Relaxation Ready: All the Essentials for a Beachy Vacation

Lauren Fromkin|April 3, 2017

Spring Break is a great time to sit back and relax before AP exams and finals roll around, and the best way to kick back is with the perfect essentials.

It’s now officially springtime, which means the weather’s getting warmer, the days are getting longer, and spring break is right around the corner. Spring break is the time for relaxing in the sun, and spending lazy days at the beach and pool with friends and family. However, for many, going to the beach or pool requires effort to find the perfect mix of style and practicality. Here are some essential items for any day spent at the beach or pool.

Tunic cover-ups are lightweight and easy to pack in a day bag for a trip to the pool or beach. Photo: Samantha Meade, senior

At the beach or pool, everyone wants to look cute, which means owning a collection of fashionable and functional bathing suits and cover-ups. Many trending bathing suits feature intricate patterns and cut-outs, and even a bit of lace. One-pieces are an on-trend option that are perfect for beach vacations or for spending time at the pool with your friends. Bikinis are vibrant and fun, as they mix many patterns and combine different trends for a unique look. To wear over swimsuits while walking by storefronts or grabbing a bite to eat, cover-ups with little details are perfect to throw on. The ultimate, most important accessory to top off a look are classic sunglasses.

Billabong Luv Lost One-Piece- nordstrom.com, $84

BCA Free to Be Bikini Top- nordstrom.com, $30

Seafolly Amnesia Cover-Up- nordstrom.com, $67

Ray-Ban Icons 50mm Round Metal Sunglasses- nordstrom.com, $150

Sunscreen is the most important beauty product for everyone to wear when out enjoying the sun. Photo: Sydney Aronberg, junior

Creating healthy, glowing skin for a day at the beach is an easy feat with a quick swipe of tinted moisturizer and bronzer. Photo: Annika Polatsek, sophomore

Many people swipe on some sunscreen and forego beauty all together when heading to the pool or ocean, as makeup can be a hassle to keep on at the beach. Luckily, the beauty market has several hassle-proof options that can be added to the face and worn all day without a worry. To make it easy to protect yourself from the sun, purchase a suncare kit, which includes a spray sunscreen, moisturizing lotion sunscreen, lip sunscreen, and after sun lotion. Tinted moisturizer is the way to go when wearing makeup during a vacation, especially one with SPF. Lastly, to fake a tan you haven’t gotten yet, bronzer is the product to use. It will give a sun-kissed look to the face, without running the risk of sun damage.

COOLA Suncare Signature Travel Kit- nordstrom.com, $39

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20- nordstrom.com, $44

Nars Bronzing Powder- nordstrom.com, $40

Headphones, a beach ball, sunglasses, sandals, and a towel are all essentials for a lazy beach day. Photo: Sydney Tacher, sophomore

Cute accessories are a must, as they can give a tropical vibe to anywhere they’re being used, whilst being useful. Towels from Linum Textiles are both beachy and preppy, with their blue and white stripes and fun tassels on the ends. Tote bags, like ones from Sunnylife, will carry all of the beach essentials, and also have cute, beachy prints on them. The all-so-trendy inflatable swan from Sunnylife is adorable, and the drink version has the important job of holding refreshing lemonade while in the pool. For a pool floatie to lounge on, the Sunnylife Cactus floatie is ideal for one person or a group of friends. In terms of keeping those drinks cold, a cooler perfect for a day at the beach or pool to hold snacks and lunch. Lastly, with all of these inflatables, an air pump is certainly needed, and the one from Sunnylife is cute as well as portable.

Linum Home Textiles Sea Waves Towel- nordstrom.com, $39

Sunnylife Print Tote- nordstrom.com, $20

Sunnylife Inflatable Swan Drink Holder Floatie- nordstrom.com, $20

Sunnylife Inflatable Cactus- nordstrom.com. $60

Sunnylife Picnic Cooler Box- nordstrom.com, $60

Sunnylife Electric Air Pump- nordstrom.com, $21

These items are all very useful for days spent at the beach or pool, and will also give off a beachy, summery vibe to wherever they’re being used, even if it’s not a tropical vacation hot-spot.

Source: Nordstrom