Be a Beauty at the Beach

Whether you’re on the east coast, west coast or somewhere in the middle, summer’s the time to hit the beach. And, while it’s a proven fact that girls just want to have fun, a blissful beach trip can go easily awry without the right supplies to save you from common summer snafus. Not to worry dolls, we’ve packed everything we know about summer beauty and health into our Perfect Beach Totes so that you look gorgeous on the go this season.

For starters, you need a bag to put all your goods in. And, not just any ‘ol bag will do. Our favorites come from Ariat International, Beau Soleil and JP Lizzy.

The Equestrian professionals at Ariat International are well known around the track and country club for their high-quality gear. From footwear to apparel to handbags, Ariat is a sophisticated retailer for outdoor-friendly living and, now, they’ve got the beach covered with their casual tote collection. The Ariat Sport Tote and the Mini Carry-All are worthy beach accessories. The strong, bright colored canvas withstands the elements and its spacious design, complete with both outside, easy-access pockets and interior zippered pockets to store valuables, is the perfect way to hit the beach with all your goodies in tow. Find retailers at ariat.com.

If earthy-chic is more your style, bask in the beautiful sun with Beau Soleil’s trendy Beau America tote at your side. Bearing the brand's mantra, “Reduce, Recycle, Renew,” this renewable sack, made of recycled and eco-friendly materials, can comfortably fit all your beach must-takes and double as a grocery sack, overnight bag or even a purse. This versatile, sturdy bag is made of cotton canvas that’ll only look trendier with age. Plus, it’s available for a doable $46 on shopbop.com and is manufactured under fair trade regulations.

Last, but certainly not least, the JP Lizzy collection of Leisure Totes offer bold patterns paired with chic colors to create a funky but functional summer bag. Large enough to house your beach essentials and then some, this insulated bag is great for all beach goodies, including those favorite beach snacks. The temperature-insulated interior zip pocket within can keep sunscreen, makeup and snacks from melting, ensuring a flawless trip for you and yours. This freestanding tote prevents infiltrating sand and is available at jplizzy.com for $72.

Now that we’ve got your bag, the real question is… what to put in it? Keep in mind; it’s likely you’ll have to wander a bit, lugging your precious cargo, to the perfect sunning spot. So, pack light but don’t come under-prepared.

Cover it Up

Nothing could be more embarrassing than suffering a “wardrobe malfunction” while strutting through a busy beach. So, whether you are busty or bootylicious, sun safely with a stunning swimsuit by Aerin Rose Swimwear. Aerin Rose designs are not only sure to grab attention with their bold patterns and chic styles, they also offer full coverage without sacrificing forward-thinking fashion. Offering wired and wireless options in a multitude of prints and solids, these pieces are sure to flatter and contain, no matter your body type. We love the Slide Halter style in the Bora Bora print. This halter can be adjusted to allow for more or less cleavage to your style and the intuitive design can accommodate up to a DD cup without underwire. Also, choose from multiple styles in the bottom. We love the adjustable String Tie-Side bottom. These pieces are available at aerinrose.com starting at $55.

Screen your Skin

Now that you’re covered in the style department, it’s undeniable that a nice day at the beach can quickly turn sour if you neglect the skin you’re in. Thus, tote product numero uno is, and will likely always be, a reliable sunscreen. Dermatologists suggest applying sunscreen before leaving the house to minimize damage as it takes effect and reapply every two hours to be safe. Tried, tested and true; Coppertone churns out some of the most reliable, inexpensive and readily available sunscreen products on the market. Plus, their new Continuous Spray varieties make application fast and simple and don’t require rubbing in ($7-10 at drugstores nationwide). You’re guaranteed residue-free, long-lasting coverage that’s waterproof.

Come Prepared

It’s best to be ready for it all when spending a whole day in the sun, so be prepared for any scrapes, cuts and bruises that might accompany a beach trip (especially if you are escorting some small bronzing babes to the beach or stepping out in new strappy sandals). Bearing bandages is a must. Take a few along from Nexcare, whose new formulas stick strong, even through sweat and heat. We love the Clear and Waterproof version; these bandages stick tight and are barely noticeable on every skin tone ($4.50 at drugstores nationwide).

Go Sans Sand

While a reminder of the beach is always welcome, most would prefer it in the form of a fun photo rather than embedded sand in your car, your bag and lining the bottom of your shoes.  A little-known trick can keep pesky, stick-to-your-skin sand from following you home. Loosen sticking sand with a simple shake of Johnson’s Baby Powder. This powder is not just for baby anymore, with a simple application of powder, sand will readily roll off even the stickiest of skin, and you can leave sand at the beach where it belongs. And, that’s not where the benefits stop from this product that we all have hiding in our medicine cabinets; use it to freshen shoes, sop up stains, or keep you soft, dry and smelling fresh after hours in the sun. Plus, with their new scents, you can leave the beach smelling of crisp Cooling Cucumber Melon or soothing Lavender Chamomile ($5 at Walgreen’s nationwide).

Stay Healthy

Bacteria breeds in warm conditions, so do your self a favor and get proactive by popping two AZO Daily Cranberry tablets with a generous helping of water to prevent UTIs and summer colds. Daily Cranberry is packed with antioxidants, probiotics and Vitamin C to ward off bacteria and boost your immune system. You’ll inevitably be losing moisture while out in the sun as well, to be sure to pack plenty of water, too.

Now that you are armed with all you’ll need to stay sunburn-free and fresh and clean, there’s still a little room in that bag of yours for looking your best at the beach. Take some hints to avoid stifling your style…

Bad, beach hair

Your skin needs the protection of sunscreen but don’t discriminate against your hair, which needs just as much protection. Our favorite product to seal in moisture (without being greasy) and protect it from the sun’s harmful rays comes in the form of Ouidad’s Sun Shield. This leave-in spray is suitable from beach to tennis court to the pool and creates a barrier between your luscious locks and the stifling sun. Plus, its fresh, simple scent won’t interfere with your scent of choice. With a simple spritz before you leave the house (and reapplication during your outside activities and after swimming), rest assured your hair is protected and even strengthened even after a full day of sun exposure. This super protector is available at Ouidad.com for $20.

Excess oil is the enemy

After a sweaty or windy day at the beach, hair can often look a little less than camera ready. The power of powder reaches a new height in Shampowder by Buttercream Cosmetics. Freshening your locks just got easier thanks to this portable stick of tinted powder, complete with an easy-application brush to absorb excess oil and restore lost volume to your hair. And, this product is not only for the beach. While many stylists counsel forgoing shampoo every other day during your shower to keep oil production at a healthy rate and prevent overdrying, few ladies can resist the temptation to cleanse hair that easily goes greasy. Shampowder is a suitable alternative, creating a matte and manageable mane while abiding by your stylists suggestions. This super stick is available for $16 at buttercreamcosmetics.com.

Bronze up, but don’t peel out

Keeping a good balance of moisture in your skin is key after a long day of sun and fun. Restore the moisture you’ve lost during the day with a strong body moisturizer. Indulge in intense moisture with epoch by NU SKIN’s Baobab Body Butter, paying special attention to those areas that tend to dry out fast like elbows, knees and feet. Let the shea butter and intensely moisturizing fruit of the African baobab tree smooth your skin and prevent peeling from over-exposure.

It’s OK to fake ‘em out

Tan lines are welcome, until you try and don your favorite strapless dress post-beach. Touch up or enhance your tan with the natural moisturizing Sircuit Soleil self-tanner from Sircuit Skin ($48 at sircuitskin.com). This natural tanner is enhanced with a natural mineral tint, so you can see exactly where the gradual color will appear, and is great for camouflaging pesky tan lines or giving your natural tan a bit of an enhancement. Plus, since it lacks the chemical components of other tanning agents, it bears a sweet natural scent. And, if you are avoiding rays at all cost and happen to leave the beach the same color you were when you stepped onto it, adding a healthy tint without submitting to damaging UVA and UVB rays never hurt anyone.

Polish it On

Now, we wouldn’t normally recommend bringing a bottle of nail polish to the beach; something about that just seems accident-worthy. But, with the new Nicole by OPI Nic’s Sticks we recommend bringing polish just about everywhere. These handy little polish pens distribute polish through a brush tip to provide an easy application, anywhere. When you’re done, just screw the cap into place and you’re guaranteed no spots or spills in your beach bag. We love the Date Night red and Are We There Yet  and Expression of Love pink hues. They are available at Target, nationwide.

Add your beach towel of choice, a pair of flip flops, sunglasses and perhaps a bit of reading material, and you are good to go; ready for the sun from head to toe and showing a little style along the way. 

Win it all!

Since we dished all our sunning secrets, spill your best beach beauty secrets and tips (so long as you don’t mind them being published) and you could win one of four fabulous totes chock-full of all the goodies mentioned above.

Four lucky ladies will win a bag and goodies and six runners-up will receive a selection of the products mentioned above.

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