Summer Essentials

Hot? So are we. Take a look what’s in our beach bag this summer and get ready to get some sun while beating the heat and looking oh-so-lovely.

Summer heat gives hair a brutal beating. This conditioner works like an old-fashioned cream rinse, giving hair a serious boost of moisture, while keeping the frizzies at bay. Jonathan Product Condition Weightless No-Frizz Creme Rinse (try saying that five times fast [$22, sephora.com!) is a lightweight conditioner that works on every hair type, and for most, can be the only product to get them through summer. Simply use this instead of your regular conditioner, pin your hair up, take a nap and end up with fabulous wavy locks worthy of Carrie Bradshaw.

Oh, sunglasses…you’re our favorite way to splurge. Face it: they always fit, and make you feel like you’re fighting off the paparazzi, so what’s there not to love? The Tom Ford Whitney sunglasses ($360, eluxury.com) are back, and in more colorways than before. Pitch black sunglasses have taken a back seat this season (we all have a pair!), so experiment with animal prints, nudes (like this), and colored frames.

In-between pedicures my own feet can look, well, a little haggard. With the sun and sand (and strappy sandals) that accompany our feet during the hot summer months, it’s no wonder that when we do finally plant ourselves in pedicurist’s chair, our feet are as rough as a farmer’s hands. Not attractive. Keep your feet gorge between pedis with the help of Lush Lemony Flutter ($13.25, lush.com). Meant for your cuticles, this balm makes a mean soak when paired with extra cushy cotton socks worn overnight. The mango and flaxseed oil work wonders to keep your feet looking like they’re fresh from the salon all season long.

It’s summer. We want a tan. Since every other option will kill us, we’re left searching for the perfect self-tanner. Last summer (and earlier this spring), the winner was still L’Oreal’s Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Gelee ($9, amazon.com). Annoying name, but the stuff works wonders, so I’m sticking with. It’s a gel formula that goes on smooth and makes your skin silky smooth in the process. Best of all? It doesn’t stink!

Havaianas are a mainstay of every fashionista’s beach kit, and now they’re available in metallic brights ($18, shopbop.com). Yellow is our personal fave (pair with a white tank and rinsed Siwy shorts or an equally bright swimsuit), but the orange and hot pink have us salivating as well. Luckily, they’re affordable, so swiping up multiple pairs is a definite option.

published June 3rd, 2008