As the inaugural lazy summer weekend is upon us, collecting the essentials for our beach bag has become job one.  Don’t head to the beach without these indispensables:

Decleor AROMESSENCE SOLAIRE FACE – TAN ACTIVATOR SERUM

Worshipping the sun more than you should?  Guilty here.  We recommend a healthy dose of Decleor’s 100% pure serum to prepare skin, boosting its natural defenses with Chamomile and Geranium essential oils.  The fact that it prevents skin from aging, thanks to Argan Oil and Rose Essential Oil, and promotes an even and long lasting tan are bonuses.

Shu Uemura UV Armor High Protection Sun Protector Face Cream SPF 50 PA+++

SPF for the face and body are not mutually exclusive; both are critical to having the best protection, and we recommend investing in one made specifically for face as ingredients in all-over sunscreen may clog pores or trigger acne.

Sure it’s jam-packed with ingredients we cannot pronounce, but Shu Uemura’s Haute Protection features some key ingredients that stand out, even to an SPF novice:  Sea Water, Potassium, and Titanium Dioxide.  Sea Water replenishes our skin with minerals, whereas Potassium is splendid for regulating the amount of water in your body’s cells (no flaky post-sun skin); and Titanium Dioxide is a physical sunblock (vs. a chemical one) that reflects or scatter UV radiation before it reaches your skin. Pretty advanced, no?

Dr. Dennis Gross Powerful Sun Protection SPF 45 Cream

Dr. Gross’ Powerful Sun Protection is an effective, water-resistant SPF 45 sunscreen that is a high-performance oil-free (no clogged pores!) cream with powerful anti-aging and sunburn protection. With key ingredients like Blueberry Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Lycopene and Chelators--detoxifying compounds that protect skin from harmful environmental elements--this is a multi-tasker as it reduces inflammation, hydrates the skin, and shields against free radicals that can cause wrinkles and fine lines.  Just don’t forget to apply often; not using enough sunscreen is the one reason even the most prepared people burn.

NOTE: If you are carrying light, or low on reserves, this just might be an exception to having separate sunscreens for face and body.

Aveda Lipsaver

Lips don’t go overlooked when applying makeup; the same care should be extended at the beach.  That's why we love Aveda's SPF lip balm formulated to protect the delicate skin of your lips with antioxidants to combat harsh environmental factors.

Besides leaving your lips moisturized and feeling comfortable, Aveda’s lipsaver is delicious smelling – thanks to cinnamon leaf, clove & anise oils, a refreshing and fantastic way to shield those harmful UV rays.

Lanza Healing Style Beach Spray

Wind-blown hair slathered with the remnants of your sunscreen is not a good look.  Why not capture the chic appeal of a surfer girl with beach spray – it’s a bed-head look, others will only try to mimic.

Lanza’s unique formula contains nourishing ocean botanicals and fortifying sea minerals to give hair a healthy look. Features Keratin Healing System, color preservers, triple UV protectors, thermal guard, and rainforest botanicals.

Mustela Dermo-Soothing Wipes - Fragrance Free

Between the SPF, salt water, and sand castles, you become a sticky mess.  We trust wipes from the world-renowned baby brand, Mustela, to clean up everything from our face to our toes.  Gentle enough for a newborn, these wipes, enriched with aloe, can even help sooth the accidental sunburn spots.

Clinique After Sun Balm with aloe

Too much sun?  It happens to the best of us.  Be prepared with the ultimate after-sun cream to minimize redness and dryness, and take the “ouch” away.  No chance it helps with those ridiculous bathing suit lines, but you can at least comfort hot, over-exposed skin.

Memorial Day Weekend has us all excited not only because we can finally head to the beach, but also because it marks the start of bathing suits, flip flops, white pants, and of course beachy makeup.  Sun kissed skin pairs perfectly with tinted cheeks and sea blue eye makeup.  Check out some of our favorite products for getting the perfect beach looks to soak up the sun, stroll on the boardwalk or hit the bars with friends.

For the perfect peachy cheek, sweep on Chanel’s Joues Contraste Powder Blush in Malice, or blend Laura Mercier’s Illuminating Stick in Golden Rose Glow onto cheeks for a more sun-flushed look.

Try Chanel’s Le Crayon Yeux Precision Eye Definer in Blue Jean for a navy eye.  Wear alone for a subtle touch of beach glam, or create a blue smoky eye for a bolder statement that’s perfect for a night out.  A fun twist on the classic brown smoky eye, this look can easily be created by smudging the Blue Jean liner and applying Chanel’s Les 4 Ombres Quadra Eye Shadow in Lahgons.

For a brighter sea foam eye, try lining the bottom lid with Pupa’s Folk Waves Color Shine Eyeliner in teal, or Pupa’s Multiplay Triple Purpose Eye Liner in #32 for a more green color.  Finish off this vibrant look by adding some eyeshadow from Pupa’s 4 Eyes Palette Ombretti Multiuso in #1.  If you don’t have time (or don’t want to wear a full face of makeup to the beach), Pupa’s Jeans n’ Roses Satin Finish Baked Eyeshadow in #1 or #2 are perfect for adding a pop of color with ease.

It’s no secret that women (and men) will go to great – and sometimes strange – lengths to get gorgeous. From sanding off unwanted hair in ancient Babylonia to Arabian women of the past dipping their hair in camel urine for sleek and shiny locks, bizarre beauty products and treatments are nothing new. These are five of today’s craziest get pretty trends; most definitely not for the faint of heart.

Placenta Face Cream: Using either sheep or lamb placenta, the face cream is said to erase fine lines and wrinkles, improve elasticity, and bring back a youthful suppleness to skin. Also known as “living cell therapy,” the skin care product is nutrient rich and safe for sensitive skin – not sensitive stomachs.

Snake Massage: If you find yourself in Israel, in need of a massage, and possessing a little extra bravery, a snake massage might be just the thing you’re looking for. Heavy king and corn snakes slither up and down your body and over your face giving you a deep tissue massage. Don’t worry though, they are non-venomous.

Snail Slime Cream: Containing snails’ mucous secretion, this bizarre beauty product is said to be a miracle acne treatment, burn healer, and spot and scar fader. The gooey goodness is a glycolic acid and elastin powerhouse; perhaps that’s how French women stay so young?

The Geisha Facial: Don’t be fooled by the demure name of this wacky spa treatment. The Geisha Facial – aka the bird poop facial – uses powdered nightingale droppings for softer, brighter, more nourished skin. Sounds gross, but if it can give us the crystal clear complexion of a geisha, it may be worth it.

Bull Semen Hair Masque: Salons all over the globe are offering this deeply conditioning treatment claiming to leave hair soft and shiny. The bull semen is protein rich, non-greasy, and stored in the refrigerator. Looks like Cameron Diaz in Something About Mary knew what she was doing!

How far would you go to get lucious locks and a crystal clear complexion?