Summer edit - 2021 Beach bag essentials

(Image courtesy of Unsplash)

2nd August 2021

By Abbey Bryant

After a seriously sun-deprived sixteen months, I am manifesting a summer full of beautiful beach bags that I can showcase on a seashore in Spain. Looking stylish is all part of the holiday, and the perfect holiday beach bag is absolutely essential in finishing off any summer look. Whether you want to venture out of your comfort zone and reach for a beach bag covered in pom poms and tassels, or play it safe with a classic crocheted bag, we’ve got you covered!

Once you have established the style of beach bag you wish to opt for, you need to consider how you are going to fill it.

Whether you are going to read for hours on end as you sample the cocktail menu on your sunbed, or listen to your summer Spotify playlist, you need to come prepared with the essentials for your beach bag!

An absolute must has to be any variation of SPF – sunscreen, lip-balm or moisturiser, make sure you lather it all on throughout the summer. If you are pale like me and rely too heavily on fake tan, then definitely invest in a sun-cream with a high sun factor.

I can always rely on the Nivea Protect and Moisture; it’s not greasy at all! Additionally, be sure to take a sunhat or baseball cap (ASOS have some great finds!). Don’t make the mistake of French plaiting your hair, unless you want a blistered scalp - ouch!

Beauty products and toiletries are certainly an essential! To avoid Hagrid-esque hair at the beach, devise a list of your go-to hair products and accessories: Scrunchies, grippy clips and a Tangle Teezer are your most reliable companions at the beach.

The sea dries our hair to the extreme, so always best to become prepared with beauty products to rectify a crazy hairdo. We love an oil to comb through your hair to detangle any knots that the wind creates in your hair. The Aussie Save my Lengths oil is affordable and effective! So, invest in a storage pouch for your bag, preferably a waterproof one to protect your valuable items!

Remember - you don’t just want to look good, you want to feel good too! Whether you are strutting around Ocean Beach in Ibiza or frantically running from seagulls in Broadstairs, you want to be comfortably glamorous!

Of course, bring your bikini and swimsuits – check out ASOS for a beautiful selection of swimwear of all different sizes, colours and prices. But, this is British weather, unreliable and famously miserable, so you may opt for a warmer, back-up outfit.

Cover-ups, over-sized tees, and hoodies, the list of comfort clothes is endless so be sure to add these to your beach bag. Alternatively, you can huddle under your beach towel! Hydration is key, and snacks are essential to being fuelled to take on the waves! Now is the perfect time to invest in a Chilly’s water bottle that keeps your water refrigerated. Sipping on ice-cold water, as you’re tucking into your home-made lunch (remember you’re living on a student budget), is what beach dreams are made of!

Personally, a beach day for me is incomplete without a book. Make sure you browse local charity shops and bookstores to find the perfect gripping read for your afternoon spent lounging in the sun. As an English Literature student, I feel as though I am failing if I don’t offer some recommendations! If you are not into psychological thrillers, you need to be! Some personal favourites of mine are The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides; Behind Closed Doors by B.A Paris and Before I Go To Sleep by S.J Watson. Despite these books being a stark contrast to the uplifting, joyful atmosphere of the beach, you will find yourself eager to keep turning their pages.

It goes without saying that you can never go wrong keeping a facemask and hand sanitizer in your bag. Additional essential items include a stash of wet wipes – with no immediate access to showers to clean the sand off your skin, they work like a dream.

Let us know via our Instagram @inquirekent what your beach bag essentials are!