Hello, heat wave! When I started gathering materials for this post, I had no idea it was going to be so swelteringly hot here in NYC.
Whether you're packing for a beach day or just going about your business, these picks make surviving the heat a little easier.
I'm not normally an advocate of buying cheap, disposable items, but sunglasses and I just don't seem to get along. I lose them, I break them, I leave them at work when I need them on the weekends and vice versa - so buying crazy expensive ones just doesn't make sense for me. Target always has current styles on the cheap, like these tortoise shell cateye stunners.
There are a lot of wonderful natural (mineral-based, not chemical-based) sunscreens out there, but MyChelle's SunShield in Coconut is the first I've tried that's met all of my criteria. First of all, it's genuinely completely clear. I know that shouldn't be my primary concern, but if I can avoid that whitish cast, I'd certainly like to! Secondly, it has a low score on EWG's Skin Deep database, and with all the sunscreen hoopla lately, I'm confident in my decision to avoid oxybenzone & retinyl palmitate (plus artificial fragrance, etc. etc.). Finally - and I know it's silly - it totally smells all Coppertone-y and Hawaiian Tropic-y, which I had missed in summers past and is really rare for natural sunscreens.
Badger is another of my favorite natural companies, and lately I've been swearing by their Antioxidant Face Oil. Contrary to popular belief, putting an oil-based serum on your skin will not make it oily - and this one's very lightweight. I also like the concentration of antioxidants, which can help fight sun damage. For keeping mosquitoes at bay, reach for this natural & super effective Anti-Bug Spray. Wouldn't you rather smell citrusy & minty than like DEET?
A quick swipe of lipstick may be all the makeup you can stand when it's hot and sticky, and Ilia's Neon Angel does the trick (plus is made with largely organic ingredients).
I feel like I'm on a neverending hunt for the perfect water bottle; first there was Nalgene, then there was Sigg, then Klean Kanteen - but I've found them all hard to clean/keep clean. Plus, they're not all easily disposable or recyclable, and there have been concerns about what leaches into water after long term use. I like that this Lifefactory bottle is made of sturdy glass, plus the 16oz size isn't a burden to carry around. They also have a smaller 9 oz size.
Food-wise, I actually do keep a Lara bar or two on me almost all the time for snacking. Recently, I've also been giving them as an alternative if I'm asked for assistance by someone in need. What I love about these is that the ingredients are insanely simple & very light - many are simply dates, a type of nut, and extra virgin olive or coconut oil. I realized that most of the so-called 'healthy' granola bars I'd been eating are all loaded with sugar or other sweeteners and include some kind of soy product (I try to avoid genetically modified ingredients & non-organic soy is a big one). Not only are these delightfullly simple & natural, but they're also plain delicious.
Baggu's zip leather or nylon ripstop pouches are perfect for keeping the contents of your bag neat & organized; they also make it easy to transfer items from bag to bag (I'm constantly forgetting something). They're also great if you want to skip the giant shoulder bag and just carry around an ID, keys, and cash.
My hair is crazy long, wildly curly, and can easily turn into a frizz-bomb in the summer time. It's also just HOT having hair all over the place; even when I put it up, there's always some trying to escape from the confines of an elastic. These bobby pins by Jane Tran come in both fun summery colors and sophisticated metallics.
And there you have it - that's what you'll find in my summer bag much of the time!
What about you? Have any summer survival essentials?
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