When I go to the beach, I always seem to get carried away and end up taking a massive bag full of stuff I probably won’t use. I’m talking speakers, battery pack, phone, headphones, sunscreen, beach towel, book, kitchen sink haha…the list goes on.
On a recent trip around Asia I decided to only take the essential items, that way I wouldn’t be worrying about belongings if I’d gone to take a dip in the sea or had a little snooze. I limited the contents of my beach bag to only 5 essential and 2 extras that are a must if you love being in the sea and exploring.
I’d leave my place wearing my swimsuit, flip-flops and a cover up or shorts and t-shirt and pack my beach bag with the following 7 items.
- Sun protection
- Sunglasses
- Beach towel
- Hat
- Drinking flask
My 2 extra items that might not be for everyone.
6. GoPro4 Camera (with a waterproof case)
7. Tribord Snorkel mask.
So, let’s go into my 5 essentials
- First off it’s a must to protect your skin from UV damage, please don’t think if you wear SPF you wont get a tan, trust me you will still get a tan it will just prevent you from burning and damaging your skin. So I’d pack my Nivea sun protection for my body. I am a big fan of Nivea sun protection as it’s not overly scented and really moisturising and not overly sticky like some sun protection. I have medium skin tone and usually go for 20-30SPF when I’m abroad in temperatures about 25degreesC. I prefer the spray rather than the lotion as I find it easier to apply. Thinking about skin two areas which normally get missed are underarms and lips. And yes I said sun protection for underarms. I wasn’t aware of this either until I discovered Nivea did a roll-on deodorant with SPF30. You have to admit it is one area that gets neglected and most people apply a SPF lotion or spray and then end up getting sweaty. Also lips, how many of us smear SPF all over our face and then forget about keeping our lips protected and hydrated. I love the Nivea lip balm as it is super moisturising as it contains vitamin E and is waterproof. As I have very sensitive skin on my face in particular I like to use Kiehls Ultra facial moisturiser SPF 30 which is the best face SPF I have used. I’ve been using it daily for over a year now and absorbs really well and doesn’t leave your skin feeling greasy or sticky, super lightweight and is perfect underneath makeup. I did however notice that whilst I was on holiday it didn’t offer enough protection from the sun especially in temperatures around 30degreesC and started to burn a little on my cheeks. Soon as I found a Kiehls I got myself the Activated sun protector sunscreen SPF 50 which is designed specifically for your face. This did unfortunately have that usual sticky feel like most other face SPF’s I have tried but thankfully didn’t cause me any irritation and provided the protection I needed. I have since heard that there is an alternative which provides the same protection but light weight and that’s the Ultra Light Daily Defense SPF 50, which I have yet to try.
- It’s often the case that people forget that eyes need protecting too and they’re actually 10 times more sensitive to UV damage than your skin. So, its important to protect your eyes from the suns rays by wearing sunglasses. Don’t think that you’re safe when its cloudy, the suns rays can still get through the clouds. I love higher end glasses as they fit much better for me, especially Ray Bans. The ones that accompanied me on my trip were the Rayban Round metal glasses. I have a small face and most sunglasses tend to be too large, Ray Bans however do two sizes in many of their styles. If you are planning to take your higher end glasses to the beach, please remember that they are likely to get scratched due to the sand, so be super careful and please don’t go into the sea with them on. A wave will come along unexpectedly and that’s it, your glasses will be washed away.
- Beach towel is a must as I don’t like to lay directly on the sand or sun beds. If you’ve ever been to the beach with sun protection on, you will know that the sand is attracted to the skin and if you lay directly on the sand you will walk away looking like a human piece of sandpaper haha. I tend to buy one on my travels as it reduces the weight in my luggage and I get a memory from my travels.
- Don’t forget to take a hat like a fedora or a hat with a rim or peak. This is great for when you’re in the sun and want to keep the sun from burning your scalp, face, neck and damaging your hair.
- Have you ever been to the beach, purchased an ice-cold can of Coke and within minutes you have sand it in and it’s already warm. With a flask you will not have that problem. It will keep your drink cold, keep the sand out and you’ll always have a drink on standby to keep you hydrated. That way when you buy a drink you don’t need to drink it all in one go and you don’t waste it. I like to buy my drink and pour it into my own flask and sip on it as when I feel like it. You always have a drink to quench your thirst and keep you cool and at the same time you’re saving pennies. The flask that I took with me on my travels was a gift and I have no idea where it is from but there are loads on the market like this that will keep hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold.
Onto my 2 extra items that I will not be going to any beach without. If you love being in the sea you will need these.
6. I love spending time in the sea and always worry about taking my iPhone in with me, knowing my luck I’ll drop it. I’ve even purchased some waterproof cases in the past but the water somehow seems to get in. Last year I got my hands on the GoPro Hero 4 and its one of the best purchases I have made and an essential piece of kit for any of my trips, especially to the beach. With the waterproof casing I am able to capture every moment in and out of the sea without any worries of scratching the lens of the camera or water damage. Now the Hero5 is out, which I have my eye on.
7. Last but not least my Tribord Snorkelling mask which is available from the Tribord website or Decathlon. Its £29.99 and worth every penny. Why did I not find out about this sooner? I have never been a fan of standard snorkelling masks and find the mouth piece quite uncomfortable to use and wear. The Tribord mask is amazing, I love it and would never go to the beach without it. The mask comes in different sizes and fits so well ensuring you get no water entering and ruining your experience and best thing is you have no mouth piece so you can talk to one another and breathe naturally. It makes the whole experience so much more comfortable and easier. The large field of vision allows you to see so much more of your surroundings. I will have a blog post dedicated to the Tribord mask.
So, there you have my essentials for the beach. You may want to think about what you normally take and if you really need it.
Thank you to Decathlon and Nivea for providing me with some amazing products.
