43 Summer Essentials For Your Bag

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01-06-2025

A reusable sand eraser that'll easily dust off all that stuff stuck to you when you're finally being dragged away from the beach. Now you won't have to worry about making your car (or shower) feel like a sandbox and deal with an uncomfortable journey home.
A set of limited edition wildflower Band-Aids so you can cover up all kinds of scratches from "exploring" in the woods behind your house with your toddler. Though, it was full of more sticks than wildflowers. This'll be a cute solution!
And a pack of Dr. Frederick's Original Better Blister Bandages made with hydrocolloid to not only avoid rubbing existing blisters, but also to help heal them.
A tinted lip balm you'd SWEAR is Clinique's $25 "Almost Lipstick" Black Honey for the lovely, sophisticated hue it'll turn your lips. This is great for people who 1) always want a little lip color, 2) hate a sticky feel, and 3) love a bargain. Sometimes you just need a liiiiiitle something besides your trusty ChapStick to keep you from feeling like a zombie!
A Creamy Coconut fragrance rollerball that'll capture the $25 Sol de Janeiro fragrance in those moments on the go when you realize that your perfume has worn off and you're starting to smell yourself.
Lanolips SPF 30 lip balm for a nice, light, pineapple-y treat so you don't get back inside after a picnic and start wondering why your lips feel so tight. Your lips needs sunscreen too! But with this, it doesn't taste like you're wearing sunscreen.
A "boardwalk"-scented spray SPF 30 in case you find yourself on an actual boardwalk during a go-with-the-flow Saturday...or just sipping some wine on a patio where you're DEF in direct sunlight. Oh, and it's in a vegan, water-resistant formula made to protect you for 80 minutes.
Or if you prefer a cream, Neutrogena Dry-Touch SPF 70 Sunscreen because sunscreen is ALWAYS a good idea and this formula is designed to be matte and quick-absorbing. Plus, it's fine for your face and body!
Laneige's Neo Blurring Powder that'll stop shine in its tracks without having to dip into a coffee shop bathroom to touch up your makeup. It walks that fine (perfect) line of blurring and keeping you matter without making you look dull. 'Tis the season for your skin to come out of its dry cave and it's always a bit tough to find that perfect in-between!
A Briotech spray can 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 you could buy in multiples for each bag.
A SPF 50 Airy Sunstick Smoothing Bar for a K-beauty sun fix you can safely throw in your bag and then reapply on the go. It has a slightly curved bar for easier application (like in the GIF!) and matte effect, and won't leave a white cast in its wake.
A Revlon volcanic stone face roller to remove oil and shine from your face. And unlike oil-blotting sheets, the ball can be popped out and washed so you can use this over and over and over again.
A stick of Gold Bond Friction Defense can stop chafing caused by sweat before it even starts. It's sooo good and better than any other competitor in the thigh-saving category. Toss this in your bag and apply before you go on that long, lovely beach stroll.
Lumify Eye Drops beloved by the masses who've tried other redness-reducing eye drops before. Yes, these are a bit pricier than other versions. But reviewers say it's totally worth it! Oh, and don't forget that it's also made to help relieve dry eyes.
Dae's Hair Cactus Fruit 3-In-1 Styling Cream & Taming Wand for when you realize in the work bathroom (under HARSH lighting) that your ponytail isn't nearly as slicked-back as you previously thought when you left the house. This lil' guy can help you zero in on flyaways and smooth frizzy spots. (OK, I'm talking about myself here.)
A bug bite suction tool that'll help you out with existing bites to remove the irritating venom, and help reduce itchiness, pain, and swollenness. Plus it works on other insect stings. Think about all the scratching you could've saved yourself!
A bag Liquid I.V. electrolyte drink mix that I can attest actually does capture that nostalgic, sweet flavor of a firecracker popsicle you always got at the gas station or ice cream truck! Keep one of these handy if you've hit a mid-afternoon slump and realize you've barely had any water today. Pop one of these into a glass of water to help feel hydrated, especially because your neighbor just texted asking if you wanna drink wine on her deck later.
A rechargeable handheld fan for hot times spent outside your car's AC — it might just make you think about all those times you said "I wish I had a fan." Well now you will. Just be prepared to buy one for each kid.
A *foldable* wide-brim hat for helping you keep the sun off of your face, make your outfits look even cuter, and easily fit in your bag without crushing it. Sometimes you realize you need a hat later in the day!
ONE/SIZE by Patrick Starr 'Til Dawn Mattifying Waterproof Setting Spray if you have a lot of requirements for your made-up look. Like, you wanna actually dip in the pool but stay looking matte while you lounge poolside beforehand. Psst, it comes in a mini size perfect for your bag!
A set of DEET-free handy mosquito-repelling bracelets in case the thought of putting something else on your skin besides SPF (like smelly bug repellent) sounds like a total nightmare.
A set of sunscreen reminder stickers to pair with your body sunscreen so there's someone besides you and your pal who're wading in the waves to remind you that, uh, yes, you do need to reapply! Oh and they last for 12 hours. Once a sticker turns colors, it's time to reapply.
An I Dew Care "Tap Secret" mattifying powder shampoo that'll tackle greasy roots without the aerosol formula. AND it comes in six colors, so if white dry shampoo has never quite worked for you, this is worth a shot.
A Hairbrella can easily fold up and be ready for those days when you look like you have GREAT weather. Then, all of a sudden the sky opens up and starts pouring, ruining your perfect hair day.
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 pair of retro-style oval sunglasses your nemesis might mistake for the $400+ Miu Miu ones, which is fine. Let 'em think that and put that extra cash toward whatever else you want.
A set of Sea Bands with a little nub that targets the acupressure point on your wrists meant to help reduce nausea. This'll be especially great on car rides, boat rides, or in the chance that you got a little too adventurous with your brunch order last night and a wave of nausea hits you mid-afternoon.
A 40-pack of zero-sugar Margaritaville drink mix packets you can simply add to water solo OR used to make an impromptu margarita with water and tequila when your fave neighbor drops by your picnic with some good gossip about the HOA president. Spill!
A dog water bottle for your paw-tner in crime, because while you two are out running some errands you're going by the park anyway. You might as well stop for a short stroll. Plus, it comes with a bowl that snaps onto the bottom!
A 10 x 9-foot sand-free beach blanket made so sand will roll right off of it. Plus it's big enough to help you lay claim to a good amount of beach space for you and your pals (up to seven adults)! It packs up pretty small so it's a great bet even if you have to ride public transportation to get to the beach (i.e. ME). You're gonna love it for park days too.
A compact eight-compartment pill organizer so you'll have space for all the emergency allergy pills and pain killers when last night's happy hour(s) of white wine on a patio is rearing its ugly head on a Wednesday morning at your email job.
Some Bunzee Bands are made for Afro puffs, locs, dreads, and thick ponytails to help keep your hair off your neck now that it's no-jacket weather. They're super strong and built to last up to two years (that's a really long time for a hair tie), but they won't harm or painfully pull your hair. Plus, the adjustable bands mean that they'll stay put. It's never a bad idea to keep an extra hair band (or four) in your bag!
A pack of Melissa & Doug Reusable Water-Reveal Activity Pads with pens that you can fill with water and then be used to "color" in the pads over and over again. No more worrying about messy crayons or markers while your kid needs something to do on the go that won't make a huge mess.
A quirky Sasquatch 12-in-1 multitool that'll lend a hand (and Big Foot) the next time you need to pop open a bottle.
A UV-protective mini umbrella for all those random seasonal showers and beyond. It fits into a compact carrying case so it won't feel like a thing to carry it around with you.
A scented bag dispenser that'll easily clip onto your diaper bag so you can more easily dispose of stinky diapers. They have baking soda and a lavender scent to help with the odor situation.
A JBL portable speaker that's both waterproof *and* dust-proof to clip onto your beach or camping chair in case whatever you're doing needs a background beat.
A set of waterproof "wet bags" that'll fold up SO tiny but will be a HUGE help in case you decide to take a dip a the beach, get caught in a rainstorm, or just need to transport wet clothes home for a number of possible reasons.
A waterproof pouch for those moments when your pal has the great idea to rent some paddle boats at the park, but said friend ALSO loves to splash for fun. Slip your phone into this pouch to keep it nice and dry.
A Java Sock in case you thrive on iced coffee and are barely without one while you're on the go. BUT hate condensation. Keep one of these in your bag and, according to reviewers, it'll keep your coffee cold and paws dry for hours.
A travel urinal any parents with a potty-training will appreciate out and about when everyone has to use a "strange" bathroom.
Or a Frida Baby fold-and-go potty seat so when your toddler's gotta go in a public bathroom, it's a lot less you've gotta think about.
A Neutrogena makeup eraser stick that'll let you do a quick touch-up when you realize that your "waterproof" mascara is starting to slide a bit down your face in the heat.