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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at HPU chapter.

I recently went to the beach a few weeks ago and I found myself carrying a large bag with a bunch of things, but for good reason. Here are my seven beach must-haves that I NEED to make my beach day more enjoyable.

Sunblock

I cannot stress this enough! I am not easily prone to getting sunburned but it is crucial to wear sunblock. I suggest SPF-50 for your body and I really love SunBum because it is not sticky, does not leave that white cast, and smells like bananas! For your face, I like any sunblock that is SPF-50 and above, the one that I have been using recently is Peter Thomas Roth’s Max Sheer All Day Moisture Defense Lotion. It is so lightweight and it does not break me out.

Water

Tanning, playing beach volleyball, and swimming can leave you parched and it is so important to hydrate at the beach to avoid getting dehydrated. I bring my Hydroflask to keep my water cold all day. If you don’t have one, I suggest you get one! You will never go back to bottled water, and you are helping the earth by reducing your plastic usage.

Beach blanket and towel

I always bring a beach blanket and a towel to the beach. I like to use my beach blanket to tan and my towel to dry myself off from swimming. Although this may seem like a lot, you will thank me when you don’t wipe your body off with the same sandy towel you used to tan on.

A bottle of cheap conditioner

Before leaving the beach, I like to rinse off in the showers and use Suave’s coconut conditioner to soak my hair in to get rid of any sand and tangles. Don’t be scared to soak your whole head in conditioner! You will thank me later when you get home and you don’t spend an hour combing through that rat nest on your head. P.S. you don’t need to get the coconut scent, it just smells awesome!

Sunnies

Don’t forget your sunnies! I suggest getting a cheap pair so you can swim with them on without having to worry about them getting too damaged.

Snacks/meals

Bring a bunch of snacks! I really enjoy bringing a small cooler with mixed fruit, hot Cheetos, and a poke bowl. If you don’t know what a poke bowl is, you need to go to your nearest Foodland and GET. ONE. I usually like to stay at the beach for five plus hours so having multiple snacks and a meal will keep me happy and full and make the beach day that much better.

Speakers

These are a major must-have if you are having a beach barbecue or hanging out with a bunch of friends. It keeps the good vibes flowing and gets everyone pumped up! Any speaker will do, just have a fire playlist and you are all set!

These are my seven beach must-haves, these are not obnoxiously large items but just small things that can make your beach experience great!

Mariah is 21-years-old senior at Hawaii Pacific University, majoring in Mass Communication concentrating in Advertising and Public Relations and minoring Marketing. On her free time, she likes to join extra-curricular activities at HPU, go to the beach, and hang out with her friends and family.
Amanda is a senior at HPU working towards her degrees in mass communication and integrated multimedia. She loves all things related to design, photography, and journalism. Her dream is to move back to the big apple and work for Cosmopolitan magazine. When not sipping on Starbucks while studying, you can find her doing crossfit or diving.