Beat The Heat With These 64 Summer Essentials

Buzz Feed

20 hours ago

A Step2 water table that, according to my colleague Heather Braga, is THE hottest thing for toddlers. Simply put it on your patio, fill it with water, and let your little one go to town with buckets, spinners, and a waterfall.
A 100% cotton puff-sleeve dress (WITH POCKETS) you can throw on when you don't want clothes touching your body but you need to look nice and put-together.
An oscillating tower fan to help the air flow without REALLY jacking up your energy bill. It's a bladeless fan that works quietly with six speed options and a remote you can keep on your nightstand in case you get a little too cold at night (what a great problem to have).
A HyperChiller you can park directly below your *hot* coffee machine to cool down your caffeine in under a minute because your body requires caffeine but you can't stand to drink a hot drink right now.
A set of blackout curtains that'll keep your bedroom (or any other room!) as dark as you want and help maintain your ideal indoor temp! (It'll work so nicely with your resolution of getting better-quality sleep.)
A waterproof outdoor curtain can help you enjoy your deck or porch more without having to stare into the blazing sun or feel its full heat. This physical barrier will not only block out some heat (like indoor blackout curtains do) but save your poor eyes from looking at your neighbor's tacky deck setup.
An ultra-lightweight UPF 50+ umbrella to slip into your bag and easily pop open when you're on a lengthy walk outside or forced to stand around for a bit.
A chic tank and wide-leg pants set that'll make you look like a fancy jet setter who definitely has a flight for your Euro Summer this weekend instead of parking yourself by your aunt's pool. (Genius.)
Some sharp-looking pointed-toe flats with similar comfy, machine-washable features to pricier Rothy's or Vivaia flats. So if you're not a sandals person, you can still let your feet breathe a little bit without worrying about sweat stinking up your fave flats.
Or a pair of machine-washable "flat socks" to put in your sneakers that you never ever wear socks with but are worried about the funk factor. They're moisture-wicking to help catch your sweat and help you concentrate on better things, like when you're getting ice cream.
A sleek flat travel water bottle so you'll have to stop sacrificing other things to fit your round water bottle into your day bag.
The Saem Iceland Hydrating Eye Stick, a cooling eye stick made with *actual* Icelandic glacial water to depuff your tired under eyes. Oh, and it just feels really, really refreshing.
A hot or cold therapy hat you can put in the fridge before bedtime to cool down your noggin. It's made for migraine relief, but tons of reviewers love it otherwise.
A sun hat with a wide brim that'll shield your face as you ride a boat through breathtaking scenery — or just walking to your favorite coffee shop.
Ice pop sleeves in different prints so everyone knows whose is whose while enjoying a ~cooling~ frozen dessert at their own pace, instead of in a race against sticky, melting syrupy fun!
A flowy maxi skirt that'll somehow magically end up in all your summer photos with every single top you own. And its drawstring waist means that you'll stay extra comfy during your whole trip.
A cooling towel you simply soak in water and wring out to bring some chill to your days standing outside.
Some super chic belted linen pants to make you the best-dressed person in the grocery store. (Sometimes you don't wanna wear shorts, OK?!) Reviewers say they're super breezy and even dry off quickly.
A workout tank top will be the perfect top if you're if you're into color and staying as cool as possible in public. Sometimes just walking from your car through the T.J. Maxx parking lot is workout enough in the summer.
Some Bunzee Bands are made for Afro puffs, locs, dreads, and thick ponytails. They're super strong and built to up to two years (that's a really long time for a hair tie), but they won't harm your hair.
Or some spiral hair ties to keep your ponytail in place without putting a dent in your hair. This is especially great if you like to wear your hair down until you can no longer stand it (like me).
A cooling misting system will help you get as much time as possible outside this summer because last summer your backyard started to feel like sitting in a sauna. (Hey, at least you didn't have to look at strangers in their towels!)
A flexible adjustable mister if the reason you haven't been reading on your deck is because of, simply, the heat. And because it's easily adjustable, you can take it with you as you move positions to avoid the sun. (Or embrace it?)
A *universal* drink handle you can slip onto whatever water bottle happens to be clean this morn so you don't have to rob yourself of precious pool or beach time just to wash out the Stanley Cup with the handle.
A mini sprinkler pool to help the fam cool off and get some water time without having to dump out a kiddie pool's worth of water once the fun has wrapped.
Solarcaine Aloe Sunburn Relief Spray for anyone who's fallen victim to a scorching sunburn and has felt hot to the touch because of it. (Been there, majorly regretted that.) This soothing lidocaine formula also acts fast or irritating scrapes and bug bites, so it's sure to come in handy all summer long.
Some flowy shorts could be the minimum (but adequate) amount of fabric to wear when it feels like summer has hit its peak, only for you to be unpleasantly surprised the next week when the heat index is about 10 degrees hotter.
A Briotech spray that'll help soothe rosacea, eczema, rashes, sunburns, and other skin irritations for when your skin is just not cooperating thanks to hypochlorous acid (it's in your white blood cells and helps soothe inflammation). Tower 28 SOS Daily Rescue Spray is also what some call a miracle in a bottle. But Briotech is in a cheaper bottle.
A cooling bandana the fam can use in a variety of ways. It instantly cools when wet *and* it has UPF 50.
Some Saucony ventilated workout socks that'll help keep your old dogs feeling cooler as you pound the pavement.
A spaghetti-strap romper can layer well over a swimsuit or a thematic shirt while keeping your from overheating.
A Dickie's performance cooling T-shirt if you want the benefits of a cooling shirt without looking like you're wearing cooling clothing as you chow down on a Dole Whip or gelato.
A portable handheld fan that's also a power bank *and* flashlight. So you'll be sure to find all sorts of uses for it, even when you're outside of the confines of deliciously chilly AC.
And an outdoor fan just begging to be mounted in the corner of your porch to keep a breeze going because even if your porch has ceiling fans, sometimes that isn't enough in mid-July. Also, circulating air will decrease the number of bugs that bother you.
An extremely quiet Wi-Fi–enabled smart air circulator fan so you can live (at least a little) like Kathy Hilton from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Grab your Red Bull and iPad and get ready to cool off in bed at 3 a.m. (Psst, you can control it via app, Google Home, Alexa, or a remote.)
Plus, a battery-operated flexible rotating fan that lots of reviewers use on strollers to keep babies cool. But! It would be great to wrap around your bed frame on your side if you're the hot sleeper and your partner isn't.
An inflatable dinosaur water play center you wish came in an adult size, too. Just be prepared that after you break it out the first time, you're probably going to have to set it up dozens more times this summer.
Twister Splash, an updated version of everyone's favorite body-contorting game that'll shoot water at you unless you can cover the hole with your hands or feet. Everyone's gonna be EXTRA hydrated whether they wanna be or not!!
A fancy umbrella that reviewers love for their patio but *also* take along to the beach. But if you're landlocked, you still have lots of shady backyard ops to use it.
A set of cooling patches will work some soothing magic for a variety of uses including (perhaps most importantly), sunburn. But it'll also help with itchiness from bug bites and poison ivy. And! They're TSA friendly. So you can probably leave your aloe vera gel at home for your next vacation.
A sturdy beach umbrella you can use in the park or yard too! Reviewers say it withstands the wind!
A *tasteful* sunshade triangle rather than a canopy you can rig up over the patio or the kids' sandbox to block up to 95% of UV rays and keep things a bit cooler while you lounge in the shade.
Or a 15-foot lighted umbrella that'll tilt (literally) to your whims and give you the right amount of shade and light when/where you want it.
A hanging lounge chair your dog will adore too — all the better to make a lil' oasis for yourself. (Even in the smallest of backyards!)
An inflatable lounge pool that'll seriously bring down the temp without cramping your budget. Also, you can set it up solo.
And a non-inflatable dog/kiddie pool because you're not the only one who's on the verge of overheating. Let's keep everyone at a desirable temp this summer! And when you're done with it for the day, it folds up for criminally easy storage.
A pressure-activated cooling pad you can keep in a spot right inside your door so your dog has a place to go for a quick cool down when they ask to come inside. It's 5–10 degrees cooler than room temp and reviewers say it also provides some relief for pets with joint pain.
A BruMate insulated can cooler to technically cover up what you're drinking at the park or beach if alcohol isn't allowed (MUHAHAHAHA). It'll keep your drink 20 times colder than a Koozie.
A cooler/side table you can leave parked outside on your patio or deck to keep your canned or bottled beverages ice cold when it's too hot to move, much less go inside the house to grab something from the fridge. After all, how are you supposed to ~chill~ with an outside-temp drink?!
A cooling mattress pad reviewers rave about because it's truly awful to get ready for bed and then lie there, unable to sleep because you're too hot. This'll set you up for sleep success.
A silk pillowcase that'll have a soothing, cooling effect. But! These'll stick around in your bedding mix during cold weather, too, because silk doesn't suck moisture from your hair and skin like cotton pillowcases do.
Or a specifically designed set of two cooling pillowcases made with Japanese cooling fibers to help absorb your body heat while you sleep.
A set of two cooling pillows that are hotel quality. I'm a hot sleeper and swear by these year-round. They're also INCREDIBLY comfy and supportive thanks to the gel fiber filling.
Or if you're feeling a bit splurgy, a cooling pillow filled with a super squishy foam that'll provide a super cool sleep surface for at least 12 hours.
Or a cervical pillow with breathable memory foam if you're a hot sleeper but need your head and neck cradled in a gentler way than a regular pillow. Also, it comes with an Arc-Chill pillowcase!
A set of cooling bed sheets that'll keep you from waking up all hot and sweaty. They feel super pricey but, thank goodness, aren't!
A temperature-regulating 100% cotton blanket can keep the air flowing while you dream about Pedro Pascal.
Sweat-wicking pajamas made of viscose and spandex because, well, those Old Navy PJ pants from middle school that are still kicking are perf for cold weather, but you need something more breathable during summer months. Oh, and the waist is elastic!
A cooling body spray as a welcome relief before bed or if you wake up in the middle of the night feeling toasty.
A handy dandy ice roller you can use as an early-morning treat to help your skin feel spectacular. But! Reviewers also note it's helped them minimize the look of pores, reduce redness and puffiness, and even provide some migraine relief.
An investment-worthy ChiliPad sleep system if you've long been in pursuit of something that'll keep you the exact same temperature all night — especially if you'd like to sleep a different temp than your bed partner.
A longline sports bra comparable to Lululemon you can honestly just wear as a top when it's one of those days where people talk about avoiding going outside. It's compressive (but not TOO compressive) and made of lightweight fabric. Skip the underwire bra and separate tank, and wear this to run errands instead.
Or a sleeveless tennis sundress in case you'd like to do zero math when getting dressed for the way-too-hot day. It has a romper inside so you're covered top and bottom.
A set of reusable rainbow poopy "water balloons," you can use over and over and over again. The sides are magnetized for quick and easy refilling! Sometimes you just need to throw water at each other for some mid-summer relief.