With heat waves in full force across much of the U.S. and Europe it felt like the right time to give a refresh to my summer necessities post. Think frizz fighters, great deos, ways to cool off, ways to protect from the sun and much more.

These are the items I swear by for keeping cool, staying hydrated, surviving the heat and ensuring I am sun safe all summer. With every summer feeling like it gets a bit hotter, I reach for everything on this list time and time again.

Read on for my summer essentials – the perfect handy checklist for all summer long.

28 Summer Necessities

Summer Necessities for Sun Protection

Following my 2019 skin cancer diagnosis, sun protection became the most important category of summer necessities in my routine.

SPF

This is my #1 summer necessity.

The Eighth Day Priming Moisturizer SPF, Tower28 Sunny Days SPF (I wear shade Fairfax) and the Caudalie Vinosun Mineral SPF are my current go-tos for SPF for my face.

I always am sure to bring along a powder SPF with me wherever I go for easy face re-application over makeup. I swear by this and can’t recommend it enough. It’s also great for easily applying SPF on your part line!

For body I like the Oak Essentials SPF, the Supergoop Play sunscreen and the Vacation Mineral SPF. 

And don’t forget about your lips this time of year, too! They are often overlooked. Supergoop has a SPF lip balm you can tote around for easy application and this summer I’ve been really into these tinted SPF glosses. 

Straw Hat

Even if you’re great about applying SPF to your face, a sun hat is a fun in the sun must in my opinion. Especially if you’re fair skinned like me! My dermatologist said I should wear one every time I’m going to have prolonged exposure to the sun so I am sure to have one at the ready this time of year.

I have built a small collection of go-to ones that I love and reach for depending on my outfit including this one, this one and this one which is packable and makes it great to travel with!

Truly the Janessa Leone packable hats are worth the splurge – they are so well made.

Ball Cap

The perfect topper for walks outside or more casual jaunts to the farmer’s market, I love keeping my ball caps ready for use this time of year to provide more sun protection to my face when my outfit doesn’t warrant a wide-brim hat.

Madewell and Anthropologie always have a good selection and then I really love Mary Orton’s line she designed, Chord. I have two that are so great.

Sunglasses

While often thought of first as an accessory, sunglasses were initially designed to provide your eyes protection from UV rays so be sure to always pack a pair. I swear by Celine sunglasses as they are virtually indestructible (I’ve had my first pair for nearly ten years now!) but I also love and wear often this Le Specs pair and this designer-look alike pair that are both more affordable.

Hydro Flask

Obsessed with this water bottle is an understatement. It helps me drink so much more water than I used to thanks to the straw which makes water intake easier. I get so thirsty in the summer when my body is depleted from the ongoing heat and I love having temperature controlled water in my HydroFlask.

Because it keeps drinks cold it is also great to bring for a day at the beach or spent hanging in your favorite local park.

For travel days, I downsize to this smaller one.

Summer Body Care Necessities

Foot Cream

This is the best foot cream for use overnight to make feet more sandal ready. I’ve been using it for years.

Body Acne Wash

This body wash goes to work quickly to fight body acne on chest and back that come on more frequently in summer thanks to sweat and sunscreen.

They key is to let it sit on the targeted area for a couple of minutes before rinsing. And then, because it features benzoyl peroxide as its active ingredient, just be sure you rinse thoroughly to prevent any staining!

Kosas Chemistry Deodorant

I have a few deodorants I love and this is a top pick. I’m a sweater so I need a good deo that can hold up well and I like that this one is aluminum and baking soda free. This is the one I choose to travel with because of its size. 

Others I like include this Corpus deodorant is one of the best non-toxic ones I’ve tried and I adore the smell of the evolvetogether Tulum deo. 

Also I can’t recommend the Megababe Happy Pits enough if you’re also a clean deo user. It is a nice PH reset. 

Megababe Thigh Rescue

File under things I can’t live without come summer and sunny days. Say goodbye to irritating thigh chafe when you glide this on before you leave the house. It is amazing at ensuring your legs stay comfortable on sweaty days.

I keep a mini on me at all times and never travel without either!

Megababe Apres Shave

Also from the brand, their Apres Shave roller ball is awesome for post-bikini line shaving. I’ve found it really effective at minimizing ingrown hairs and irritation.

Summer Beauty Necessities

Color Wow Dream Coat

My favorite frizz-fighter. The key to this is saturating your hair in it before blow drying. And it is heat activated so blow drying is in fact a must.

Tinted Lip Balms

I ditch heavier lipsticks and matte lip colors this time of year and reach for tinted lip balms that provide equal parts treatment and just the right hint of color. I adore the Rhode Lip Peptide, Westman Atelier Squeaky Clean Lip Balm and the Summer Fridays Tinted Lip Balm in particular (love Vanilla Beige).

Related: Lip Colors for Spring and Summer

I have a variety of others I love, too and you can find them in my Beauty Favorites Shop where I also share the shades I wear.

Kerastase Magic Night Serum

I am obsessed with how this makes my hair feel.

This Kérastase Magic Night Serum has become one of my favorite overnight treatments because it helps restore softness and smoothness while I sleep. I wake up with hair that feels more hydrated, less frizzy and easier to style, making it a great addition to any summer haircare routine. Cannot recommend it enough.

PCA Hydrating Toner

Summer heat, air conditioning and frequent travel can leave skin feeling surprisingly dehydrated. I’ve been using the PCA Hydrating Toner after cleansing to help replenish moisture and prep my skin for the rest of my routine. It’s lightweight, soothing and leaves my skin feeling noticeably more balanced without any heaviness.

Setting Spray

I wouldn’t survive year round without setting spray but especially in summer.

If I could only recommend one makeup product for surviving summer humidity, it would be the One/Size On ‘Til Dawn Setting Spray. This stuff means business. It helps lock makeup in place for hours, even on hot, sticky days when everything else seems determined to melt off.

I now always travel with a travel size because it ensures my makeup put on at 7AM stays put all day. It’s a real game changer that I can’t recommend enough. Whether I’m out sightseeing all day, attending an outdoor event or simply navigating a particularly humid New York summer day, it keeps my makeup looking fresh far longer than I ever thought possible.

I have also been using this setting spray for a decade and it’s a great option as well. 

Makeup Primer

I use the Saie Super Glowy Gel year round as a primer but on hot days I reach for the Milk Hydro Grip Gripping Primer as I find its tacky texture, once dried down and makeup applied over it, really holds onto your makeup so it melts less on sweaty, humid days. The other one I really like for summer is the Tatcha Liquid Silk Canvas Primer. It holds up well in the heat.

And for my eyelids, I wouldn’t dare try eye makeup without first applying Mac Prep + Prime Eye Primer. I actually have to use this year round otherwise makeup melts off my greasy eyelids in record time.

Related: My Favorite Products for Summer Glow

Cream Bronzer

I always make changes to my makeup products in the summer. I love swapping to a cream bronzer in the summer for a more sun-kissed look. The Saie Beauty Bronzer is a cult favorite for good reason. It buffs in beautifully to the skin and really give such a pretty sun kissed, bronzed look. Pro tip: Don’t skip getting the brush for this product – it makes all the difference in natural application!

Crown Affair Hair Gel

Humidity and flyaways are simply part of summer life I know by now, which is why I’ve become such a fan of Crown Affair’s Flexible Hold Finishing Gel. Unlike traditional gels, it doesn’t leave hair crunchy, sticky or overly slick. Instead, it provides just enough hold to tame frizz and keep styles looking polished.

I especially love using it for low buns. You can use code WITWHIMSY15 for 15% off your Crown Affair purchase. 

Kitsch No Snag Small Elastic Hair Ties

To get my hair off my neck on hot summer days, I love these no-snag, invisible hair ties.

Hanni The Fatty

I begin reaching for this stuff nightly as soon as sandal season rolls around again. Slather your feet in it, tuck them into stocks and do this 2-3 nights in a row to get your feet looking a lot better. You can also use it on the rest of your body or dry-prone areas like your elbows.

Soft Services Smoothing Solution

And for “raspberry arms” aka those pesky bumps or KP, reach for this exfoliant gel. It goes to work quickly to smooth out arms and pairs well with your favorite body moisturizer to improve the look of arms when on display in summer.

Summer Travel Necessities

Because so much of my summer is spent traveling, there are a handful of products that earn a permanent spot in my carry-on. These are the items that make long travel days, hot European cities and summer sightseeing far more comfortable.

Related: What to Pack for Europe in Summer

Avene Facial Mist and Caudalie Beauty Elixir

These facial mists feel like heaven when misted on a hot day. The Caudalie one in particular smells great and is perfect for using poolside or in flight for summer travels.

Rhode Depuffing Eye Patches

These are cooling, depuffing and help you look more awake. I love them for in-flight use in particular. 

R+CO Pomade Stick

I initially bought this to have with me on trips for when I needed to smooth out and make my low buns more neat but now I find myself reaching for it at home, too. It’s perfectly pocket sized so you can always tame frizz or flyaways on the go. 

Hand Fan

I don’t go anywhere in New York in the summer without a hand fan packed into my purse to help provide some relief when the heat just won’t quit. It is one of my best hacks for staying cool and somewhat more comfortable in the humidity!

I have this one in Black and also this one as well as a variety of others I’ve collected on my travels.

Having a hand fan on me is actually my secret weapon to not feeling like I’m going to faint while standing on the NYC subway platform waiting for a train in the summer. For more power and some misting capabilities, I’ll bring this one out.

Market Basket

Market baskets are closet staples for French women as they head to their local farmer’s market each week and I adore mine. This one has double handles like mine which I love – perfect for when you have heavier loads or lighter loads.

I also love those by Sezane that are a bit more modern but still have traditional charm. They feel designer without being designer. I own two now that I use all summer long.

This Loewe one I own is my most-used bag of summer typically. I love that the straps can be worn three ways!

I personally use my market bag as my beach bag! 

Shop all my favorite bags for summer HERE.

Beach Towel

No summer is complete without a cute beach towel to pack up and head to your nearest body of water to cool off. These cabana stripe ones are so cute! I love that they are oversized (my preference) and they have nearly 1,000 positive reviews.

My friend has the Serena & Lily ones at her cottage and they are so, so great too. And if you want a burst of color for your beach towel, look no further than those from Brooklinen.

 . . .

Summer has always been my favorite season but it’s also the one that requires the most preparation. Between heat waves, travel, beach days and long hours outdoors, having the right products on hand makes all the difference.

These are the items I repurchase, travel with and reach for year after year. From SPF and hydration to beauty products that can withstand humidity, they’ve become staples in my summer routine and help me enjoy the season more comfortably.

I’d love to know: what is one product you can’t imagine getting through summer without?

Shop the Necessities

 

You May Also Like:

• Sandal Styles Worth Buying.
• All My Favorite Travel Essentials.
• How to Dress for Paris in the Summer.

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