Planning for a trip to the beach?  A sexy summer drive in the convertible with the top down? Make sure you don’t leave home without these beach beauty essentials!  They’re not just your run-of-the-mill products ~ not only do they smell good and feel great on your skin, they really, really work!

By Beth Franklin

Alba Unpetroleum SPF 18 Lip Balms ($2.49) are plant powered lip balms containing healing vitamin E, moisture-rich olive and jojoba oils and natural waxes to sooth, protect and soften lips. Keeping your lips hydrated is always important, especially when you’re baking in the sun!  Available at Whole Foods, Wild Oats, CVS, Target, AlbaBotanica.com

Aubrey Organics Treat ‘Em Right Lip Balms ($2.95) are made Aubrey Organics’ own Rosa Mosqueta Oil (known for its healing and moisturizing properties), organic beeswax, organic coconut, olive, jojoba and hemp oils, and of course vitamin E.  The flavors are so yummy you just HAVE to kiss someone when you have them on! Available at health food stores nationwide

Aubrey Organics Natural Sun Green Tea Sunscreen SPF 25 ($8.50) is perfect for children and adults with sun-sensitive skin. It’s a powerhouse herbal sunscreen that’s packed with antioxidants and emollients. Available at health food stores nationwide

Aubrey Organics Natural Sun for Active Lifestyles SPF 25 ($8.50) is a hardworking sunscreen made for swimmers, boaters and other outdoor enthusiasts that offers full UVA/UVB protection and keeps skin smooth and well-hydrated for hours.  Available at health food stores nationwide

Sweating under the sun can leave you feeling uncomfortable and smelling, well, less than great!  Pack up your bag with one of 4 different scents of Avalon Organics Deodorant Spray ($8.95) and you can stay fresh even after a few hours under the sun. (This is my absolute fave new product ~ I love the Grapefruit and Geranium, it smells so yummy, like sweet grapefruit, and is SO refreshing…definitely give it a try ~ I spray it on me and on my clothes I love the fragrance so much ~ plus you can use it as a room spray, too!) Available at Whole Foods locations and at avalonorganics.com

CellCeuticals PhotoDefense ($45) is a new, ultra-light hydrating formula for the face that helps combat premature skin aging while providing broad spectrum protection against the sun’s harmful rays. It’s also fortified with a powerful Auto-Defense system and Vitamin D to strengthen the skin’s natural defenses. Head to Cellceuticalskincare.com to purchase.

Peter Lamas Repair Me Detangling Mist ($17) leaves hair soft and conditioned while providing a UV protectant to shield hair from the suns harmful rays. By spraying hair lightly before entering the water, you can help protect hair from drying out with salty sea water. This mist smells terrific, too, and is great on straight or curly hair! Sold at Macy’s Beautiful Planet shops and at www.lamasbeauty.com

And let’s not forget our feet, which are just coming out of hibernation from our Uggs and need to be flip flop, peep toe, and sandal-ready…in other words, sexy!  Dry, cracked heels and scaly toes are plain nasty, but we’ve got a great solution:  Ultra Repair Cream from First Aid Beauty makes feet summer ready. With the help of colloidal oatmeal, ceramides and soothing eucalyptus oil, this cream provides immediate relief and visible improvement for dry, itchy, raw, scaly skin. Slather it on those dry and cracked tootsies and stop paying your pedicurist to do it for you!  The creams that most nail places put on your feet are hand lotion and do not use natural lipid ceramides to hydrate and improve skin’s function.  Ultra Repair Cream ($28) from First Aid Beauty ~ available on Sephora.com ~ do!

Vichy’s  Normaderm Pro Mat Oil-Free Lotion SPF 15 ($21), Moisturizing is a must, but the beach sun can leave skin oily and greasy. With this super-moisturizer with SPF, you can keep your face oil-free AND protected from the sun’s harmful UVA and UVB rays. Available at CVS and Duane Reade locations

Kinerase Daily Defense Cream ($135) and Kinerase Daily Defense Lotion ($135) are gentle yet effective non-prescription products that deliver anti-aging treatment, high sun protection and moisture in a single application. They visibly improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, aging and sun-damaged skin, while hydrating and minimizing the look of uneven skin tone. Both feel really nice on application…and a little goes a long way, so don’t let the price scare you!  Available at Nordstrom, Sephora, Sephora.com, Kinerase.com

And then of course you’ll need the bag itself, so go have fun choosing the most fabulous, flirty one you can find ~ that way, you’ll have everything you need for a day (or even a weekend!) at the beach all in one place!