BEACH BAG ESSENTIALS | FOURTH OF JULY

Happy Fourth of July loves!  I hope you all are enjoying a relaxing day off of work, celebrating America, and spending time with the ones you love most.  This Fourth of July, I am spending time with my family on our annual beach vacation.  I wanted to take time from my vacation to share with you all of my essentials for my beach bag.  Many people travel to the beach over the summer and I think it is important to make sure my beach bag is packed with enough goodies for a long day on the beach.

Packing for the beach is always taxing, but I make sure I have these following items:

Beach Bag: Any oversized bag will work, but I am a fan of waterproof bags with at least one side pocket for important things like a phone, money, sunglasses, etc.  I am currently using a beach bag from Lilly Pulitzer that I got a few years ago and still love!

Coverup: I think a coverup is an essential item for my beach bag because I am not one to walk around our neighborhood at the beach with just my bikini on.  I think coverups are flattering, fun, and give you an excuse to buy something cute!  They are also really nice to wear on a walk down the beach.

Hats: Hats are ESSENTIAL for me because my nose and cheeks burn so easily.  I am a fan of the big floppy hats because they really cover my face and keep the sun away!  They are also very trendy!  Ball caps are also my favorite type of hat!  I love the Vineyard Vines hats because they are simple and have multiple color choices.  I love to match my hats with my bathing suits for a nice beach outfit!

Sunglasses: I cannot live without my Ray-Bans.  They literally travel with me everywhere.  Sunglasses are so important, especially at the beach because they protect your eyes!!  I could not imagine a beach trip without my sunglasses!  If you want to find affordable sunglasses, always check out Target and/or Old Navy because they always have a great, trendy selection.

Flip-Flops: These are important because the pavement and sand are HOT during the afternoon!  Flip-Flops are something I do not spend too much money on because I only wear them at the pool and beach.  My favorite flip-flops to buy are the Old Navy flip-flops!  I have had my black pair for years and they are still in good condition!  I would recommend their flip-flops if you are looking for a pair that is affordable.

Books: Reading is one of my favorite pastimes while on vacation.  I am currently reading An Abundance of Katherines by John Green and I HIGHLY recommend this book!  Summertime is the perfect time to read all of the books you did not have time to read during the year!

Phone and Headphones: While reading is fun, sometimes you need a break to completely relax.  I always make a Spotify playlist for the beach and make sure to always have headphones for the times I want to listen to music.  I also sometimes like to text my boyfriend and keep him updated on my vacation with texts, pictures, and snapchats!

Insulated Cup: Having an insulated cup is perfect for the beach because your drinks stay chilled.  They are also extremely cute!  I got my cup as a gift for being counselor of the week at the camp I work at during the summers.

Sunscreen/Tanning Spray: I have to use sunscreen because I am so pale that I will burn without it.  I love the Neutrogena face sunscreen because it is not oily and does not break me out on my face.  You can get this at your local drug store!  I also have become a fan of the Coppertone Tanning Spray.  I think it works great as both a tanning spray and a sun protectant.  I would highly recommend both of these products.

Face Powder and Brush: I always keep a translucent powder and brush in my beach bag to touch up any CC cream that may have smeared or to rid of any sweat that may be on my face.

Chapstick with SPF: My lips are always chapped because I am always dehydrated.  Chapstick is something that I always have in my bag.  For the beach, I like to make sure I have a chapstick that has SPF in it so that my lips do not burn.  I love Eos and one of their chapsticks has SPF 15 in it.  I think this is a beach bag essential because burnt lips are horrible.

Mascara: For those of you who love mascara, it is always a good idea to have some in your beach bag for a quick touch up!  I personally do not like waterproof mascara because I think it is difficult to remove, so I just keep regular mascara in my bag in case I decide to wear some that day on the beach.   My favorite drug store mascara is the Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara.

Urban Decay Setting Spray: The All-Nighter setting spray from Urban Decay is a life saver.  Thank goodness for this product.  This spray has saved my makeup from humid Florida and I highly recommend this spray!  This product is perfect for any setting but works really well for making your makeup sweat proof!  It is a must in my beach bag.

Sea Salt Spray: I love beach hair!  I love sea salt spray!  Have you ever thought of mixing the two together???  Using sea salt spray on top of beach hair is the perfect combination of curl.  I love spraying my hair with the Redken Sea Salt Spray after swimming in the ocean.  My hair always looks and smells great!

Comb, Hair Scrunchies, and Bobby Pins: You just need these.

Towel: Beach towel shopping is one of my favorite things to do.  There are always so many cute patterns and colors to choose from.  This summer, I decided to choose a burnt orange towel and I love it!

What's in your beach bag?

xo,

Hannah Adams