Fourth of July survival guide

Sharing Fourth of July plans with friends, there seems to be a consensus that a beach day is in order, with a barbeque to follow, of course. :) So in order to prepare you for what I imagine to be a boozy and party-filled long day, here are some essentials to get you through it with ease!

play nice, sun, play nice. Use Kiehls (personal fave)

Planning a jaunt to the beach? Be sure to wear sun protection! This time of year the sun is brutal. Plus, if you plan on drinking, the alcohol content will likely dehydrate your skin, more likely to cause premature aging. So protect yo'self before you wreck yo'self! Also, to keep yourself extra hydrated and cool, pack a spray bottle like this one and fill it with ice water. This will help keep you quenched, deterring from any hazy naps that might lead to a farmers tan. 

Another beach beauty tip: if you're anything like me, you usually wear a bit of makeup to the beach (sorry, I'd like to be au natural, but it's not going to happen this late in the game.) If I go for a dip, I almost immediately use Simple Skincare cleansing wipes to take off any makeup residuals (especially drippy mascara!) I live for this stuff. You should too. 

Alas, you're back from the beach and your first instinct is to nose dive into bed! The sun is pretty draining. But chances are your day isn't over yet since you probably won't want to miss some awe-inducing fireworks, right? So before you take a snoozy nap, take a rinse and douse your hair with this leave-in conditioner by No-Frizz. Post nap, when your hair is on the dry side, use Sacha Juan Ocean Mist to give you that irresistible beach bombshell look. A little Benefit lip tint to give your pucker a kissable look and you're out the door! 

If you have yet to crossover to the dark side of Instagram and like keeping it old school with actual printed photos, use the Diana + Dreamer Lomography camera to give you that vintage look. When you send your photos to print, you'll be surprised at what you captured. The bonus is not resorting to social media and feeling more present. :)

Every year, without fail, I am constantly running around the city trying to find a "better view" of the fireworks. In order not to suffer achy feet, I plan on getting these appropriately named Boardwalk Sandals from Madewell.

I'm sure there are plenty of tips I've missed. Feel free to share yours! And in case you're wondering, we'll have a post tomorrow devoted to Fourth of July drinks + food! So stay tuned. :)