Last weekend me and Tim (the fiance) took a trip to Formby beach which is in between Liverpool and Southport on the west coast.
It was a lovely, warm, enjoyable day and so I thought I'd do a Bubblegarm-esqe type of post and show you what I took with me!

I love going to seaside - Southport and anywhere in Cornwall  being my most favourite destinations in the UK. But as Cornwall is hundreds of miles away we decided to take a trip to Southport and did a bit of shopping and then went to see Horrible Bosses (very funny film if you have a slightly sick sense of humour!). Then as planned and as it still so warm we went to Formby beach, which is 5 minutes down the coastal road and is so much nicer than Southport beach as the sea is really close and the sand is drier. Really lovely.  

So instead of taking my normal quite heavy bag I grabbed a nice red polka-dot beach bag that came free in a past issue of Red Magazine last year that I didn't mind getting sand all in. 

 Here are my beach essentials! 

hiohio
 
Calypso Deep Bronzing Oil SPF 30 £4.99/250ml (here)
Sunscreen is a huge deal to me as in the future I fully plan to look as good at Lisa Eldridge and also I do worry about the risk of skin cancer. However I cannot stand sticky white sun creams which is why I'm a big fan of using Calypso Dry Oil in SPF 30 as it is literally invisible and soak in within seconds! But I also recently discovered Calypso Deep Tan Bronzing Oil (which I bought from Bodycare) which is exactly the same as the dry oil but a tiny bit more moisturizing and also has a brown tint to it. There really is nothing 'deep tan' about it if I'm honest as I have applied it over tanned and pale skin and it doesn't add any more than a hint of colour really - so no streak marks or orange palms which is very glad of. Just a really fab product that is worth every penny and will last me 12 months due to it being an oil.

Avene Eau Thermal Water Spray £6.50/150ml (here) 
 I'm tempted to say this isn't such a needed product especially with the size of it. The smaller handbag size would of made more sense but I sadly don't have one. But this is so good for a number of things while out all day or at the beach. Firstly it is great for cooling down if it's really warm (which I know is a rare thing in the UK this year). It is also great to use on the hands before eating, as sand and food really don't mix! Ever had a crunchy SANDwich? It's like getting a bit of shell in an egg, nasty nasty! So the spray for that reason alone is great. Also just in case you do get sun burnt this will really help take the heat out.

I also take with me a zip pouch, the one below is by OPI to put smaller products in that I don't want to get sand all over.
hiohoi

Firstly I guess I should explain the KFC wet wipes haha! As I'm sure you have spotted them. Yes, I'm one of those sad people that collection little sachets of salt and pepper and also wipes whilst in KFC! But in my defense they are really handy for using to get all the sand off your feet before putting your shoes back on or getting in the car. I mean how compact are a few KFC wipes compared to a pack of face wipes!

Les Tai Tai Beau Bow Model Mirror £19.00 (here) 
My model mirror is still going strong and is actually as good as new, though I did ditch the white drawstring pouch that it came with as it got far too grubby too quickly. This surprisingly fits nice and snug in the OPI pouch and is really great for quick touch-ups on the beach. I swear the wind from the sea removes makeup as after a day at the beach my eye concealer seems to have disappeared and my mascara always smudges a bit.

Carmex Cherry Lip Balm SPF 15 £2.69 (here)
I've never really thought about getting my lips sun burnt before, that was until I started using the Cherry flavoured Carmex that contains SPF and now after being out in the sun all day my lips are never as dry or peely as they have been! Which makes me wonder if my extra dry lips on sunny days was actually sun burn. I can't say I love the flavour compared to the original Carmex pot but it really does the job and lasts quite a while on the lips.
 
Calvin Klein Eternity 5ml (part of mini set)
Ahhh I love this little perfume! Tiny in size but Eau de Parfum in strength so you only need a small amount. Buying miniature perfume for keeping in your bag or for the beach is such a great thing - Superdrug/Bodycare and of course eBay are my favourite places to find new ones.

I feel like I am rambling on now but I also have in there my trusty YSL Touche Eclat which is light enough to put over fading concealer as it is pretty light and doesn't look cakey. Though for the price and volume I have to admit I'm sure I could find something similar on the high street if I looked hard enough.
 
jojoj

Aside from beauty products I need to entertain myself at the beach with at least a good book, a magazine and music. Just started Eat Pray Love and quite liking it so far. On a side note does anyone else hate when books have the movie image on the front? I mean the book came before the film and was so popular that it was made into a film... anyways! 

I also make sure to carry my glasses in my Missoni hard case as 1. Glasses and sand don't mix 2. Contact lenses and sand 100% don't mix. Plus a pair of cheap sunglasses again actually a magazine freebie from last year that I don't mind getting a bit scratched in the bottom of my bag. 

So that it is... nothing too heavy or bulky but everything that I need!  
PS. Whilst at the beach Tim showed me a 'Mermaid's Purse' which I'd never even heard of! Here is an image of one... it is basically a case for dog fish eggs (or even sharks!) which looks like a scary shaped purse! 

You learn something new everyday, hey!