By Genevieve LeFranc

With unbearable temperatures and stifling humidity, looking glam on the go isn’t always easy. Looking fly in Summer is especially difficult when we take our much-needed getaways and can’t rely on drawers full of products. That’s why smart beauty girls know the key to always looking your best is being prepared with a cleverly stocked arsenal. This month First Blush offers a handy guide to the essential beach bag must haves with this cheat sheet of everything you need to feel beautiful and have fun in the sun on vacation.

Silicone wallet

These adorable candy-colored silicone wallets by Wucci Wide are an absolute must have for any beach bag. Not only are they affordable and durable, they are water resistant. Both fun and functional, use it to store everything from your hotel key and credit cards to your Chapstick and sunscreen. They even have a cute kiss lock closure so it can double as your poolside clutch!

Sunforgettable Mineral Sunscreen Brush

Easily the coolest new innovation in sunscreen, Sunforgettable SPF 30 is perfect for those of us who hate the greasy, just-waiting-for-a-breakout feel of slathering on lotion formula sunscreen. This self-dispensing brush provides your sun protection in a sheer, lightweight, water-resistant mineral powder with a barely-there feel that’s easy to apply and reapply throughout the day. The best part? Choose from six shades to also achieve light foundation coverage to even out your complexion, and enjoy the skin-firming benefits of red seaweed extract. Gone are the days of fumbling with your sunglasses and magazine while leaving greasy fingerprints everywhere.

Beach towel

A trip to the beach just isn’t complete without the cutest, brightest beach towel you can find. Instead of grabbing just any old dingy towel in your bathroom, why not consider a unique beach towel full of colorful personality? Plus, you can mark your spot in the sand and you’ll never get lost after one too many coronas again. Check out some of your go-to sites to find a great towel that suits your style. Try Anthropologie’s dreamy batik watercolor towels–currently on sale! Another great option is L.L. Bean’s bright, generously sized towel–they dry quickly and don’t fade!

Wipes

Not a lot of people think to include wipes in their beach tote, but I am a firm believer that they are the ultimate life saver. After a long, sweaty day of applying and reapplying greasy sunscreen and trying to rinse off every last remnant of sand, beat the heat with some refreshing and handy wet wipes. But who wants to use plain old baby wipes? If you enjoy the little things in life, you’ll love Blue Q’s adorable, hilarious, and refreshing citrus wet wipes. With quirky, inspiring sayings like “You’re not Obsessive, You’re Compulsively Awesome,” these are as cute to look at as they are convenient.

Beach Sounds Portable Speaker

A day at the beach just isn’t complete without the right musical soundtrack. With screeching seagulls and boisterous children surrounding you, sometimes you need some good vibrations to get you in a relaxed mood. Beach Sounds Portable Speakers allow you to rock out at the beach or poolside without worrying about sandy grit or water destroying your electronics. I love the bright, sunny colors and retro look, and the fact that it plays MP3s, smartphones, and the radio! Rock on.

Cooling Spray

Sometimes a dip in the water just isn’t enough to stave off the brutal summer temperatures, and saltwater and chlorine can prove harmful and drying on your skin. I like to stash a cooling spray like Evian’s Mineral Water Spray in my beach bag to spritz myself between dips. This delightfully cool cleansing mist rehydrates dry, sun-scorched skin, removes sticky perspiration, relieves a painful sunburn, and even revives your makeup!

Leave-in conditioner

Everyone loves achieving that sexy, voluminous beach hair look, but drying salt water and damaging sunshine can leave your strands looking dull, damaged, and dry. After a day of playing in the waves your mane can become an unmanageable, tangled mess. To keep your locks hydrated, healthy, and nourished, I make sure to use a leave-in conditioner prior to my fun in the sun. I love Sachajuan’s weightless and oil-free leave-in conditioner. The silky formula not only provides excellent body and super shine, but it keeps your hair and scalp healthy and hydrated. It even doubles as a styling primer! Take a shower in the morning or thoroughly dampen hair and comb in the product from root to tip. Fasten your hair into a cute side braid or sleek chignon, and let the searing rays of the sun act as a heat treatment. The product will seep into the hair shaft, and when you’ve had enough sun and you’re ready for happy hour, you’ll be looking smooth and sexy, not frizzy and fried.

Bikini Bump

If you’re anything like me, routinely maintaining your bikini line is probably the thing you hate the most about the summer season. Not only can it be irritating or downright painful, but you always end up with unsightly redness and ingrown hairs. It can make you more self conscious than the skimpiest bikini, so save yourself some grief by investing in a product to prevent and eliminate ingrown hairs. My go-to is Completely Bare’s Bikini Bump Blaster. These handy pads contain both glycolic and salicylic acids that clear away the dead skin cells which clog pores and hair follicles, as well as blocking bacteria buildup. Nude beach, anyone?