10 Summer Hair And Beauty Essentials For Your Beach Bag

For bobby pins, I stick with Goody because I can get several for a really good price and they don't easily slip out of my hair.

2. Hair conditioner

You might be wondering why would I need a hair conditioner. Because it helps protect my hair. Saltwater isn’t good for our hair and your hair absorbs less of it when your strands are saturated with something else. Like hair conditioner.

Additionally, the hair conditioner helps to keep my hair hydrated so it’s less likely to dry out from the sun and wind.

I typically apply the conditioner before I hit the beach and will take a small bottle with me in case I feel like I need to use it a little bit later.

I typically apply the conditioner before I hit the beach and will take a small bottle with me in case I feel like I need to use it a little bit later.

3. Large hat

Wearing a hat helps to shield my relaxed hair, face, and eyes from the sun and blowing sand. By keeping my hair, face, and eyes protected from the sun I'm reducing, even eliminating damage from the sun.

4. Sunscreen

I wasn’t big on sunscreen when I was a teenager. It always felt heavy and sticky on my skin. Sunscreen today comes in many formulas and tends to absorb into the skin better than before.


When I go to the beach I like to use a sport sunscreen spray. Using a spray-on sunscreen like the Neutrogena Beach Defense Spray helps me to more evenly apply the sunscreen and apply it to those harder-to-reach places. It also keeps my hands smelling like sunscreen all day.

5. Face lotion with sunscreen

Many times when it comes to sunscreen we tend to forget that our face needs it as well. I don’t like to use the same sunscreen on my face that I do on my body because it causes my face to break out.

So I use a facial moisturizer that includes sunscreen like the Neutrogena Hydro Boost SPF 50 Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizer. Not only does this help to keep my face protected from the sun, but it also keeps my face moisturized because my skin tends to dry out from the mixture of saltwater, wind, and the sun.

6. Body lotion

Like my face, the rest of my skin dries out when I spend a lot of time outdoors and it’s exposed to the sun, salt water, and wind. So I like to have lotion on hand to moisturize my skin throughout the day.

Additionally, the lotion can take away that ashy look you can get when your skin dries out which is handy if you're not going straight home from the beach. 

I don't have a favorite body lotion. I just use the cheapest but moisturizing body lotion I can find in the store.

7. Hand sanitizer and wipes

I pretty much don't go anywhere without a travel-size bottle of hand sanitizer. And I make a point to pack some extra hand sanitizer and also hand wipes when spending time at the beach.

There are plenty of times I’ve been to a public beach and there wasn’t any soap or running water in the bathroom. So I had to use hand sanitizer or hand wipes instead. They also come in handy if I’m too lazy to get up and wash my hands before eating a snack. 

8. Face wipes

Sometimes after spending a day at the beach you’re not gonna head straight home. I know that after spending some time outside and sweating a bit I feel and look a hot mess. Having some face wipes like the Simple Kind to Skin Cleansing Facial Wipes in my beach bag allows me to clean and refresh my face and reapply my facial moisturizer.

9. Waterproof mascara

On days when I wear little to no makeup, I still make sure to put on some mascara. One thing I learned is to make sure the mascara is waterproof, like the L’oreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara, so it doesn’t run when I sweat or go in the water.

10. Deodorant

Last but not least I make sure to always pack some deodorant like this Shower Fresh Antiperspirant from Suave to help me stay fresh throughout the day and if I head out to dinner or the store afterward.