It's gonna be MAY!

Can you believe it's May? Wasn't it just September... and Forrest's birthday... and Halloween... like a few weeks ago? Man, time flies.

Summer is approaching at an astonishing rate and that means it is time to talk about beauty essentials. Everyone has their own ideas of what they like during the summer, but when it comes to the basics, I stand by my 3 choices: sunscreen, a summery nail polish, and a boss body cream. Here's why.

1. Sunscreen

I sunburn in a matter of about 10 minutes. I still have sunburn lines on my legs from when I was pregnant. Yeah, that's a solid two years ago. Yikes. Hi skin damage! I don't leave the house without sunscreen: even on cloudy days, even when I'm not planning to be outside, and especially when I do plan to be hanging outside. Reminder: you should use an entire bottle of sunscreen if you are outside for more than 6 hours, reapplying every 45-60 minutes. I know, but most sunscreens do not last past 60 minutes, with 80 minutes being the highest threshold. Here are my top choices:

Clinique Virtu-oil Body Mist Broad Spectrum SPF 30: spray sunscreens are a true gift because they are easy to apply and reapply. This mist is also paraben free and goes on smoothly. It also provides a "cooling sensation," so if you're already a little bit burnt from earlier sun exposure, it will sooth those burns as well as protect.
Beautycounter Protect Stick Sunscreen: BeautyCounter is famous for their organic products that are free from "toxic ingredients." This sunscreen stick is kid friendly and super easy to apply. It's basically a deodorant stick. It smells extremely good, especially the limited edition scent "Sweet Tooth."
Sun Bum SPF 50: This is the highest SPF sunscreen I have here. I usually do not wear under 50 SPF (except on my face for daily wear) and Sun Bum is the brand I pretty much always turn to. Their sunscreen is hypoallergenic, cruelty free, and water resistant. For $14.99 for a bottle at Target, it's also the cheapest & most accessible.
Fresh Sugar Sport Treatment Sunscreen SPF 30: This is another stick sunscreen and here's why I love it: it smells seriously amazing and it's formulated to actually go on your eyelids. Most sunscreens are not safe around the eyes (not even BeautyCounter's), but this stick from Fresh is. I've gotten sunburns on my eye lids before and let me tell you: no bueno. The only downside is that this sunscreen is a little on the oily side, but if you're outside in the sun, sweating and having fun, you're going to be sweating--sorry, I mean, "glistening"--anyway.

2. Nail Polish

Nothing like a new summer nail polish to be your "signature color." I stopped wearing nail polish for the last few months, except for a few occasional applications that totally wrecked my nails. However, I still have a few favorites on my list this year.

Essie in Madison Ave-Hue: I love a bright pink and this one is perfect for the summer. It's an electric jelly polish that goes perfect with the trendy, muted summer looks this year.
OPI Nail Lacquer in A Great Opera-Tunity: I love a nude polish and this one is honestly so pretty. I would describe it as a coral-nude with a slight metallic sheen (like a lot of OPI polishes). It's perfect for all those summer events (weddings, barbecues, pool parties, great Instagram photos...)
Nails Inc in Boho Notting Hill: this glitter topper literally makes me want to drop everything and go buy it immediately. I have a few Nails Inc glitters and they are so pretty. I love that this one looks like splatter paint: artsy, bright, and summery.

3. Body Lotion

"Body lotion, Michelle?" you're probably thinking. Yes, girl, body lotion. Pools, oceans, sprinklers, sun screen, potential sun damage, drinking, barbecues... all that summer action can leave you with dry skin, especially if you get sunburned or spend a lot of time in a pool. There's nothing like a nice refreshing body lotion at the end of the day to keep you looking fly. These are my favorites.

It's Skin Mini Bebe Hand Cream: I've grown increasingly obsessed with Korean beauty products and this hand cream is one of them. Firstly, it's so cute. Look at it. Secondly, it is the perfect hand cream to keep in your purse or beside your bedside table. It's thick and moisturizing without being heavy or greasy. Also, it comes in amazing scenes; my favorites are Lime and Vanilla Cotton.
Lush Charity Pot Body Lotion: I resisted Lush for a long time because I am not totally sold on bath bombs (so much glitter everywhere). However, this body lotion is so good, it makes up for it. With the scent of rosewood oil and ylang ylang, it's pretty mild, but it gets the job done. Also, I love tubs of body lotion; it just feels a little bit more effective, right?
Kiehl's Crème de Corps Soy Milk & Honey Body Polish: Ok, I lied a little bit. This is a body polish; however, it does moisturize as it exfoliates. In the summer, you can build up a lot of product (sunscreen, chlorine, salt water, body lotion, bronzer, etc.) on your skin, which can lead to dullness, dryness, and red spots. This polish is perfect for getting a fresh start once a week. Then apply some of that Lush Charity Pot and call it a night.