Mama’s Summer Favorites

I feel like I got a collective “enough about the kids” sigh from y’all on instagram…and I know when to take a hint. 😉 Us mamas (and non-mamas) need to pamper ourselves, too. I totally get it! So, I went ahead and rounded up my 10 favorite summer products as promised… and then kept on going and shared some of my favorite summer wardrobe staples as well! Here it is- a glimpse into what’s in my beach bag…and closet!

Rainbow Tile Bracelets! Love my stack of these. Mine stack is a mix of pricier pieces and knockoffs. Roxanne Assoulin(1) has some beutiful pieces, but they tend to run on the pricier end. You can get the same “rainbow tile” look  HERE and HERE (2) for cheaper! Shashi (3) is my favorite brand for the smaller tile look! Love this set of 12 multi bead bracelets,(4) too! Lastly, here is my L-O-V-E bracelet, (5) also by Shashi! 😉

 

 

Perhaps I should start with my love for this little company called Kopari! I started buying their tub o’ coconut melt, back when that was the only product they carried! Now they have a ton of products- all 100% pure organic coconut oil based; No sulfates. No silicones. No parabens. No GMOs. No toxins- EVER. Let’s just say I want every product this company makes! But here are a few of my favs for summer, along with some others I’m LOVING:

1. Kopari Coconut Body Oil Spray – Use this in lieu of a lotion. I sprayed myself down with this after the shower every night on vacation and my skin just soaked it on up. Left the prettiest sheen on my skin! For an extra glow/shimmer, I added a layer of the Body Glow (below). And If you aren’t crazy about using oil as moisturizer, the  Kopari Coconut Body Milk  gives you the same “skin drench factor” but with a standard lotion base!
2. Kopari Coconut Deodorant Stick I can NOT tell you how much I love this little stick. I know it is a deodorant, and I used it as that every morning before hitting up the beach, but I also used it everywhere and anywhere my skin needed some extra moisture. Don’t judge- but my favorite use for this product was to glide it along my bikini line (especially after shaving) so that I didn’t get that terrible bathing suit chafe/razor burn- y’all know what I’m talking about. 😉  It worked like a charm! And as far as underarm odor protection, it worked well. Obviously not as good as your typical/stronger (ahem, chemical-filled) deodorants/antiperspirants from the drug store- but I’m fine with that. I don’t do antiperspirants anyways…but that’s a whole different blog post! 😉
3. Kopari Coconut Body Glow – This gives your skin the perfect amount of shimmer and glow, if you like that sort of thing. I applied it to my legs before dinner every night while on vacation and tapped a tiny bit on my cheekbones. The perfect summer “highlighter!”
4. SuperGoop Glo Stick – This little stick is Fan-freaking-tastic! It has the same consistency of the Kopari Deo Stick but WITH SPF! I would apply it over my sunscreen base in the morning and throughout the day anywhere I wanted a little extra (protected) glow! I also love that Supergoop uses clean ingredients and is always oxybenzone, paraben and cruelty-free.
5. Super Goop SPF Mousse – I recently was sent a sample of this mousse sunscreen and loved it so much I went back and bought the full sized bottle. It’s airy and lighter than a lotion and won’t leave your skin feeling dried out like lots of the sprays will.
6. Supergoop Acai SPF Lip Balm– I use this lip balm ALL. YEAR. LONG. I love that it keeps my lips protected (especially after I started noticing some sun spots on my lips from my earlier/carefree years!) The Acai flavor is my fav!
7. Drunk Elephant Umbra Tinte– You guys, just click the link and BUY THIS PRODUCT! My sister brought it home from a charity event swag bag for me and now we are both completely hooked. It’s a lightweight, tinted SPF and I’m obsessed. I use it every single day! Also, you won’t find silicones, chemical sunscreens, sensitizing dyes, perfumes, or fragrant essential oils of any kind in Drunk Elephant products. I use their entire skin care line…but again, that’s a different post altogether!
8. Dior Sugar Scrub– “One of these things does not look like the other…one of these things just isn’t the same!” Anyone else remember that Sesame Street song?! Ok, so this product doesn’t fit in with all of my other “synthetic free/all natural” products in this post but I unfortunately LOVE this stuff! It has grains of sugar that exfoliate your lips upon application and then melt away- leaving your lips super soft with the cutest tint of pink. I am not a big lipstick girl, so this slight pinch of color is everything for me! It’s such a great summer product!
9. Dior Show Waterproof- My all-time, hands-down, favorite mascara ever (thanks to my bestie for giving it to me for my birthday a few years back)!! Only, a waterproof version, because…summer!
10. Truffle Bags– And what does one use to tote around all of these amazing summer products, you ask? Truffle Bags! I was introduced to these through another beauty blogger and bought one to try it out…then want back and bought a few more. They are adorable, sturdy, slim, and come in all different sizes. I use them for all my travel/packing needs (Did I mention they are TSA approved?!)! They are a little pricey, so maybe start with one and see how much you love them. I’m fully hooked! Here are my favorite sizes for travel:

• Jetset Case: best for bottles, tech supplies, makeup brushes, jewelry, or anything with more depth to it- like your travel camera! ;)|
•  Large Clarity Pouch: I use this one for my shampoos, toiletries, and sunscreen
• Small Flat Clarity Pouch: Think of it like a purse organizer- lipstick, mascara, loose change, etc. It also fits travel sized products.
•  Large Clutch: perfect for concerts/games when only clear bags are permitted! But it obviously can be used as a organizer as well. I love putting my kindle & charger in this one!

1. Floppy Straw Hat | Cheaper Version (in the past, my nice ones always get crushed in my luggage or wet in the water & ruined so I always buy cheapies!)
2. Fun “Word Play” Wide Brim Hat Just bought this cute cheapie from Old Navy for our Nevis trip. Love the frayed edges!
3. Straw Panama Hat I love a smaller brimmed hat for when my suit or coverup is a little more tailored/funky or to wear with non-beachy outfits when out exploring.
4. Plain Baseball Cap (perfect for boat days- less likely to blow away!)

God, I just HATE swimsuit shopping! Luckily, I found a few brands that work on my body so I tend to just stick to them. Marysia is definitely my favorite swimsuit brand.  I just think her pieces are timeless and beautiful…but they are super pricey so I get a new one maybe every year or two and fill in with lots of other fun/cheaper brands. This year I got the green one shoulder Marysia I linked below (#2). It’s so gorgeous and totally worth the splurge; I’ll wear it forever! I’ve linked a bunch of my other favorites below as well. Spoiler Alert…I’m a “full-coverage” kinda girl and I like to keep my suits pretty simple and classic so if that’s not for you, keep on scrolling!

1. Marysia Black Scalloped Halter | Cheaper Versions: one | two
2. Marysia Green One Shoulder | Cheaper Version: one | two | three
3. SummerSalt One Shoulder | Cheaper Version: one
4. Trina Turk Ruffle Shoulder (if most sizes are sold out, try HERE)|Cheaper Options:  one  |  two | three | four
5. J. McLaughlin Navy Halter
6. Candy Strand Tankinis (I love the long flutter tops and the cinch bottoms! Check back often bc its a small shop & the cute colors always sell out!)

1 |2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12

Ok, I’m a complete cover-up hoarder and am ashamed to say that I just bought a bunch of these for our upcoming Greece trip! Also, I love using kimonos as cover-ups and I’m obsessed with how light and airy 6 & 7 are!

I always pack three bag sizes when going on a trip: a large (for carrying our entire family’s stuff to and from the beach), medium (for day time activities) and small (for evening). I carry the large size on the plane and then only need to pack two smaller bags in my luggage!  I LOVE me a neutral-ish beach bag, but also love a fun/colorful clutch as well. Nothing like a crisp white summer dress paired with some heels and a festive clutch for a summer night out!!

• 1 I brought this one to Nevis and it held up through the entire trip of carrying everything but the kitchen sink! Plus the poms are removable.
• 2 A smaller version of #1, again- poms are removable!
• 3 Totally in love with this one! Round bags are so in right now.
• 4 I got a similar one when we were in St. Barth’s and can’t wait to use it!
• 5 Ok, I LOVE that Target has put its own spin on this “IT bag” from last year. So cute…and cheap!
• 6 Ok, this one is a total splurge…but look how cute it is!
• 7 A Tory Tote, for the more sophisticated beach traveler…but, ummmm it’s 50% OFF you guys! Gah! I want it!!
• 8 How cute is this little pineapple!
• 9 I love the little poms!
• 10 Got this for Greece!
• 11 I use this one ALL.THE.TIME!
• 12 We’ve been collecting these Apolis bags from our favorite vacation destinations for a while now- love using them as beach bags and they’re so durable!

NEW FOR 2019:

• 13 Absolutely in love with this beaded clutch! It’d be so cute for date night!
• 14 Ok, I can’t lie….I bought this over the winter one day when I was daydreaming about summer. I Can. Not. Wait. to use it!
• 14 This is going straight into my cart!
• 15 Bought this giant yellow one and got to use it for the first time during spring break and let me just say- it is fabulous! Giant, light weight and kid…I mean, waterproof!
• 16  A great straw tote option!
• 17 I for sure thought this bag was going to be a one hit wonder, but here it is, back for another season. I love mine so much. My sister bought it for my birthday a few years back and it’s one of my spring/summer favs!
• 18 This Macrame tote is so gorgeous…and on major FINAL sale!! Someone quick, tell me I don’t need it!!!!!
• 19 Ok this woven bag is EVERYTHING! The absolute perfect bag for the beach/pool!

That’s it for now! Happy Summer!