Self-Tanner

Self-tanner is a great way of fooling your friends into thinking you have the perfect summer tan. A lot of people tend to burn when tanning, and many also can achieve that beautiful gold tan, myself included. The sun's rays may make your skin look great, but in the long run, self-tanner can be better.

The sun can cause serious, long-term damage to your skin. Overexposure to the sun's powerful UV rays can lead to wrinkles, sun spots, and even various forms of skin cancer. By using self-tanner, you can avoid all of these harmful effects from the sun. Sure, everyone loves lying out of the beach and tanning, but self-tanner can help you achieve that golden tan without the effects of the sun.

My favorite self-tanners are Jergen's Natural Glow Mousse, the Loving Tan Mousses, and the Maui Babe Browning Lotion.

Organic Sunscreen

With summer also comes sunscreen. If you are outside in the summertime, it's likely you have some on, and if you don't, you should! Sunscreen is always important, but something I have started paying more attention to for myself is what's in those sunscreens we use so often.

Organic sunscreen is the best sunscreen you can get if you want to treat your skin and the environment well. A chemical called oxybenzone is found many popular sunscreens and you should avoid it at all costs. Not only is it causing harm to our coral reefs, but it can cause harm to your skin cells.

Organic sunscreens are a bit pricier than your typical sunscreens but fully worth the investment, not only for self-care purposes but our environment as well.

Some of my favorite organic sunscreens are the COOLA sunscreens and the Juice Beauty sunscreens

Reusable Water Bottle

Staying on the topic of how you can help the environment in your self-care adventures, my next summer essential is a reusable water bottle! It's super easy to get dehydrated in the summers, especially if you are in the sun for a long time or exercising. Water is essential for keeping us happy and healthy. It keeps your body intact and can even clear up your skin!

Reusable water bottles are not only super cute, but they're great for the environment. It helps you cut down on plastic consumption and helps remind you to stay hydrated.

My favorite reusable water bottles are Hydroflasks and Yetis.

Yoga Mat

Yoga is one of my favorite forms of self-care. Not only does it give your body a light workout but it also helps you find your center and meditate. Investing in a yoga mat is a great way to kickstart your summer self-care routine. From sunrise to sunset, yoga on the beach is one of my favorite things to do over the summer. Yoga allows you to be one with nature and your surroundings and summer is the perfect time for that!

Now you may be thinking, "yoga is a complicated skill, I could never master that!" Well, there's no need to! There are plenty of free resources for you to guide yourself through yoga. One of my favorite creators for my yoga practices is Yoga By Adrienne. Adrienne guides you through each step and encourages you to focus on finding your center. Getting into the habit of practicing yoga will make your summer even more peaceful!

My absolute favorite yoga mat is this one by Gaiam, and this is a beginner yoga starter kit!

Bluetooth Speaker 

Our final summer self-care essential is a Bluetooth speaker. Bluetooth speakers are perfect for when you're laying out at the pool with friends trying to relax. Music is a great way to escape and unwind during the summer. As a plus, if you get a waterproof speaker, you don't have to worry about it getting ruined during your fun summer festivities!

A speaker may seem like a silly way of caring for yourself, but trust me, it makes summer so much easier. You don't have to worry about dropping your AirPods (or headphones) in the sand and ruining them, causing much less anxiety when trying to listen to music wherever you may be lounging.

My favorite Bluetooth speakers (waterproof) are the JBL Charge 3 and the Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM.