Maxi - Hawaii Outfit 4 & Beach Vacation Essentials

 Dress: Brand & Label 'Mesh Sweetheart Maxi' via Tobi (get %50 off first order when you join!) 

Almost identical version - 'In Lace and Love' Maxi via August Wrinkle

Necklace: Jewelmint 'Flores Collar'

Shoes: DV by Dolce Vita 'Onya'

 More wonderful photos from Hawaii taken on my visit almost 2 MONTHS ago. Better late than never right?? Oh, and I still have an outfit or two left to share...oops! I purchased this amazing maxi dress for the sole purpose of taking it on vacation. The dress ended up being more than I hoped for as it was very light and airy. I love that the lace is breezy and not stiff or itchy and that I can easily go braless (one of the main reasons I embrace my tiny boobs), so as not to distract from the gorgeous back. I will definitely be wearing this dress a lot this summer! I paired it with a pretty neon necklace and my absolute favoriteeee DV by Dolce Vita flatfoms. These are my summer staple. These shoes are amazing and I promise that you will see them a lot...I mean, I practically wore them every day last summer, so I just expect it will be the same this year!

Beach Vacation Essentials

 Pardon the horrible iPhone pictures, but I thought I would snap & share my beach vacation essentials. There are some things I cannot leave without. 

 In my beach bag, I always carry a pouch of some sort, to keep all of the smaller items from rolling around in my bag. The pouch typically holds...

1. Sunscreen: I really like the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch. It's not greasy and is great for my face and my nose, which is ALWAYS the first thing to get sunburned. 

2. Chapstick: Chapstick with an SPF is a must for any outdoor activity, but especially on vacation where the sun is intense. My favorite is Blistex, which has a SPF of 15. I have at least 10 of these lying around, but when I need one I can NEVER find it. Don't you hate when that happens?

3. Hairbands: Just like the chapstick issue, I have a million hairbands but can never find one when I need one. Solution? I bought a handy metal ring, typically used to hold note cards together, and now I always know where they are. I always carry a million of these in my beach bag as I always need one, but hate when they get stretched out. I know...first world problems, right?

4. Giant Comb: Swimming always leaves my hair ridiculously tangled. To prevent having a giant knot all day, I pack a giant comb. I prefer brushing my hair with a comb as it hurts less and it is better on your hair! True story. 

5. Cheap Sunglasses: The beauty of cheap sunglasses? They are easily replaceable. Thats why I always grab a cute pair that cost under $12 that I can throw around and not worry about getting them scratched up or sitting on them (yes, this actually happens quite often in my life). 

 Packing makeup for a beach get away is typically pretty easy for me. I'm not a big makeup girl anyways, sticking to bare minerals and blush, and when I have a little tan on my face, I wear even less.

1. Moisturizer: Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer is my all time favorite. I slather this stuff on my face morning and night. I started using this stuff faithfully about 2 years ago and since then have noticed a huge difference in my face. This stuff has been a miracle worker, and it has SPF 15. Perfect for every day wear.

2. Body Butter: Strawberry Body Butter from The Body Shop is amazing. The scent is seriously the best thing everrrrrrrrr. Plus, after spending the day in sand and salt water, it's the perfect after shower treat.

3. Dry Shampoo: Dry shampoo is the perfect hair pick me up. When my hair needs a little something extra towards the end of the day or mornings when I skip the washing, this stuff is a life saver. I've tried a few brands from the local drug store, and Suave Dry Shampoo is typically what I stick with. At such a cheap price, it seems to do the trick, although I am in the process of looking for one that smells a little better...suggestions?

4. Mascara: If I decide to let the face go naked, the one thing I usually put on is a little mascara. My favorite at the moment? Covergirl Lash Blast Length, waterproof of course. I really like the brush and love that it doesn't get super smeary towards the end of the day. 

 LIPS! 

1. Smith's Rosebud Salve: All time favorite. Love the smell, love the feel, love the packaging. I'm really just obsessed.

2. Baby Lips: Baby lips are my newest love. A little pop of color is always nice, especially with a tan. For those of you, like me, who are a little nervous about going bold with your lips, this is a nice way to give your lips the tiniest hint of color and moisturize at the same time. Plus, they smell AMAZING! My two current favorites are "Coral Crush" and "Cherry Me". 

3. Blistex: You already know:)

I read a lot. It's one of my all time favorite things, ever. Yes, I'm slightly nerdy. I read just about anything, but really love young adult books. Maybe it has something to do with my profession (elementary teacher), or maybe it's just a love for all things fluffy and happily-ever-after. It's a guilty pleasure. Don't judge. Anyways, I have a Kindle, but beach reading is not very Kindle friendly, at least in my opinion. Seriously guys, sand gets everywhere. So, even though I packed my Kindle, I also lugged 4 books (3 of which I read), to read on the beach. My choices...

1. My Life Next Door - Huntley Fitzpatrick 

2. Beautiful Disaster - Jamie McGuire (NOT YA)

3. Lola and the Boy Next Door - Stephanie Perkins

These are some of my beach vacation MUST haves. What are some of yours?