We are in the middle of the holidays, so it’s high time for my summer essentials! I found these products really helpful when traveling and I am pretty sure that you will fall in love with them as well! They are definitely fun, practical and totally insta-worthy!

My summer essentials

Pink flamingo

Instagram has been flooded lately with floaties. Flamingos, unicorns, swans, but also pineapples and donuts. Who doesn’t love them? We also decided on a pink flamingo and he even flew with us to spread his wings during our holidays in Fiji. I love to sit on it and read a book, though it’s definitely a better option for a peaceful pool than a rough sea 🙂 Anyways, it looks simply stunning on the holiday pics!

Instax mini 9

I’ve been thinking about buying Instax for a long time. I really loved this old fashioned design and girly pastel colors! On the other hand, I was afraid that I wouldn’t use it at all. I finally decided to get myself a present for the Name Day (yes, we have something like this in Poland) and bought it. I must admit that it was a great decision – taking pics with Instax is a highlight of every summer party. Everyone wants to have these crazy pictures that they can take home as a souvenir. Note: you need to learn how to take pictures with Instax. The image you see through the “window” is actually slightly shifted to the left, you need some practice in “aiming” at the thing you want to photograph.

Sun spray & Hair oil by Rituals

Summer essentials? Of course, sun protecting cosmetics! I love Rituals for their extraordinary scents and that they actually work. The “Ritual of Karma” series is a limited summer edition. I am a bit disappointed as it is my favorite scent, (as well as “Rituals of Hammam”) so I have to stock up quickly. Hair oil and sunbathing spray are my favorite summer picks. They are simply excellent. The oil perfectly protects hair from the sun and salt water but doesn’t make it look greasy. The sun protection spray is really great to apply, very easy to rub and it absorbs quickly. Not to mention the scent…

Water bottle

I’m a bit obsessed with drinking water, I even have an empty bottle in my carry on bag to fill up before the flight. I drink about 2.5-3 liters of water daily, but for every cup of coffee or tea I also drink an additional glass 🙂 To keep this level of hydration, I walk basically everywhere with a big bottle (1l), I put some fruit inside and just add water. I’m trying different blends, but lately, I love raspberry + lemon + strawberry mint. Perfect drink for a lazy day at the beach!

Bronzing powder

I can’t imagine summer holidays without a bronzing powder. Guerlain Terracota is my favorite (shade 02, perfect for blondes), long-lasting, intense and matting with no glow. If I’m looking for something illuminating, I am using the one from essence, unfortunately, it was some limited edition and no longer in stores 🙁 However, they offer similar “striped” bronzers appear from time to time under different names. I was surprised to see how good the bronzing powder can be for just 3 EUR. Alverde bronzing liquid is really light, good for delicate makeup and for vegans. I bought Naked by Urban Decay on a road trip in the US and it’s great: a bronzing and illuminating powder plus a blush in one. Here are the colors, from left to right: Terracota, essence, Alverde and Urban Decay.

Tropical accessories

The fashion world loves tropical accessories (so do I!). Pineapples on a handbag, watermelon on shoes, earrings with flamingos… All prints of course in bright, catchy colors! I totally fell in love with this small Dolce & Gabbana handbag with pineapples (and it was on sale, ha!), it’s perfect for a summer in the city, but I’ll also take it on our trip to Greece in September. I really like also the tropical stickers and pins, I use them to give my boring white t-shirts a little more holiday look.

Maxi dresses

I love maxi boho dresses. They look so feminine and they make me wanna drop everything and go straight away to Bali’s rice fields or to the Greek beaches. Recently I discovered 3 great online stores with lovely maxi summer dresses. Fedra Boutique offers various dresses that fit in the “boho & chic” trend. Sundress offers trends directly from the French Riviera (the flagship store is in Nice), dresses are made of natural fabrics, decorated with girly fringes and pompoms – even Vogue appreciated them! Dancing Leopard also has a great offer of maxi dresses, inspired by the party island of Ibiza. If you are curious how they look like in travel photos, follow our Instagram.

Tassel jewellery

Bracelets and necklaces with tassels are my favorite summer essentials this year. I really love how easy is to mix them with more ‘serious’ jewelry. My other little obsession are tassel earrings – they match wit maxi dresses so perfectly, giving this summer vibes. I usually find my little treasures on etsy – so many beautiful designs to choose from.

If you are looking for a summer gift for your boyfriend, go for inspired by the sea and sailing bracelets by Paul Hewitt. You may also get a matching version for women, eg. in pink or white 🙂

Nail & Cuticle Oil by Sally Hansen

I always treat my holiday as the perfect time to finally go crazy with the colors of my nails and say goodbye to the boring office manicure. I don’t forget about nail care – I regularly use (at least I’m trying to) Sally Hansen Color Therapy oil with argan, acai and evening primrose oils. It ideally moisturizes cuticles after swimming in salty sea water. By the way, it is worth trying the whole new series of Color Therapy nail polishes, which not only cover very well (1 layer is enough!) but also care for your nails thanks to oils. Nice way to make your nails looks spectacular and healthy at the same time!

Straw bags

OK, so how to pack all these summer essentials now? I really love carrying everything in my straw bag during holidays – it’s incredibly spacious, perfect for the beach but also everyday shopping. I also liked this quite original shape. If a simple straw bag is too boring for you, you can always decorate it with some fringes, tassels or pompoms. I got mine from Amazon.

What are your summer essentials?

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