Summer Essentials | 2019

Hot town, summer in the city

Happy Sunday everybody! It’s been a while since I’ve posted. I’ve spent half of May away on vacation. I have a travel diary coming soon where I’ll tell you all about the trip. It was spectacular! In the meantime, I want to share my summer must-haves with you. It’s a mixed bag of all my favorite summer bits that are helping me get through the scorching heat of Miami.

Cool Skin

I’m loving the Kora Organics Noni Glow Face Balm (0.35 oz/$38.00) I love how easy and effective this is, and it’s ideal for travel. I’m so happy I took it with me on my trip. My skin is dry all the time, so I like to use it in the afternoon when it’s looking dull and lackluster, and it just makes everything okay again. #overthetop, but it’s true. You can throw it in your purse. There’s no mess, and it delivers instant hydration and beautiful glow. 

The Kora Organics Noni Radiant Eye Oil (0.34 oz/$38.00) is also on heavy rotation. Again, I love the easy application; the rose quartz roller ball feels refreshing and cool under the eyes. It’s a wonderful product to use in the mornings to soothe tired eyes and reduce puffiness. I highly recommend Kora Organics; these products are fabulous addition to any summer skincare routine.

Easy Hair

I picked up these cute hair accessories from & Other Stories in London last month, and had to mention them. It’s the Open-Frame Hair Clip in Gold and Curved Wire Hair Pin. I live in a messy bun ala Virginia Woolf pretty much every day. It’s too hot in Miami to let my hair down. These looked so pretty and dainty. I love the gold; it adds a chic look to a basic bun – definitely a summer essential. 

Dame Mango

Currently living in my purse this summer is the Glossier Balm Dotcom in Mango (0.5oz/$12.00). Glossier opened a pop-up store in Wynwood a while back, and I just had to buy it. I keep one of these everywhere, in my makeup bag, the office, the car – you name it. The Coconut Balm Dotcom is still my favorite, but if you love a fruity scent give this one a try.

For skin, I use a tinted moisturizer with SPF in the summer. Currently, I’m using the Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat All-in-One Glow (1 oz/$48.00). It looks beautiful on the skin and has decent coverage for a tinted moisturizer. It’s super dewy and fresh and feels lightweight; I don’t want to put anything heavy on my face in the summer or ever really. It feels comfortable and has a skinlike finish, wonderful for those of us with dry skin. I love that it has a pump and it’s travel-friendly. If you were a fan of the original YSL Touche Éclat Illuminating Foundation, you would love this.

Sundrenched Cheeks

Of course, I had to include some lazy girl makeup. The NUDESTIX Nudies Matte Blush & Bronze in Sunset Strip (0.25 oz/$32.00) has been on my face since I purchased it. I can’t get enough of this product, and it’s going to be in my monthly favorites post. It’s such a gorgeous shade of coral. There’s a hint of pink, a hint of bronze. It screams summer and looks stunning on the cheeks, and on the lips.

Another incredible 2-in-1 product for summer is the Milk Makeup Lip + Cheek in Quickie (1 oz/$24.00). It’s easy, perfect for on the go. I could not wear a lick of foundation or concealer, and only use this, and I look put together. It makes you look like you just had a good work out or woke up from a nap. There’s something about this berry shade that gives a nice healthy color to the cheeks. It gives the appearance that I’ve been out in the sun all day. Personally, I don’t do well in the sun, and I avoid it, so this helps me fake it. I always bring it out in the summer because it lasts a long time even in hot weather.

Watercolor Lips

I love a good lip oil especially the Clarins Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil Candy and Tangerine (0.1 oz/$26.00). I adore them and use them all year round, but they’re so quick and easy for summer. It gives a beautiful tint you wouldn’t expect from a lip oil; they’re pigmented and not sticky. During the summer, I don’t want heavy products on my lips. I want something that’s moisturizing, comfortable, and adds sheen. At the end of the day, my makeup melts away in this heat anyway. With these, you get a nice hint of color, and they smell just like candy.

Aloha, Mr. Hand

Last but not least, I have to mention the VANS Checkerboard Slip-Ons ($49.95). I can’t help but feel like Sean Penn in Fast Times at Ridgemont High when I put these on, but I love them! They’re so comfortable; I took them on my trip to South Africa, which I will tell you more about in an upcoming post. I took them with me because I can walk for miles in them.

They look good with everything; I wore them with a black jumpsuit, jeans. You really can pair them with any outfit. They will not be off my feet this summer. And I think for a summer shoe besides sandals of course Vans Slips-Ons are an amazing addition to any summer wardrobe. I want to purchase them in black next.

So those are my summer essentials, what are yours?

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