My Summer Essentials

We’re officially in the thick of summer! It was still pretty springy here through most of June, but summer really kicked in at the end of June. Since we still have a lot more summer to go, I thought that I would share my summer essentials today. These are beauty products, clothes, and accessories that I use all the time during the summer, and they’re things that I think you should be using, too.

Disclosure: I received some of these products in exchange for an honest review. This post also contains affiliate links, meaning that if you click the link and buy something, I’ll receive a small profit. All views are mine, as always. Thank you for supporting Kate the (Almost) Great!

Beauty

Moisturizer with SPF – Just because it’s warm out and you’re sweating doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t use moisturizer! This is especially true if you have naturally oily skin because not using moisturizer can actually make your skin more oily. And you want to make sure that you have SPF because a) skin cancer doesn’t sound fun b) not using it can create wrinkles and age spots. It’s best to use a moisturizer with broad-spectrum protection, as that protects you from UVA rays (aging rays) and UBV rays (burning rays) (x). If you need a moisturizer with SPF, some great options are Neutrogena Healthy Defense Daily Moisturizer, Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer, Yes to Grapefruit Even Skin Tone Moisturizer, and Clinique Pep-Start Hydro Rush Moisturizer.

Waterproof Mascara – One of the most annoying things to happen in the summer is when your makeup melts (or feels like it melts) in the heat. And it’s even more annoying if your mascara gets all smudgy because you’re sweating. Maybe this has happened to you, maybe it hasn’t. It happened to me more than once when I lived in Nashville and the days were generally 90-100 degrees. As you know from my post on drugstore vs. high-end mascara, in my opinion, the best mascaras out there are the Maybelline Lash Sensational and Too Face Better than Sex, so you should definitely check out the waterproof versions of each of them.

Lip Stain or Tinted Lip Treatment – I always end up wearing less and lighter makeup in the summer, and that definitely applies to what I wear on my lips. I still wear lipstick, but I really prefer to go lighter. Some that I really like are the Revlon Matte Lip Balm, e.l.f. Lip Stain, and the Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment, which I love so much that I’ve had it in 4 different colors over the years.

Clothes

Printed Shorts – There are two things that are important to me about summer fashion: fun and comfort. I like to be able to move about comfortably (which is where the shorts come into play), but I also like to wear fun things. To me this means printed shorts. Some great ones are these Old Navy Mid-Rise Printed Linen-Blend Shorts, Zac & Rachel Women’s Anchor Print Shorts, Lilly Pulitzer 5″ Ocean View Boardshort, and LOFT Lemonade Riviera Shorts.

Simple Tops – I’m all about classic fashion, but that’s even more true in the summer when I wear printed shorts. When one part of your outfit is very busy, it’s generally good to keep the rest of it more neutral so your overall outfit isn’t too overwhelming. I’m especially a sucker for the Madewell V-Neck Tees – I own them 5 different colors – but a much cheaper version is the Merona Vintage V Tee at Target.

Fun Sandals – Who wants their feet to overheat in the summer? I’m a big lover of Jack Rogers sandals because, like a lot of the things I wear, they’re simple but fun and go with a lot of different outfits. But there are a lot of great sandals out there! I also really like this Steve Madden Becky Studded Toe-Loop Sandal, Steve Madden Becky Studded Toe-Loop Sandal, and the Geox Sozy Sandal.

Accessories

Cross-body Bag – The last thing you want in the heat is to lug a giant bag of your things around with you. Now I’ll admit that I still do this when I’m headed out to a day of appointments, especially since I need my planner and a book to read with me, but if I don’t need to bring my things, I want a small bag to minimize effort, which also helps reduce causes for sweating. This means that a cross-body bag is perfect for summer.

Bandana – I’m really loving that bandanas are in this summer, and I like to wear mine as a headband. They’re like the summer version of scarves! You can get one at an Army-Navy Surplus store or pick one up at Madewell, Target, LOFT, etc.

Sunglasses – This is probably a given. Wearing sunglasses is great so you don’t squint in the bright light and so you can see outside; I hopefully don’t need to convince you that sunglasses are great. Plus, they’re just fun! Like I said before, I’m generally more into classic fashion and style, so I got these wayfarer shades from GlassesShop.com instead of a more trendy pair.

Also, by the way, they’re prescription! I actually can’t wear contacts any more because of inflammation issues around my eyes, so I did lots of squinting in the sun until I got these. If you’re looking for new eyeglasses or sunglasses, I strongly suggest checking out GlassesShop.Com. I’ve gotten eyeglasses online from them before and have nothing but good things to say about them. I really enjoy my new prescription sunglasses that they sent me, and they have lots of other great styles. Get your own glasses – prescription eyeglasses, sunglasses, prescription sunglasses, etc. – for 50% off with the code GSHOT50.

What are your summer essentials?

Like this post? Check out:

My Modern Preppy Style, Spring to Summer Fashion, 5 Tips for Summer Decoration, 20 Great Summer Recipes