Beach Beauty Bag: 11 Essentials to Pack so You Always Look Amazing Outdoors
If you’re heading to the beach, you’ve probably picked out the perfect bathing suit, sunglasses, and summer shirt dresses.
But what about your beach beauty bag?
After the success of our summer vacation packing list essentials post, we wanted a more specific post for what to carry with you to the beach.
While full glam makeup might not be ideal for swimming in the ocean, you will still want to have some beauty essentials to get that effortless beach glow. Here is everything you need in your beauty bag to look amazing on your beach vacation.
If you’re looking for a makeup pouch to organize your beauty products inside your beach beauty bag, these Cotton & Canva Aloha cosmetic bags have really cute designs and are really affordable.
Check our summer storefront if you’re looking for summer outfit ideas.
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Table of Contents
Beach Beauty Bag Products for a Sun-Kissed Glow (+ 24h Protection)
With all that fun from laying under the sun all day wearing your new swimsuits, comes the potential for damaged skin and hair if we’re not careful throughout the day.
This post will go over a list of the essential best beauty products for you to carry inside your beach pouch next time you go on vacation.
1. BB Cream With SPF
Hopefully, the weather is balmy and sunny during your beachside vacation — what else could you possibly ask for?
However, your regular makeup routine may not be conducive to those hot, sticky days.
Some women are happy to cut out 20 to 30 minutes of their daily makeup routine for a week, opting for bare, sun-kissed skin. Others feel more comfortable using a cream or tinted moisturizer to enhance their complexion and hide blemishes.
Regardless of what type of woman you consider yourself, a BB cream with SPF is always a good idea to have on hand. BB creams give your skin light coverage without the cakey feeling that builds up when you sweat.
Even better, BB creams with SPF are easy to find at the store. While it may be just a small amount of SPF, it’ll add more sun protection.
2. Makeup Remover Pads
Your skin accumulates plenty of dirt and grime after a long day swimming in the ocean. Thankfully, makeup remover pads are ideal for giving your skin a refreshing wipe-down to remove the built-up gunk.
Makeup pads (or makeup wipes) are a must-have in your beach beauty bag no matter where you travel during summer vacation. They clean up messes, take off makeup, and offer a quick body refresh.
Not properly removing makeup and sunscreen clog your pores, traps contaminants, and leads to chronic inflammation that speeds up aging appearances and pigmentation.
3. Nail Polish Remover Wipes
We’ve all been there.
Sun, sand, and water can be harsh on our beautiful summer manicures and we can more often than not be caught with chipped manicures.
I don’t about you but I hate it and it kills me when this happens. To solve this issue, I always bring with me inside my beach beauty bag nail polish remover wipes. Equally important, a small nail file doesn’t add much weight, but can also be a real-life-saver whenever we travel.
4. Cleanser
Imagine embarking on your dream seaside vacation only to find yourself fighting a nasty breakout or dry and flaky skin?
Hotel soaps smell divine, but they may not be the most compatible with your skin care needs.
You’ll need to pack the right cleansers to ensure that ultimate summer glow. Face wipes are fine to start your skin care regimen, but cleansers will penetrate your pores and remove excess dirt.
Various facial cleansers are available for your skin type, but products that contain retinol, vitamin C, salicylic acid, and exfoliants are usually best. For example, retinol has anti-aging and acne-blocking properties that remove dead skin cells and promote healthier regeneration.
5. Tinted sunscreen (sun protection + skin coverage)
The most important product to pack in your summer beach beauty bag is sunscreen, regardless if it’s tinted or not. A long history of research has associated various skin cancers with ultraviolet (UV) rays.
For the best protection, use sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher (I’d say preferably SPF 50 and water-resistant during the hot months — you can never be too careful, right?).
Be sure to reapply your face sunscreen regularly if you’re out in the sun all day. Not only will it protect your skin against sunburn, but it will help prevent wrinkles and premature aging.
If you want to ensure you look good while remaining protected from UV damage, a tinted SPF is a great beach friend. I myself suffer a bit from melasma (regardless of how many hyperpigmentation beauty products I try), but I’m not one of those girls who enjoy having a lot of makeup at the beach.
So I enjoy using a tinted sunscreen like this one from Cerave is great to create an even skin tone and hide any nasty pimples or acne scars (it works like a mix of a foundation with sunscreens, and its lightweight formula is perfect to hide texture). Alternatively, this one is a best seller on Amazon, with over 25k reviews.
6. Hair Cream
By now, it’s a given that sunscreen is always a must to protect your skin from UV damage, but what about your hair?
Exposure to the sun is one of the most frequent causes of hair damage and can lead to discoloration, dryness, and brittleness (oh my). This UV hair protection spray is formulated to protect your hair and control frizz and prevent split ends.
Also, beach hair tends to get frail and dry, so it’s always a good idea to have a beach hair cream to comb your hair while maintaining it hydrated at all times. Trust us, your dry hair will thank you later.
So in case you’re aiming for beautiful and healthy beachy waves hair, be sure to protect your strands.
7. Dry Shampoo or Hair Mist
Some hair types naturally produce beautiful mermaid waves after soaking in salt water all day. Heat and sweat may take a toll on other women’s strands.
You’ll miss out on all the fun if you spend your vacation days rewashing your hair at the hotel every few hours. That’s why it’s a good idea to pack a bottle of dry shampoo inside your beach beauty bag.
Dry shampoo helps soak up oil while restoring volume and freshly washed texture to your hair. It also helps neutralize any odors you may be eager to hide.
Spraying a bit of dry shampoo throughout your hair can help you save some time on your beauty routine, especially if you’re making a quick turnaround from the beach to dinner reservations.
This ocean-scented hair mist spray is easy to reapply when you’re lounging on the beach or poolside and it won’t leave hair looking oily or feeling weighed down.
8. Face Moisturizer
During summer, you lose a lot of water from your body, which leads to dehydration, and this includes your face).
Many women wrongly believe they shouldn’t wear face moisturizer during summer because their skin would get oily, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, when your skin is super oily during the summer months it means it’s already dehydrated.
So yes, maintaining your face moisturized, even when it’s super hot, is extremely important because it will help counter-balance your skin’s oil production.
So inside your beach beauty bag be sure to add a handy Face moisturizer (your superhero of beauty products, which will ensure to nourish your skin and create a barrier against the sun rays and hot climate).
Facial moisturizers come in creams, serums, or oils. If y0u’ll be sending all day outdoors or at the beach, you can also purchase moisturisers that target specific parts of the face (I spread a heavier one on top of my melasma spots).
Coconut oil is ultra-hydrating and contains antibacterial properties, such as lauric acid if you choose to use a natural oil to enhance your skin after a day at the beach.
In case you still think that using face lotion at the beach is heavy for your skin, ensure your skin is hydrated by adding to your beach beauty bag a tiny mineral face mist. These are PERFECT to refresh and a lightweight way to keep sensitive and greasy skins hydrated at all times.
9. Lip Balm
Don’t forget to protect those luscious lips, either. Purchase a lip lotion with enhanced UV protection to keep your pucker hydrated and prevent sunburn. It’s the best resource for hydrating my chapped lips pre-, during, and post-beach
A tined lip balm will also add some color to your lips, which will ensure to give you an extra natural glow, even when you’re not exactly wearing makeup. Tinted lip lotion can also be used on your cheeks, lips, and eyelids, which brings me to my next point.
10. Liquid Blush
This is a little cheat trick I like to use to pretend that I have a tan on my face.
if you’re scratching your head, I don’t ever tan my face. I’m so freaked out of UV spots and of making my melasma worse, that I usually use very strong sunscreen and big sun hats every time I’m at the beach.
So, when my body starts getting a nice bronze and my face remains pale, I take out my liquid blush from my beach beauty bag and spread it on the apple of my cheeks for an instant sun-kissed glow. The best part is, that I can also use the same liquid blush on my eyelids as an added beauty trick.
Liquid blush is super versatile and easy to apply, being perfect for the beach (no need for brushes or beauty sponges). Simply tap your finger into the product and blend it into the skin.
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11. Mini Deodorant
Summer can be unpredictable and you never know where you’ll be going after the beach. Even if you stay all day long outdoors soaking under the sun, you might still go for a quick happy hour before going home.
This means you can never be too safe. Bring in your breach bag a mini deodorant in case you’re got off-guarded with the summer duo, happy hours + heat waves.
Video Resource: Beach Beauty Bag Packing, by MakeupByTiffanyD
Vacation Ready: Your Summer Beauty Prep Checklist
If your trip is around the corner, it’s time to get vacation-ready! Check out this complete beauty prep checklist before heading off to your destination. You don’t want to miss this fantastic advice.
Before Departing
Before heading off to your destination, it’s essential to prepare for the fun ahead. And you can start with beauty and skin-care treatments to look your best on vacation.
You can shave, exfoliate, and moisturize your body to ensure hydrated and smooth skin. You can also receive a spray tan to arrive with a “vacation glow.”
In addition, it’s best to get a manicure and pedicure before leaving. And for lasting results, you should get dip powder nails!
One of the benefits of dip powder nails is that they last longer than gel manicures. You can enjoy your vacation without fear of chipping your polish!
When You Arrive at the Destination
Traveling can do a number on your skin and body. From long commute times to carrying heavy luggage, arrival time is beauty-revamp time! And one beauty tip for traveling is to take your facial cleanser and wash your face.
While traveling, you expose your skin to numerous environmental elements and germs. Therefore, it’s best to remove dirt and oil before it settles into your skin, causing acne breakouts.
Along with cleansing, apply your favorite lotion or moisturizer to lock in hydration. And if you’re vacationing in a sunny or tropical location, don’t forget to wear sunscreen. It will protect you from the harmful effects of UV rays.
During the Vacation
Of course, being vacation-ready is great for the destination arrival, but you should still be mindful of your body during the trip. And a beauty prep checklist isn’t complete without things you should do during your stay.
- Drink plenty of water to hydrate your body (and avoid heat exhaustion).
- Avoid wearing a lot of makeup because it can clog your pores.
- Keep oil blotting sheets on hand to remove sweat and excess oil from your face.
- Don’t forget to reapply sunscreen every two hours to avoid sunburns.
Packing the Essentials for Your Beach Vacation
We hope you’ve enjoyed this article with our favorite essentials so you look fresh and gorgeous even when the weather is HOT.
Remember to pack the essentials in your summer beauty bag if you want to shine and feel amazing be it if you’re lounging by the pool all day, or swimming in the ocean.
Consider leaving your normal hair and makeup routine at home. A summer getaway is meant for simple beauty upkeep, relaxation, and carefree sunny days.
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Other summer resources you’ll love:
- 35+ Cute + Comfy Airport Outfit Ideas PERFECT for Summer & Spring Travel
- 11 Best Keto Smoothie Recipes Perfect for Summer Weight Loss
- 12 Best summer hair care tips for frizz-free, healthy hair all summer long
