Top 5 Things I Do to Prepare for the Beach

Now that I’m settled into our new space a little more, I’m starting to travel out of town more again. It was going to be my first Independence Day since moving to the US and Tom wanted to take advantage of the long weekend, so once again, we booked something last minute, jumped in the car and headed off on a short road trip.  This time we hit Las Vegas.  If you’ve never been to Las Vegas, it’s incredibly hot in the summer, hitting around 40°c (around 108°F). The architecture on The Strip is really interesting and grand. Each hotel has a casino, but the interior and exteriors often have a theme and are quite different.  If you follow me on Snapchat at mikialamode, you’ll have seen some of the interesting spots we experienced.

Tom and I spent the majority of the time hotel hopping, watching a show or by the pool.  I thought I’d share how I prepare for the beach.

1) Self Tanner

I used to tan naturally, but with age, I prefer to avoid spending extended periods at a time trying to get a nice golden bronze color.  Too much tanning isn’t good for your skin and can cause sun damage and premature aging. I start exfoliating and preparing my tan about 2-3 days prior to being at the pool.  This allows me to apply on day 1 to get color and day 2 or 3 to get it darker. I just use Jergens self tanning lotion for medium to dark skin tones and have yet to try Bondi Sands, which is a highly ranked brand in Austrailia.  (If you use Bondi Sands, please let me know! Would love to hear what you think of it!)

2) Temporary Tattoos

I used to layer up on rings and bracelets and since getting married, I really only wear my engagement ring.  At a pool or beach, I prefer no jewelry, so I love to accessorize with temporary tattoos. I put them on the morning the day I head out to the beach and think of where I want to place it with respect to what I’ll wear going out that evening. I rarely use an entire pack all on a trip.  These are Lulu DK from a year ago, but you can buy all these pretty ones on Lulu DK’s website.

3) Purchase/Pack My Poolside Apparel

I can’t go to the pool without a towel, swimsuits, sun block, sun glasses and sandals.  I like to tie my hair or braid at least part of it, so I always bring a couple of hair elastics with me. If I need to do something related to the blog, I bring my phone and battery bank.  I make sure all my electronics are fully charged before I go. For my favourite off the shoulder bikini from this season and under $40, see Things to See and Do in Nassau Bahamas. 

4) Manicure/Pedicure

I love to have my nails done before I go on a poolside or beach vacation. If I don’t have time to get them done when I’m out, I just paint my nails at home a day or two before the trip.  I think of the shoes and accessories I’ll bring and choose a nail color to accentuate the look.

5) Beach Bag

I need to have a poolside/beach bag to carry my sunglasses, phone and sunblock, so I invested in this one, which I double as a day or evening bag when I’m at a resort or getaway.

Is there anything you do to prepare for the beach? What are your own beach or poolside essentials?

If you enjoyed this post, please let me know in the comments below. I always appreciate and love to hear from you.

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Xo,

Miki

Photo credit to my one and only, Rise Again BJJ.

Outfit: Bikini Top and Bottom available here and here. Bag available here.  Tattoos available here.

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