Beach Essentials

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Being at the beach is one of the best feelings in the world. When the breeze tickles my sticky, hot, sand-dusted skin, I’m age ten again, running up and down Bournemouth beach filling buckets with sea water, as if it were the most important mission on earth. Of course, at that age, there’s no pressure (even when you’re saving the planet from an extreme flooding disaster), but regardless of how old you are, beach days are carefree – and that’s how the magic of summer days on the beach begins.

Being based in Scotland, such days spent on the beach are cherished. After as busy few days at VAMFF and getting to know Melbourne, followed by an eight hour sight-seeing round-trip (more on this later), Mr Daydreamer and I needed to chill so we headed to Edithvale beach (around 30 minutes from the city). I must admit, we’ve been to better beaches (the best kind are the secret ones, the ones that are empty but for the gulls and the bugs and you), but Edithvale was quaint and quiet, and just what we needed. We ate our hoppers, went for a swim and let our skin soak up the vitamin D that it had been missing since September – my goodness, did it feel good! It’s easy to forget how amazing a hot day spent on the beach can be – salty hair, tan lines and freckles, the scent of lotion on sun-kissed skin – and, having been reminded so early in the year, I’m already planning another break as soon as possible.

Meantime, I thought I’d share my holiday beauty essentials with you, in the hope that you, too, are looking forward to a beach holiday soon.

SPF

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First and foremost, is SPF. My favourite has to be Clinique, and I use the body cream as well as the face cream and targeted protection stick pictured here. For body, I start with the SPF30 body cream by Clinique, and lower it as the days go by (it’s a shame Clinique doesn’t do lower than a 30, but I understand why not). I actually use the SPF face cream every day instead of a regular moisturiser because I want to protect my skin as much as possible, from the sun and pollution too. (I use the super defense SPF20 eye cream as well, along with a primer, before applying make up.) On holiday, I apply SPF all over my face and body before I get dressed, and if I’m at the beach I top up again mid morning, lunchtime and mid afternoon (escaping for lunch when it gets too hot). Even if I’m not at the beach on holiday I carry Clinique’s targeted protection stick with me in my handbag for reapplying to my face, lips, ears and scalp.

WATER

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I drink two litres of water every day, and on holiday I spend a fortune on bottled water to stay hydrated. I actually get really irritable if I don’t have a good water supply; I get lethargic and notice that my skin is dull if I don’t drink at least 1.5 litres a day. On holiday (and on flights), I need it more than ever and would recommend to everyone to drink plenty of water.

HAIR OIL

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My hair is naturally very curly, and so it’s also very dry. Some might say frizzy, I prefer to be optimistic and say it’s textured… anyway, I couldn’t live without Moroccanoil Treatment Light (my hair is also pretty fine, so the regular Moroccanoil is a bit heavy for my hair). It tames frizz (wait – texture), and nourishes the hair – and even speeds up drying time! At the beach, I slather it all over my hair and tie it in a low bun with my Invisibobble, using the oil as an all-day mask. I wash it out when I get back to our hotel/apartment so that it stays as healthy as possible in the heat.

FACE MIST

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When it gets really hot (the temperature in Melbourne reached 40 degrees, though at the beach it was around 26) I keep a mist spray with me. This one by a brand I don’t know, Eau Thermale Avene, was in the goody bags at the shows so I thought I’d give it a try on the beach and the plane, and I loved it. The light spray mist was super refreshing, and actually boosted my complexion. The aerosol spray is easy to use and the product fairly compact and light for carrying around. Usually, I’m okay with a spray bottle filled with water purely for re-hydration, but this one has extra qualities which make it especially good for sunburn, travel, after sport or exercise, after shaving, and even nappy rash! It’s definitely worth checking out.

imageFrom L-R: Eau Thermale Avene, Clinique Face Cream SPF30 and High Protection SPF35, Moroccanoil Light. All products are linked directly throughout the post.

imageA little glamour goes a long way on the beach. Take a good pair of sunglasses to avoid screwing up your face in the bright sunlight when reading your favourite glossy magazine – these beauties are the Olivia by TRIWA at M Boutique – while a glint of gold jewellery looks beautiful gleaming under a high sun, the blue sky and sparkling ocean the perfect backdrop.

imageI’m Wearing: oversize shirt dress, M&S; gold bracelets, Topshop; Issari bracelet, Mara Jewellery.

 

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3 Comments

  1. Janette Miller 29th March 2016 / 09:13

    Lovely writing and makes me want to go to a warm sunny beach right now.
    Products all sound very good & necessary and easily packed into a beach bag.

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