What's in my beach bag?

Summer is upon us and so is the holiday weekend. Since so many of us will be celebrating in the sun, I thought I'd share a post giving you a little peek into my beach bag. Here are the things you'd find if you went rummaging through my bag. 

1. Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration sunscreen - Here's a little nugget of truth for you: I no longer lay out in the sun to tan. We all know the various reasons why we shouldn't, let's not rehash them here. Suffice to say, my tan comes straight out of a bottle. When I'm at the beach, I slather on SPF 30 and sit under an umbrella. I really like Hawaiian Tropic's Silk Hydration sunscreen because it hydrates my skin (a must after spending time in the drying salt water) while it protects. Plus, it smells good. I usually apply this before I head out to the beach to give it time to absorb into my skin. 
2. Australian Gold continuous spray sunscreen with bronzer - If you poke through my beach bag, you'll easily find a few different sunscreens. I love the Australian Gold continuous spray sunscreen with bronzer because I can protect my skin while adding a little  color to enhance my self tan. 
3. Neutrogena Clear Face liquid sunscreen - Yep, another sunscreen. I love this one from Neutrogena because it dries matte and keeps your skin from getting oily. It also helps prevent breakouts while it protects your skin. 
4. Brightly colored beach towel - This one's pretty self explanatory. You need a towel, whether to lay on or dry off (or both). I love an over sized towel in vibrant colors. 
5. Hat - If I don't have an umbrella handy to sit under, I'll be rocking a hat to provide some shade for my face while simultaneously protecting my scalp from the harsh rays. I'm partial to a straw fedora because it's light weight and a bit breezy. 
6. Hair ties - Sometimes you just need to pull your hair up into a bun or at the very least out of your face. I always keep a few spare hair times around for a quick and easy hair fix. 
7. Sunglasses - It's bright outside so I need to protect my peepers with some shades. The last time I was a the beach without them I suffered a massive headache from all the glare off the sun and water. From that moment on, I said, "Never again." You won't catch me out at the beach or by the pool without my sunglasses. My favorites? My Ray-ban aviators. 
8. Flip flops - If you're hanging out by the pool or beach you need a good pair of flip flops. I recently purchased these (pictured) at Clarks and I totally love them. They're sturdier than rubber flip flops, plus I love the brown and white combo, they go with anything I wear to the beach. 
9. Lip balm with SPF - At any moment in time, you'll easily find at least two lip balms in my purse. It's no different when it comes to my beach bag, except the lip balms I take to the beach must have SPF. Among my favorites: Carmex (in the tube), Blistex, and Nivea Kiss of Recovery (pictured). 
10. My iPhone - This little multitasker keeps me in touch with my friends, serves up some awesome tunes, and takes pictures of our fun day out. 
11. Cover up - I love a maxi dress. We've covered this before. So chances are, I'll throw one on as a cover up when I'm headed to the beach or pool. 
12. String bikini - My opinion: the string bikini is the most flattering cut out there. You can adjust it to fit whether you're a little bloated or dropped a few lbs. Either way, it's not squeezing your hips giving you the dreaded and unflattering muffin top. 

Bonus item: Another item you'll normally find in my beach bag that's not in the photo above: spray-on leave in conditioner. I apply a generous amount to my hair after a dip in the water. It keeps my hair hydrated, detangled, and soft. I don't have a preferred brand, just any one I happen to pick up and have handy at the time. 

What are some of your beach bag must haves?