Aside from the obvious toothbrush, cleanser, and clean knickers, here are some of my holiday essentials for summer holidays:



Sun Screen
This one seems pretty obvious but with the amount of red skin spotted at the beach (some of it my own) I think it's worth the reminder. Being a member of the pale skin club, it can be tempting to lay out in the sun without sun screen. But without protection from the UV rays that golden glow is going to look a little more like a lobster peel.

Aloe Vera
For the times you do happen to get a little singed in the sun, aloe vera will quickly become your best friend. It's extremely cooling to the skin and penetrates to stop that horrible boiling feeling from the inside (ever notice how your burnt skin is hotter than your non-burnt skin? Yeah, it's literally still cooking from the inside).

Lip Balm
Preferably with an SPF. We sometimes forget about our lips in the sun but the skin is incredibly sensitive and we should protect it as much as we would our eyes, nose, and ears. Keeping them hydrated with a balm means they won't be dried out, sore, or peel from the sun so on those post-beach evenings you

Nail File 
Because you may be perfectly groomed in preparation for the trip but there's no telling when you're going to break, crack, or chip a nail and it's better to be prepared. Nobody wants to be nursing a hangnail on holiday (you can quote me on that). It comes in handy more than you think and takes up hardly any room in your luggage.

Kimono
These floaty numbers have made quite the come back this summer and they're perfect to protect you from the sun at the beach or as a light cover-up walking from beach into town. I love a good multi-use piece and I've been using my kimono as a beach cover-up, breakfast robe, or a way to dress up or down any outfit.

Can you add anything to my holiday essentials list?