15 Wonderful Beach Essentials Every Girl Needs This Summer ...

A great beach bag is one of the best beach essentials a girl can have. Your bag should be large enough to store most of all the remaining items on this list and include lots of pockets, which will keep smaller things stored away so you don’t have to dig to the bottom of the bag to find them. I also like colorful bags, and preferably something to match my swimsuit!

Obviously, a girl should have a great suit when she heads out for the sand and sun. Get a suit that fits well, expresses your personality and that isn’t 10 years old! If your suit is faded, doesn’t fit well and is something someone else picked out for you, you’re missing out on a key beach essential. A great suit won’t come off easily, and will make you feel more confident, along with expressing some personal flair.

I always like to bring a huge, extremely soft towel to the beach with me. Keeping a large towel, versus an average sized one, is great because if you find yourself without a beach chair for any unknown reason, you’ll be set! My beach chair broke once in the middle of the week, but I was fine because I had a huge towel to lie on instead. I love soft towels too, which can be great if you happen to get sunburned!

Be sure to throw some oil-free SPF in your bag when you pack! SPF doesn’t just prevent in skin cancer, but also wrinkles, sunburn and dry skin. I absolutely adore the Ultra Sheer sunblock by Neutrogena, which contains helioplex techonology to block harmful rays and enhance the skin. It even contains zinc oxides, which help fight breakouts from sweat during your sun sessions.

Even when we wear SPF, we can still get sunburned sometimes. Aloe vera gel takes care of the burn and nourishes the skin. It is very cooling and also smells great too. You can find this inexpensive gel wherever sunblocks are sold.

While you’re looking cute in your swimsuit, be sure you have a great pair of shades to match! Keep a pair that is comfortable, covers your whole eyes, and won’t fall off too easily. They don’t have to be pricey either! Don’t wear your designer shades on the beach. They could get lost, ruined or even stolen. Some of my favorite beach shades are those $5 ones you get at the dollar store.

I always like to pack a few of the latest magazines I love, as well as a good book. You never know if you’ll be in the mood to flip through a quick read or dive into a lengthy novel. Reading is great to pass the time while you get a great tan, or to just relax and indulge in some good literature.

Hydration is so important while you’re out on the beach. Be sure to pack water-rich fruits to snack on, which will keep you satisfied and prevent cravings for salty and sugary snacks that can ruin your energy, dehydrate you and bloat you up. Pass on the chips and taffy and snack on juicy fruits like grapes, cantaloupe, watermelon, pineapple, berries, and papaya instead. All of these fruits are also excellent for preventing harmful sun rays and help to enhance your skin and digestion.

Whenever I am getting ready to head out on the beach, I make sure I pack raw celery, red bell peppers and carrots to snack while I’m on the beach too. A girl who loves to eat like I do will love snacking on these satisfying veggies guilt-free. Pair them with some protein-rich tuna or chicken salad made with Greek yogurt instead of mayo and you’ve got yourself one powerful beach-ready lunch that keeps you energized, full and satisfied for hours.

I love coconut oil for just about anything, but it is actually great to carry on the beach with you for many reasons. First, coconut oil will melt above 76 degrees, so most likely it will be liquid if you’re out in the sun, which helps it go on easier than when it is solid. Keep a small container in your bag and use it to coat your hair with to prevent dryness, and also rub it on your body to nourish your skin instead of chemical-filled lotions. Coconut oil has even been said to reduce the appearance of cellulite, but I’ll let you be the judge of that. I love it best because it makes me smell like a tropical treat!

I always carry a huge thermos of ice water and fill it with frozen cubes of fruit. This flavors the water and keeps it cooler at the same time. You can also fill your water bottle the same way. This tasty beverage keeps you hydrated and tastes great, so try it instead of sugary fruit juices. I like mixes of strawberries, limes and lemons, but use whichever ones you like!

No girl wants chapped lips on the beach! Keep an all natural salve or lip balm with you at all times while you’re out in the sun. I like Burt’s Bees wax lip balm, which stays on a long time and smells great. It even comes in pretty tinted shades and also makes your lips super soft and is all natural.

Please, please, please don’t tote your cell phone out on the sand without some quality protection, ladies! Between the sand, salt water and sun rays, your cell phone is just asking for damage unless you have a great cell phone case. I love protective cell phone bags that are sealed and made of water-resistant material. If you can’t get your hands on one, then put your phone in a tightly sealed Ziploc baggie, which will do the trick just fine!

You never know when you’ll feel like a long beach walk, or perhaps be forced to walk longer than expected to get to the beach and back from your hotel or beach house. Keep a good pair of shoes, other than your cute little flip flops, which might be adorable, but might give you not-so-adorable blisters from excessive walking. Carry an extra pair of comfy sandals with you so you’re fully prepared.

If you’ve got medium to long hair, be sure to carry a hairband with you so you can pull your hair up from your face if you get hot, or if it gets in your way. If you’ve got short hair, consider carrying a headband or scarf to keep hair off your face too. Keeping hair off of your face while you sweat is also a great preventative method against sweat-induced breakouts. Nobody wants a breakout while they’re at the beach, right? I actually keep two or three in my bag at all times to ensure I’m set to go.

Have you already taken a beach trip this year? I haven’t gotten to go just yet, but you can be sure all of these beach essentials will be in my bag when I do! What are your beach essentials that you simply can’t live without?