Top Five Summer Beach Essentials

Summer is practically here, and that means one thing: vacation time!

You already know how to pack for your vacation, but before you go, make sure these yummy beach essentials are in your bag to ensure a fashionable and stylish time away.

Top Five Beach Essentials:

1. Carmex Moisture Plus Lip Balm (With SPF 15): This is my go-to lip gloss for the summer. It's cute, sleek, and provides the SPF protection I need for my lips. Lip balm with an SPF is essential! It's super moisturizing, and leaves my lips soft while adding a hint of shine. It's also a great primer before putting on your lipstick. (Wait, I'm not the only one who wears lipstick to the beach, right?) This lip balm is available at drugstores like Shoppers Drug Mart across the country for under $5.00.

2. Beach Hat: I love wearing hats, espeically in the summer. I just picked up a new fedora for only $50.00 from Holt Renfrew. I've noticed some amazing beach hats at Bikini Village and Gap (love the yellow ombre floppy hat for $29.95) that would look great on anyone!

3. Sunnies: I love sunglasses—they're my all-time favourite accessory that can be worn no matter the season, especially during the sunny summer months. I tend to splurge when it comes to sunglasses because I will wear my favourite pair year after year. I have two pairs of Chanel sunnies that I wear all the time. I'm very classic when it comes to sunglasses, but I totally love these bright sunglasses by Kate Spade. They're available at Holt Renfrew for $165.00.

4. Tote bag: Of course you'll need the perfect bag to carry all your things in, right? Book, iphone, sunscreen, sunnies... and of course, all the essentials your children will need, too! Here are some tote bags I love right now that are perfect for your summer vacation:

5. Cover Up: Ladies, you must know by now... unless you're five years old or younger, you should always wear some sort of a cover-up over your bikini or bathing suit when you're not in the water or lounging by the pool (wearing sunscreen, of course, preferably in the shade!) It is classy, and I promise, you'll still look fabulous. The best cover-ups (in my opinion) are from Bikini Village, and they're very reasonably priced—and on sale right now, for only $12.00. These sarongs can be worn short or long, and you can get creative and wear it like a dress over your swim wear, too. They come in many different colours—red, orange, white, black, and blue.

Here's a picture of the white one I wore a few years back, that I still use today. (My mom is beside me!)

I also love stocking up on cute dresses from Old Navy and wearing them as cover-ups. Here are some I love that double as beach cover-ups, for only $15.00. You can totally wear these on their own, too!