YOU COULD DO WITHOUT
But why would you want to? In celebration of the beginning of July and the start of our summer (I think), here is this girl’s list of Top Ten Essential Summer Items that no girl should be without. So without further adieu, they are…
10. Goody has been making high quality hair accessories and tools for over 100 years now, but I firmly believe that they hit hair gold when the company first came out with their Ouchless products. Doing away with tangling metal closures has been a godsend for tresses, and I personally adore the thin, double-sided headbands from the Ouchless collection. They’re particularly great for keep bangs out of your face on hot and bothersome days (or nights).
9. It’s no secret that a perfect pedicure is key for sandal season, and while fantastic toe colour isn’t the most important part of a pedi, it is certainly the most noticeable. OPI has a range of colours larger than any rainbow with tags that are ridiculously adorable. I have been known, in fact, to pick a colour based solely on the name. Not only that, it goes on better than any nail polish I’ve ever used. Quality is never something to be overlooked, and OPI does a great job at avoiding turning to gunk. Brights are big for summertime; my two faves are this year’s “Purple With A Purpose” and my old faithful, “My Chiahuahua Bites!”
8. Being that it’s summertime, and most of us will naturally start sporting a healthy glow in no time at all, make-up can (and should) be kept to a bare minimum. Who wants to feel a caked-on face in 30 degree heat anyways? One item that should not be overlooked is lip care. And while I love that wind/sunburned feel of my lips after a day of snowboarding, the tissue on your kissers is highly sensitive and prone to burning. MAC’s Tinted Lip Conditioner not only tastes as sweet at my favourite Easter treat, it also sports an admirable SPF level of 15. Who knew?
7. Sometimes a day at the beach is all a girl really needs to get a decent, all-over exfoliation. And sometimes, such as on days like today, the beach really isn’t an option. When that’s the case, it’s necessary to have a great body scrub on hand to ensure that your skin stays soft and smooth. I’ve been using 100% Pure’s chocolate mocha body scrub since last year and it’s true love. The scrub itself is comprised of actual coffee grounds, so it has the potential to make a bit of a mess in the shower. However, it’s organic and smells like heaven so you’ll hear no complaints from me. Find this little gem at Kiss and Makeup in West Vancouver.
6. Ahhh summer…sun, heat and humidity: your hair’s three worst enemies. Okay, well maybe not the sun because that freshly-kissed bleaching the sun shares gives you killer surfer girl tresses. The other two, however, are another story. Luckily my hair is naturally straight, so I’ve never much had to fight the humidity, but I know it’s something that many, many girls struggle with. And even so, straight hair has a tendency to sprout flyaways that are more that irritating to tame. To no surprise, it’s Bumble and bumble. to the rescue. Their Defrizz serum lives up to it’s name and does just that: defrizzes. Those unruly frizzes are a thing of the past, and the serum can be smoothed over the length of your hair to create an incomparable softness.
5. As I’ve gotten older, I’m amazed at all the changes under which my body has gone. Some products that have always worked for me are no longer of any use, mainstream deodorants being one of them. The overwhelming fragrance lines combined with white goo are two things my body just can’t deal with anymore. Who really wants their underarms to smell like honey, coconut or gardenia anyways? A friend recently introduced me to The Crystal, a deodorant made entirely of mineral salts and water. While this product may not be great for those who have actual sweating issues - as The Crystal only protects against odour - it’s fantastic for those who want everyday protection. I’m amazed at the fact that I simply don’t smell - not even a tiny bit. And a little spritz of water and minerals under the arm is much safer than the chemical goo that we tend to slap under there.
4. This cream is MY LIFE. While I would like to stick it at the top of my list (being that it’s the highest-ranked hair product on my list), it’s not the most crucial overall summer item. It is, however, a crucial overall summer item. As I mentioned above, the summer months can bring excessive damage to your mane, so a little bit of extra TLC should definitely be encouraged. Bumble and bumble. recently stocked this new item in salon shelves and the Creme De Coco Masque is being snapped up left and right. Combine the luscious scents of coconuts, chocolate, vanilla and sunshine and mix them with the most ultimate and softest conditioner you will ever experience, and you’ve got a winning product. Enough said.
3. More important than picking a fabulous colour with which to decorate your little piggies is a a fantastic foot cream that you can slather on twice a day. On my recent trip to the Kingfisher Spa, my heels were treated to the Gehwol experience - a German line of footcare derived from nature. I brought home with me their “Fusskraft Red Light” cream, which combines rosemary, pine and lavender extracts with a bit of cayenne pepper. Weird? Yes. Delightful? Yes. It isn’t, however, the only foot cream I use. Each summer at the Comox Valley’s Filberg Festival, I make sure to stop by the Cascadia Soaps booth to pick up their Shea Butter Salve, made locally in White Rock. While it’s excellent for your tender tootsies, I’ve also found it’s phenomenal to use in the bikini area to soothe and smooth.
2. So after toe colour and foot cream, surely you must be asking yourself what I deem to be the most important foot product? Okay, maybe not, but I’ll tell you anyways. At the spa, I also picked up Gehwol’s Swiss-made wooden foot file. Why I never had this foot file before it beyond me. I promptly threw out my Cover Girl foot file and will now use only this tool. I had lunch with Becky the other day and showed her my feet. Her reaction: “Wow…um, you have, like, no calluses.” It’s true, ladies. And gents, your feet should never be neglected. My secret? After your evening shower or soak, slather obscene amounts of Vaseline on your feet, wrap them tightly with cling wrap and pull some socks on. Wait about 30 minutes and prepare to be amazed.
1. Come on - are you really that surprised at my number one essential? While I enjoy rockin’ a healthy glow as much as the next girl, I am somewhat opposed to the idea of having skin comparable to Calamity Jane’s leather chaps when I’m 40. No one can resist the scent of summery coconut, and Hawaiian Tropic’s full line of skin care and sunblock provides that luscious beach-infused scent we’ve all come to love. A protection level of SPF 15 should be your minimum for days playing in the sun. And remember: wearing sunblock doesn’t mean that you won’t burn - it just means you can play a little longer. For example, if you’ll burn after 15 minutes, you can expect to turn pink after 150 minutes if you slather on SPF 10. See? Science is simple. Hmmm…or maybe I mean math.
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9 Comments
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Um, where can I get that Crystal deodorant?
Crystal deodorant is amazing. Look for it pretty much anywhere - it’s at Shopper’s Drug Mart at the very bottom of the deodorant shelf. Avoid the roll-on and rock and grab the spray. It’s your best bet.
So THAT’S why the vaseline and cling wrap are in your bathroom. I was wondering…
I’ve been rockin’ the Crystal deodrant for close to 10 years. It never lets me down.
On another note, I MUST try some B & b….and the creme de coco look like a good way to start!
On a more serious note, last weekend when I was in Tofino, I applied SPF 45 on twice in the 3 hours that I was in the sun and still got a sunburn!
I was SO close to buying that Bumble and Bumble Defrizz stuff last night because i definitely NEED it, but I couldn’t justify spending that much on that tiny little bottle.
Oh well I guess I will just keep piling on the hairspray.
Keep in mind, Kate, that you’d only be using a miniscule amount, so a 4oz. bottle will probably last you the better part of a year. Breaking that down, you’re looking at less than $2-3/month.
I always love to try out new products and having you try them out first is great. There are a couple of products on your list I would like to try. I am already loyal to OPI…the deodrant and foot file look interesting.
Oh that looks so much nicer than the PedEgg!