Summer Holiday: My Poolside Essentials

With my holiday a mere month away - and a day but who's counting - it's time to sort out my stuff and decide on what I'm actually going to take. And let me tell you, for someone who excessively over packs, this is a tough one. Amidst the different pairs of bikini (even though I will most likely stick to only wearing one), roughly ten very similar dresses (out of which 6 will return unused) and the many pairs of shoes (Havaianas will miraculously go with any outfit), I have to leave room for my poolside essentials. And I call these poolside essentials because I am much more of a pool kinda girl than a beach bunny. Don't get me wrong, I love exploring and finding new beaches but the mixture of being wet and sand doesn't appeal to me in the slightest so thank goodness for the swimming pool in the villa we rented out; if you need me I will be lazing around there in my pretty flamingo floater. Here's what I'm taking to make sunbathing time more fun and fashionable!

Let's start with this cute Primark Slogan Straw Hat which I picked up on sale for a tiny price of £2 - as if Primark wasn't cheap enough. I had seen this a few weeks before I bought it but when I went back for it, it was gone. And because I never give up, third time round did it and there it was, the last piece waiting for me! Slogan straw floppy hats are hugely popular this year and have become the staple holiday accessory, but these can come with a pretty hefty price tag especially for a hat so gotta love Primark for bringing trendy key pieces for a fraction of the price! 

Next up, my gorgeous Ray-Ban Round Metal Sunglasses (£125) which I hadn't realised before but everyone has! The round shape screams summer and even though I will be taking a few other pairs too (especially cheapy ones to go into the sea with), I can already see myself wearing this a whole bunch so expect lots of poolside selfies.

To keep cool and hydrated, this gorgeous bkr Holiday Water Bottle* (£25) will definitely come in handy and I have Farfetch to thank for it. bkr Holiday has a soft vacation green design which has been inspired by reading Vogue by the sea and paperbacks by the pool, which sounds exactly like what I will be doing! Expertly crafted with BPA and Phthalate free glass, this water bottle is designed with a non-spill opening for perfect sipping and an innovative cap for easy transportation. Holiday perfect am I right?! 

Speaking of reading, one can never really travel without a good book and the one I chose is the sequel to Me Before You, which I loved so I’m pretty excited to see what happens in After You (£7.99). Did you read the first one or see the movie? I’d love to know what you thought!

And because sun protection is a must when you're as pale as a ghost, SPF50 is what I will be sticking to. Vichy Ideal Soleil Mattifying Face Dry Touch SPF50+ (£16.50) has been my holiday go-to for about 3 years now and I can't fault it. Expert sun protection for normal-combination skin, high protection from UV rays and a mattifying effect against shine with a dry touch texture sounds perfect, and it is! 

Similarly, to protect my lips from being burned and chapped whilst on holiday and save me from having to wear lipstick to add a bit of colour, Dr Paw Paw Tinted Ultimate Red Multipurpose Balm (£6.95) is incredibly handy. It adds a natural glow to the cheeks and eyelids, is rich in antioxidants, minerals and also contains vitamins C and B to aid skin repair and add moisture.

Tell me, what are your beach holiday essentials? What do you think of mine?
Let me know below! Thanks for reading beauties and wishing us all a beautiful week ahead!

xoxo

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* Contains PR Samples. All opinions are my own (disclaimer here).