Summertime Must Haves
Hello again everyone! I know it’s been a little while – I decided to give myself a little break where I need it and not hold myself to such a tight schedule of Tuesday’s & Friday’s at 12pm for blog posts, because as I saw in a quote, “you are not yourself during a pandemic”, and if you ask me, it’s so true. I also ended up getting called back to start working (from home, luckily!) last week, and let me tell you, after being off for two months, it was such an adjustment doing a full day’s work with no afternoon naps LOL. So needless to say, I’ve been so exhausted the last week.
Now, that’s enough of why I haven’t been posting as much, and let’s jump into the topic at hand – summer is coming! I don’t know about anyone else, but where I live, it suddenly got super warm this week, and even this past weekend was insanely warm (finally!). Funny enough, I actually really don’t love the summer all that much. I’m definitely someone who much prefers to be a little cold than hot because to me, there’s nothing worse than walking outside and instantly being clammy – ew. But, I have to admit, after being in quarantine for 8 weeks now, I’m craving being outside, getting some vitamin D & enjoying some backyard BBQs. Of course, with the changing weather come new collections of summer clothes, accessories & everything in between, so today I’d like to share with you the items that I’ve loved for the upcoming summer season:
A Sun-less Tanned Glow
Luna Bronze Glow Gradual Tanning Moisturizer | Luna Bronze Eclipse Tanning Mousse
If you’re anything like me, I’m one of those people that is so pale that I just do not tan. I never have successfully sat outside in the sun, with or without SPF on, and got any sort of colour other than red. I’m a thorough sun-burner, and getting that summer glow has never been achievable for me; no matter how hard I try. When I first heard about Luna Bronze, I was skeptical at first – every other self-tanner was always orange, made me look like an Oompa Loompa, you know the drill. Not to mention, with such a fair complexion, and rosier undertones, most of these self-tanners never worked with my skin, and you could absolutely tell that I had slapped part of a bottle of Jergens on my legs (no offense, Jergens, but you just ain’t it). After I received my first bottle of the Luna Bronze Glow Gradual Tanning Moisturizer in my Spring Jilly Box, I figured why not give this a try, especially now that we’re in quarantine, and no one is really going to see me, and was I blown away.
Let’s start with the fact that it’s perfect for all of my pale peeps out there. If you’re worried that you’re going to look very obviously covered in a self-tanner, I swear that absolutely will not be the case! With only one layer on, I look like I have a healthy glow and at least a bit of colour that makes me look less ghostly. If it’s not enough for you, this is a gradual tanning moisturizer, so you can build it up as you see fit! Another bonus for me is these four facts: all of the products are vegan, cruelty-free, Luna Bronze is women-owned & everything is made in Australia. The only con I would say about this product is it definitely is more on the expensive side, but not only are you supporting a women-owned business, you are also saving your skin from years of sun damage without giving up your summer glow. If you’re not pale like me, and you’re looking for more of your traditional self-tanner that you apply with a mitt, try out their Eclipse Tanning Mousse (also available in dark).
New Swimsuits for the Season
If you’ve been following me for a while, you know that I’m a big Aerie fan girl, through-and-through. For my trip to Hawaii back in February, every swimsuit I brought with me was from Aerie, and it’s pretty much exclusively where I shop for my swimwear for a few reasons:
1. They’re a body positive company: There’s a variety of sizes from XXS to XXL, and even long lengths in some of the one-piece options for those with a longer torso. Let’s not forget that they also were all about the no-more-photoshopping before it was cool to do so!
2. There’s a style for everyone: Whether you like to show it off, or cover up at the beach (or by the pool), there’s an option for everyone to feel the most comfortable, including a variety of styles in tops, bottoms & one-pieces. Many of the bottoms also have different coverage options which are clearly shown so you’re never in the dark on how much skin you’re going to show.
3. The swimsuits are affordable: Lastly, their pieces are just so dang affordable! I don’t know a single person who doesn’t like to buy at least one new swimsuit each season, and the pricing-to-quality at Aerie is hard to beat. The pieces are good quality, but also at a price point that most people can afford – not to mention, almost anytime you check out the website (or store, once they’re open again) there’s a sale that’s anywhere from 25%-50% off!
Portable Music
Alright, this one I know not everyone is going to have access to, but if you have a backyard, or balcony, I can’t recommend enough to get yourself a little outdoor speaker. Now, don’t be an asshole neighbor who blares your music (especially really graphic music LOL) for everyone to hear, but get yourself a little outdoor speaker, throw on a reading playlist on Spotify (my favourite is Reading Music (Instrumentals) by Trevor Reeves) and enjoy a good book in your outdoor space. Like I mentioned above, ever since quarantine started, I’ve been counting down the days to the nicer weather so I can get outside and do whatever I’d normally be doing inside, outside! Once gardening season really gets here, that’s pretty much what I’ll be doing until it’s safe to interact with other humans again, hahaha!
Trendy Towels for Hanging by the Pool
Whether you’re hanging out in your backyard, by the pool or even on your balcony, I can’t recommend investing in a Turkish towel enough! These towels are much nicer than your average beach towel, absorb more water, don’t hold onto beach sand nearly as much, dry quicker, and generally feel a lot nicer on your skin. Even if you don’t have a backyard or balcony, these towels also make great blankets to keep on your couch for whenever that A/C gives you a little chill. My personal favourite place to get Turkish towels is Sand Cloud since they donate 10% of the profit toward marine conservation, which is a cause close to my heart.
Stay Hydrated & Cool
I’ve definitely preached before about how much I love Yeti products. I have a few personally, and I always find myself reaching for my 20oz tumbler every morning to get my water before I start work for the day. That being said, I’m definitely going to be investing in a 36oz tumbler so I don’t have to run to refill my water bottle nearly as often (I’m someone who tries to drink between 2-3L of water daily, so the less to keep track of, the better!). Yes, Yeti products are definitely on the expensive side, but there are some cheaper alternatives out there including on Amazon & Indigo.
Never Lose Your Favourite Sunglasses Again
I can’t be the only one who is obsessed with the fact that the sunglasses chains are coming back into style, right?! I feel like the last couple of years, they’ve slowly been making their come back and I think 2020 is their year (maybe one of the only good things to come out of 2020, if you ask me). I’m absolutely someone who leaves my sunglasses laying around, and I would be lying if I said I haven’t accidentally broken some sunglasses by doing that – oops. So yeah, the sunglasses chains are stylish and trendy, but they’re also super helpful for those like me who lose or break their glasses when they leave them around, haha.
Update Your Summer Wardrobe
We’ve all been staying home for the past couple of months – we haven’t been spending nearly as much on things like gas, transportation, sports teams or if you’re anything like me, impulse shopping (LOL), so why not splurge & spoil yourself to a new summer wardrobe a little bit (if you can afford to, of course). I’m here to once again, shove my obsession with Aerie down my readers throats, but I’m truly such a huge fan of the quality, the price points & the variety of options for everybody & every body. But that being said, wherever you usually shop for your summer clothing, I have one thing to say – treat yourself!
Protect Your Skin & The Reefs
Coola SPF 30 Mineral Face Matte Tint | Sun Bum Moisturizing Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50
I cannot say this enough – I don’t care if you’re going in the ocean or not, you should absolutely be purchasing reef-safe sunscreen and use only reef-safe sunscreen! Seriously, as much as it’s good to get some sun, it’s not good to get too much sun, so please protect your skin, your health, the ocean & all of the animals by using reef-safe sunscreen!
Well, I guess taking a little break from the blog has really made me a rambler, eh?! Let’s be honest, if you read my blog, you know most of the time I write a lot, hahaha. Well, I hope you guys all enjoyed this post, treat yourself to something new this summer, and I’m so happy I’m back with this new post for everyone. Until next time! Xo.
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