My Top 10 Beach Bag Essentials

Can you believe we’re already halfway through summer? It seems like yesterday I was wrapping myself up in blankets trying to get warm. Now I’m tossing blankets on the floor and stripping down to my skivvies trying not to roast. Normally I’d be spending my summer on the beach but the weather isn’t cooperating this year.

Between weeks of rain and a seemingly neverending heatwave, I’ve had a lot of time to plan out the perfect beach day. For me and pretty much everyone else, the perfect beach day starts with a perfectly packed beach bag. I thought this would be a great place to share what goes in my beach bag, starting with the bag itself. 

This post contains affiliate links and recommendations for products I received for editorial purposes. This in no way affects my opinions as I only recommend products I stand behind 110%.

My Favorite Beach Bag

I have a few beach bags in my collection and they each have their purpose. Right now my go-to beach bag is the Pink Flamingos Beach Bag from Luxury Divas. It’s the perfect size for everything I need to make a day at the beach perfect. Before I get into what I put in it I want to point out how super cute it is on the outside. It has metallic rose flamingos and pineapples all over the white canvas bag.

The 2 rope straps really add to the beach feel of the Pink Flamingos Beach Bag. I love that the rope is soft and not scratchy twine like rope that some other beach bags have. It really makes carrying this bag comfortable as well as stylish. 

The bag has a zippered lining so if the outside gets wet, the stuff you have inside won’t. That’s a great feature if you’re like me and take books or magazines to the beach. Inside the beach bag is also a nice sized pocket that’s perfect for keeping things like sunscreen, hair ties, and anything else you may need to grab quickly. What’s really great is that you can snag this bag right now for just $25 from the Luxury Divas website! Go check that out and then come back to see my beach must-haves. 

My Favorite Sun Care Products

On my first beach trip this year I forgot the most important thing one can pack for the beach: sunscreen. By the time I realized my shoulders were turning pink it was too late; I had already spent 3 hours in the sun both in and out of the water.

When I got home the blisters had already started to form. Those tiny, almost microscopic fluid-filled sacs are a painful reminder that I forgot to apply the SPF. It was over a week of restless nights and gallons of aloe before my sunburn started to go away. Then it was another week of waiting for my skin to stop peeling. 

The worst thing about the experience wasn’t so much the pain of the sunburn, but knowing how easily it could have been avoided. A lot of people think that using sunscreen will prevent tanning, but that’s just not true. It protects against the harmful side effects of UV exposure like sunburn, skin cancer, and even premature aging. So, take it from me, you need to pack sunscreen before you leave for the beach! Don’t just put it on at home and think you’re covered. Never leave home without sunscreen!! 

Suntribe offers a great selection of sun care products. Not only are their sunscreens healthy for you, but they’re also healthy for the environment as well. Their sunscreens are scientifically validated to be 100% safe for marine life. It’s too easy to ignore the damage we do daily by using commercial products with no regard for sustainability or anything outside of the profit margin. Suntribe is making a conscious effort to reduce the mess we make of the oceans of our planet.

My beach bag is always stocked with the 4 ingredient tinted face zinc, body & face sunscreen, and aftersun body butter. This way I know I’m fully protected from anything the sun can throw at me and the aftersun body butter is the perfect way to end a full day of fun in the sun. I love these zinc sunscreens because

a.) they’re perfect sun protection

b.) they’re safe for any body of water (even the highly sensitive ones) and

c.) they have that white tint that you never see anymore. It’s a bit of nostalgia that takes me back to my earliest summers at the beach. Of course, you can rub it in so the white isn’t noticeable, but I still know it’s there <3.

The aftersun body butter has a wonderfully soothing scent, all of the Suntribe products smell great though. The body butter leaves my skin feeling soft and untouched so I’m not dealing with any discomfort and can finally fully enjoy my summers at the beach!

Go check out Suntribe and all of their planet-friendly products. 

You’re also going to want a good pair of sunglasses to protect your eyes from the sun. Look for glasses that block 100 percent UV. 

My Favorite Way to Stay Organized

Am I the only one who can’t relax unless I know everything’s taken care of and on track? If I get something stuck in my head, like, when a due date or appointment is, I won’t be able to relax until I know. That’s why I love My Infinite Agenda. I keep it with me at all times, especially when I’m out and about. Some people rely on their phones and tablets to keep track of things, I’m old school in that I like the traditional pen and paper method. Plus, if I get an idea I can easily jot it down in any of the many blank spaces available in the planner. 

Check out the different styles of My Infinite Agenda available. 

My Favorite Ways to Satisfy Cravings on the Beach

Snacks are a must-have for any beach day but you need foods that aren’t going to melt or spoil in the heat. Luckily, 2 of my favorite munchables are fruit snacks and chips, both of which travel well and stay edible in the heat. 

Welch’s offers a ton of different flavors and types of fruit snacks so I like to keep a variety around and in my beach bag. My personal favorites are the Island Fruits fruit snacks. They’re individually wrapped in perfect portion packages. The Welch’s Fruit Rolls are always fun, but not so much when your hands are covered with sand or they’re too soft to unwrap; but they are perfect for the ride home!

Be sure to stock up on Welch’s delicious fruit snacks when you’re at the grocery store!

As far as chips go, I have a new favorite. I’ve always preferred chips that had brown spots. Maybe I’m weird but I’m obviously not alone because Dieffenbach sells Uglies Kettle Cooked Chips, which are made from reject potatoes. That means the majority of these chips have brown spots! It doesn’t detract from or do anything at all to change the quality or taste of the chip, it just makes them, well, ugly. At least according to traditional chip beauty standards. 

I love Uglies kettle cooked chips though, and they’re perfect for filling sandwich baggies with and taking to the beach! They’re also a great way to reduce waste and combat hunger, which is yet another reason to love the brand. Uglies chips come in 4 flavors, with my current favorite being Jalapeno! Head over to the Uglies website to see all the flavors and order online. 

My Favorite Way to Look Fab at the Beach

Makeup isn’t something you immediately think of when you go to the beach; at least I don’t. I’m always worried that it’ll melt off while I’m in the water and I won’t even realize it. I’ve seriously had nightmares about this! That’s why I never put makeup on to go to the beach. BUT, sometimes you just need to add a little color to your face. Whether you’re trying to draw the attention of the cutie playing volleyball or to get the perfect beach selfie, having some travel-friendly makeup could really come in handy. 

The Pocket Palette is made for just that. Rather than lugging along your whole makeup bag you can just toss a couple of these travel-friendly palettes in your beach bag. It’s a single-use full-face travel makeup kit. It has mascara, lip and cheek tint, and bb cream. 

The Pocket Palette comes in packs of 3 or 10 and you can choose between 4 skin tone options, from light to dark. It’s perfect for quick touch-ups or a full-face application wherever and whenever. Never stress over a barefaced selfie again!

Grab your Pocket Palette from Amazon or The Pocket Palette website. 

My Favorite Way to Lounge on the Sand

As much as I love spending time in the water, I enjoy lounging on the beach just as much. I’ve learned the hard way that sand will find its way into every nook and cranny your body has so laying right on the beach is out of the question. I prefer to lay on an oversized beach towel. My favorite beach towel is huge and plush so there’s plenty of room and it’s incredibly comfortable to lay on. 

My Favorite Way to Hydrate

There’s nothing like cold water on a hot day but when you’re not interested in lugging a cooler onto the beach you have to find other ways to keep cold water on hand. I love The Coldest Water Bottle for this reason. I fill it with ice and water before we leave for the beach and it stays cold the entire time we’re there! 

Grab a couple of The Coldest Water Bottles from Amazon before your next beach trip!

 

These are my top 10 beach bag essentials, how do they compare to yours? What products do you consider must-haves for a day at the beach?