I recently visited Carmel By-the-Sea, so as you might expect, I went to the sea. The beach is soft white sand surrounded by cypress trees and a sky so blue it’s like a painting. But, in case you didn’t know – as I didn’t – a Carmel summer is colder than a Carmel winter.
As I always say, it’s much easier to remember sun protection when you’re hot 
and the sun’s beating down on you. So not only did I keep intending to put on sunscreen (but not doing it), I also didn’t think about how water reflects the sun, increasing your chances of being getting sun damage. (As a city girl, I forgot even the obvious, such as how sand sticks in your hair, between your toes, in your shoes, everywhere.) Eventually I did come to my senses and began using my oft-mentioned Neutrogena sunscreen. Then it occurred to me that they must make a gentler baby formula I should get for Lucy. Neutrogena Pure & Free Baby Faces is so ultra-gentle that not only did I use it on Lucy but on my own face every day at the beach.
So if you’re like me and don’t go to the beach often, here’s a checklist to get you started:
Beach Essentials
- Sunscreen, of course – Remember to reapply if you go in the water.
- A Sun Hat and UV Protective clothing - In the picture above, Lucy is in her cousin's UV clothes...and although everyone walking by told me what a "cute little boy" I have, she was protected!
- UV protection sunglasses
- Lots of water to stay hydrated.
- Several towels, even if you don’t go in the water. For example, I had a wet dog come by and shake all his sandy wet fur on me (twice).
- Rubber flip-flops, so sand is easy to rinse off. If you must remain chic at the beach, DVF and Tory
Burch both make rubber flip-flops. Or just get those inexpensive ones from the drugstores they have anywhere there is a beach. One day I wore my leather slip-ons because I thought I’d just slip them off when I got to the beach. Now I’m wondering if I will ever get sand out of them.
If you’re a beach-goer you might be laughing at my naiveté, but this city dweller would have liked to have this list so maybe there’s another one like me who will too.