Beauty & Beach Essentials
Now that sunshine and spring weather have hit NYC, I’m already planning out my summer.
I can’t wait to get away and have a relaxed, glow up vacation by the beach. But while booking the trip is easy, packing the right beauty essentials to keep you glowing from takeoff to tan lines is a whole different game!
After a few too many last-minute scrambles, I’ve finally mastered my summer vacation beauty essentials checklist.
Here’s what’s coming with me (and should come with you too)!
ADVERTISEMENT
1. SPF That Actually Feels Good
We all know SPF is non-negotiable, but finding one that doesn’t feel greasy or chalky is key.
Look for a broad-spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 30 that’s lightweight and easy to reapply. I swear by Roundlab’s sunscreen – it’s weightless, invisible, and feels like a light fluid lotion.
It has strong SPF 45 but doesn’t leave that gross glue-y ‘sunscreen’ smell.
2. A Tan Accelerator to Fast-Track Your Glow
If you’re looking to speed up that golden glow without baking in the sun all day, a tan accelerator is your best friend.
I recently discovered BYROKKO, a European beauty brand that creates tan accelerators.
Their Shine Brown Oil is packed with natural ingredients like carrot oil, walnut oil, and cocoa butter and works to keep your skin hydrated while also deepening your tan faster!
It’s lightweight, smells like tropical heaven, and works overtime when you’re out in the sun to quickly accelerate tanning process.
A must-have if you want to spend more time enjoying your vacation and less time chasing the perfect tan!
ADVERTISEMENT
3. A Hydrating Mist to Beat the Heat
After a long day at the beach, my skin is always begging for hydration.
I love a refreshing face and body mist to instantly perk up my skin and make me feel awake.
Evian’s face mist is an affordable classic. It’s super gentle, instantly cooling, and perfect for tossing in your beach tote for on-the-go spritzes.
Plus, it feels way more luxurious than just splashing water on your face when you’re melting in the sun.
4. A Do-It-All After-Sun Moisturizer
Sun, sand, and salty air can dry you out fast.
A rich after-sun moisturizer helps lock in your tan and keeps skin looking fresh, not flaky.
Sol de Janeiro’s Bum Bum Cream is one of my go-tos — it’s deeply hydrating and smells like a vacation in a jar.
Bonus: applying it daily helps extend your tan, especially if you’ve been using BYROKKO’s Shine Brown Oil to build it up!
ADVERTISEMENT
5. Minimal Makeup (that won’t melt)
Let’s be real: heavy makeup and hot beach days do not mix.
Here’s the lightweight lineup of products that I love. They’re all multi-purpose products in stick form, which make them compact and easy for travel!
- Tinted moisturizer: I like Charlotte Tilbury’s Sheer Glow Foundation Stick. It’s got sheer, hydrating coverage that feels like skin but makes you look airbrushed (even after a late night).
- Cream blush for that sun-kissed flush. I just picked up HAUS LABS’s Glassy Balm which works on both cheeks and lips for an effortless pop of color.
- Long lasting mascara to survive the ocean or pool. I like ILIA’s clean mascara in brown. It gives natural-looking, long lashes that are smudge-resistant even in the sun.
- Highlighter: I’ve gone through several bottles of Saie’s Glowy Super Gel. This multi-purpose illuminator works on your cheekbones, collarbones, and even shoulders to create that lit-from-within vacation glow.
6. Aloe Vera Gel (Your Skin’s Post-Sun BFF)
Even with SPF and shade breaks, sun exposure happens.
I love that BYROKKO’s Shine Brown kit also came with Aloe Vera Gel. It’s soothing, fast-absorbing, and packed with skin-calming aloe vera to cool down any redness or tightness after a long beach day.
Plus, it helps lock in moisture, which means your tan lasts longer and looks smoother.
When it comes to summer vacation beauty essentials, the name of the game is multitasking products that help you glow without crowding your suitcase.
Focus on protecting, enhancing, and hydrating your skin…and you’ll spend less time getting ready and more time actually living your best beach life!
Now excuse me while I go top off my tan and order another frozen mango margarita :)
ADVERTISEMENT
