Here are my essentials | View Online

It's almost June, which means we're finally on the official cusp of summer. (That being said, I'm in the camp that dubs Memorial Day weekend as the unofficial official start of summer, so yes! Thank God! Hooray! We've made it!) Temperatures are rising, the sun is shining, and my apartment complex's gorgeously glittering pool is certifiably open and beckoning. Which means, dear friends, it is high time to curate the contents of the ultimate beauty director–approved beach bag. From shimmering sunscreen to French hair oil, I've got you covered this season.

Image Credits: Getty Images/Inna Dodor 

First, let's start with the accessories—the most important being your actual beach bag. Now, I know there is high personal preference when it comes to beach-bag material. There's straw, terry, clear, canvas, or, my personal favorite, mesh. Miu Miu's Ivy Sequin Mesh Bag in the shade Anise, a stunning aquamarine, is the dreamiest I've come across. Second, I never go anywhere without a claw clip, and if you looked in my closet, you'd find one (or two) clamped onto a strap of every single one of my bags. For summer, I'm in the mood for cheeky, and RPZL's rhinestone martini olive design fits the bill perfectly.

For sun protection, it doesn't get more classic than Vacation's retro-inspired whipped formula, and this time of year, I opt for the Glow version, which imparts a touch of natural-looking shimmer to the skin. I personally prefer a lower SPF for body sunscreen (sue me) because I like a touch of natural color this time of year. (That said, I still rely on my self-tanning routine to do most of the heavy lifting on that front.) For face, our resident associate beauty editor Alyssa Brascia recently got the entire team hooked on Isdin's Fusion Water Magic SPF 40 formula (read her review here), which not only looks flawless on the skin but doubles as a superbly grippy primer for makeup. On behalf of the entire WWW beauty team, it's worth every single penny!

A good book (Sara Hildreth has the best recs if you're a lit nerd like me), sunglasses, sunscreen, and a couple hair accessories are the most important inhabitants of my summer beach bag, but an SPF-spiked lip treatment like Good Weather Skin's Lip Gloss with SPF 30 and a multipurpose dry oil for hair and body are additional essentials. For the latter, you can't beat the best-selling French brand Nuxe. Its cult-loved Huile Prodigieuse formula now comes in a beach bag–friendly roll-on design, which makes it perfect for impromptu slickbacks or rehydrating salty, chlorine-dried skin.

ALLYSON PAYER

Senior Fashion Editor

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