I cannot wait to feel the sand in my toes, and more importantly, not to have to put on five layers when I walk outside. We are headed to the beach soon, and I thought I’d write down a few essentials that we take with us when we head for the sunshine.

-Sunscreen. Matt and I burn immediately. It appears that our girls are destined for that same future. Because we all have fair skin, we need to have a colossal amount of sunscreen. I tried the Beauty Counter sunscreen last summer and was SOLD. It doesn’t have that greasy feel like most sunscreens have; it has great coverage, and bonus, no icky ingredients. I feel good about lathering my kiddos in it.   

-Shoes. In my effort to pack light, I take a comfortable, yet fashionable, pair of sandals, along with a pair for the pool or beach. I’ve been loving jelly shoes lately, and the Tory Burch shoes are great for being poolside. They’re also very slim, meaning they don’t take up a lot of room in your suitcase. For Ainsley we have a regular pair of sandals, and some water shoes for the beach. She would wear her “blue shoes” all day every day if she could.

-Bathing suits. Our suitcases are basically filled with dresses and bathing suits. I know it’s an obvious thing to pack, but I had to share these suits for the girls. Besides the fact that they are so stinkin’ cute, I love that it’s a long sleeve one piece! Less sunscreen to put on yet they’re still protected, and I don’t have to worry about looking for both pieces. You can shop these cute suits HERE. [This is not sponsored, I just really love them]!

-Make up. I’ve always tried to eliminate unnecessary items when packing, and while I still over pack in some areas…makeup is a place I can cut things out.  I’ve read a lot about the multi-purpose make up sticks. I bought the Elf brand cheeks, lips and eyes stick. I like that I can use a little on my cheeks and lips and I’m good to go. Another product I’m using is the Beauty Counter Dew skin. Again, I’m happy to use a product that doesn’t have the bad chemicals in it. Another bonus, it has SPF in it 🙂

-Packing cubes. Although we are able to bring three free checked bags, plus a carry on for each of us, I definitely don’t want to bring that much luggage! We try to stick with 2 checked bags and backpack for Matt and me. That being said, packing cubes have become my best friends. Just trust me on this one!

-Water bottle. Since we’re constantly hydrating in the hot sun, I like to pack a water bottle. Saves a little bit to not have to buy a ton of plastic water bottles.

-Bed box. I will be bringing THIS product with us for as long as the girls fit in it. I’ve mentioned this in my last post, but it’s worth mentioning again because it’s that wonderful. Even though our flight is not nearly as long as going to Europe, it’s still a great thing to have for Ains to relax it. Plus, it has plenty of space to pack things in so it is her carry on.

I would love to hear what things you have to bring with you to your beach vacation! Comment below so others can benefit from your advice too 🙂