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7 beauty essentials for a sun-soaked summer vibe

Let the preparations begin

By Briar Clark

BEAUTYcrew Beauty Editor / November 29 2021

When one thinks of summer essentials, our minds are immediately catapulted into fantasies of scantily-clad warm-weather wardrobes, coupled with excessive amounts of lip gloss and shimmering body bronzer à la Rihanna on vacation (#neverforget).

We’ve already prepared ourselves for the influx of party invitations by getting the lowdown on all the party season makeup and party season hair looks, and we’ve even considered glitter extensions thanks to the fairy hair trend.

But what about the beauty products one just can’t live without in the summer months?

We’ve done the hard yards and sussed out all of your SPF and hydration needs (plus a very necessary pedi hack) to ensure you have the best damn summer of your lives. Don’t worry, we got you sis.

Here are seven summer essentials to make the most of the season ahead.

Face Sunscreen: Sonny & Felix Nude-E SPF 50+

Finding a reliable face sunscreen is tricky business. The search for something that imitates the texture of a favourite moisturiser without enhancing any natural oils and turning your face into a slip n slide is no easy task. Well, allow us to introduce you to this SPF 50+ offering, which is basically undetectable on skin. It provides lightweight hydration thanks to the addition of vitamin E and promises a non-greasy, white cast-free finish.

$35 at Sonny and Felix

Body Sunscreen: Naked Sundays Glow Body Mist SPF50+

When it comes to body sunscreen, we love the kind of formula that doesn’t take a million years to rub in. If we’re chilling at the beach, we have every intention of maintaining that vibe. That’s why we love to reach for this invisible spray-on pick that allows you to top up with SPF 50+ protection with ease. The fact that the Kakadu plum and watermelon oil-enriched formula also gives skin a delicious summer glow is just a bonus really.

$44.95 at Naked Sundays

Lip Balm: ULTRA VIOLETTE Sheen Screen Hydrating Lip Balm SPF 50

We refuse to part with our lip balm regardless of the time of year, but once summer rolls around we’ll admit we’re reapplying with wild abandon to counter the effects of our outdoor excursions. This genius offering from Ultra Violette packs a punch when it comes to hydration but also doesn’t scrimp when it comes to sun protection. The formula has been enriched with cacao seed butter, shea butter, vitamins A and E, and a healthy dose of SPF 50. Add a slight shimmer to lips with the classic clear formula or embrace colour with one of their tinted picks.

$25 at Sephora

UV-Filter Hair Treatment: SACHAJUAN Hair In The Sun Hair Cream

While you might have thought sun protection ended with your skin, you’d be dead wrong. This UV-filter hair cream utilises full coverage UVQ protectant to help protect strands from strong summer rays while you’re laying out or splashing about in the water. Formulated to emulate a light-hold styling cream, this is the perfect beach-side companion for managing salty, sand-soaked hair.

$41 at Sephora

Summer Fragrance: Jo loves No42 Flowershop EDT

There’s nothing more delightful when the weather warms up than the sweet smell of summer blooms. This floral fragrance from Jo Loves bottles the heady scent of a florist in the heart of the season. Think delicate touches of peony, underpinned by fresh crushed greenery and earthy moments of moss.

$129 at Adore Beauty

Water Bottle: SQUIREME Chromatic Collection 500ml Glass Water Bottle

No longer do we live in an age of daggy plastic water bottles. No seriously, these hydrating, portable water vessels have become fashion accessories in their own right. Toe the line between practicality and frivolity with this durable borosilicate glass bottle and peppy coral-coloured protective silicone cover. Stay hydrated out there kids.

was $59.95 now $39.95 at The Iconic

Foot Mask: Patchology Best Foot Forward Softening Heel and Foot Mask

As far as we’re concerned, when summer hits, you better do something to freshen up your feet. We can’t always make time to hit up the nail salon but we can spare 10 minutes of our day to slip on a foot mask full of moisturising shea butter, coconut oil, and soothing antioxidant-rich Japanese evergreen extracts. Beach-ready steps are a speedy self-care sesh away.

$14 at MECCA

Want to deepen your experience of the season? Here are 8 summer-scented candles to burn as the weather warms up.

Main image credit: @palomija

Briar Clark

Briar Clark got her start in the media industry in 2017, as an intern for Marie Claire and InStyle. Since then, her keen interest in fashion and beauty has landed her gigs as a Digital Content Producer and Beauty Editor with titles like Girlfriend, Refinery29, BEAUTYcrew and beautyheaven. She loves the way seemingly innocuous topics like skin care and style have the ability to put a smile on people’s faces or make them think about themselves a little differently. A big believer in self love and experimentation, Briar has made a point of becoming the Australian beauty industry’s unofficial guinea pig for unusual treatments and daring hair trends. When she’s not testing out the latest beauty launches, Briar is big on broadening her horizons, mostly in the form of food but she’s also partial to travelling to new destinations both near and far (and of course, allocating an extra bag to bring their best beauty offerings home with her).