exams and lots of us head to the coast for that first ice-cream of the year. It’s a three-month period of non-stop barbeques, (almost) guaranteed sunshine and day trips. So today I thought the time was right to share with you my summer essentials; a list of things you’ll be sure to need this summer and everything I use to enjoy the sun safely.

With most Summer activities taking place outdoors, there are a couple of absolute essential products that you’ll need to stay safe in the heat. Firstly, and most sensibly for someone as pale as me, is sunscreen. Honestly, any SPF is better than no SPF, as it will protect you from sunburn, but for me it’s a case of ‘the higher the better’! I actually use factor 50 on my face and SPF 30 all over (and that’s almost all year round!) but whatever the number that suits your skin, it’s absolutely essential!

Avon do a great range of suncare products for both adults and children, and the prices are really great so I usually stock up there at the start of the season (along with body shimmer and summery scent too). Did you know that sun products have an expiry date, just like make up? There will usually be a number on the back of the product inside a small pot icon – often 12 months for sun cream – and this indicates how long the sunscreen will last after opening. Beyond the 12 months the SPF is not guaranteed to be effective, so it’s essential to buy new products at the start of the season to ensure they are protecting you as they should. Covering up during hot weather is also key to staying safe in the sun, so wear lightweight layers and – my favourite accessory – a wide-brimmed hat to keep the sun off your head and skin. This summer I chose a navy Pia Rossini crushable sun hat as it is designed to be crushed down into a bag and will pop right back into shape when you want to wear it – ideal for trips to the seaside or for packing in your suitcase. I keep it in the car at all times so that I have it with me for any occasion when I’m going to be outside in the sun. Haircare is also important in the summer. With hot temperatures, humidity and sea-salt, hair can become dry and damaged on holiday, or even after just spending a summer in the garden at home. I therefore like to use a reconstructor product, such as the Bed Head Dumb Blonde conditioner to rejuvenate my hair after a stint in the sun. Chlorine from swimming pools can damage hair and cause discolouration so it’s a good idea to use a conditioning range such as the Catwalk hair shampoo and leave-in conditioner from Tigi as soon as you step out of the pool. Speaking of swimming, my ultimate summer essential is the perfect swimsuit, and I will pay anything to get the right piece of swim wear for summer. Bright colours, florals and tropical prints are always fashionable so if you invest in a quality piece of structured swimwear now, you’ll be able to wear it for years to come. My ultimate swimsuit for summer is this floral Miraclesuit from UKSwimwear. I love the rose pattern, bright summery colours and the fact that it’s designed to make you look 10lbs lighter is an added bonus. Rather than pulling you in and pushing you up into an uncomfortable shape, the Miraclesuit is a really wearable piece of swimwear; the fabric has 3 times more spandex then a regular swim suit fabric so it shapes and firms your body without squashing for an all-day comfortable wear.

While I was browsing the UKSwimwear website I also picked up a Glumann Bilous tropical tankini in the sale for me and a pair of Speedo swimming shorts for my husband. You know you’re in safe hands with such a famous name so I was confident that my hubby would like the shorts and I didn’t even check with him before placing the order. Thankfully, I was right, and he loves them. The subtle pattern and the 18 inch longer-length design make the shorts suitable for regular wear as well as in the pool, so they are ideal for a trip to the seaside.

A couple more beauty items have made it onto my summer essentials list, including these nail polishes from Orly. Summer is the time to experiment with brighter colours of polish so I picked up this summery set online. I have already worn the sunny yellow shade for a wedding and have fallen in love with the bubblegum pink colour. I think that the bright blue will look great on my toes as I stroll down the promenade in my flip-flops and will coordinate well with my new swimwear too. These Carmex lip treatments are the product I never leave home without. It basically replaces my usual lipstick all summer long and I pop it on at every opportunity to condition and protect my lips with SPF 15. If you’ve ever had stinging sunburnt lips you’ll understand why I do! Both types of balm and gloss add a great shimmer to my lips while still looking natural and, most importantly, keeping them protected from the weather. Finally, a trip to the seaside with your friends wouldn’t be complete without a cute mini bottle of wine or two, would it?! When my husband and I took a trip to the seaside last weekend we stashed a couple of bottles and some plastic glasses in my new polka dot mini beach bag to enjoy while sitting on the pebbly beach.

These cute mini bottles are just the right amount for two people, containing two small glasses in each bottle so we enjoyed just one bottle of I ♥ Wine Merlot that evening (by the way, it’s one of the tastiest merlots I’ve ever had!) as we watching the waves come rolling in. Perfect.

You’ve heard my list of summer essentials, so now I want to hear yours! What’s the one beauty product or fashion item you couldn’t live without during the summer? Please leave me a comment below or tweet me @Cassiefairy with your favourites.

Some items in this blog post have been gifted to me and the pink links indicate a gifted product, affiliate link or information source. All thoughts and opinions in this post are based on my own experience and I am not responsible for your experience 🙂