Summer 2012 Beach Must-Haves

I'm sad to say that my vacation is coming to an end.  I have had a wonderful family vacation.  Work has been the furthest thing from my mind.  However, I do love blogging, and I love linking up my favorite things, so I thought I'd share some of my favorite must-haves for summer, especially trips to the beach. It's a little late, considering most people have already had their vacations, but these products are really great year-round.

Sunscreen

All right, you all know that I'm very passionate about sunscreen, especially natural sunscreens that don't contain oxybenzone.  I have included some new favorites:  Surf-vival Sunblock and Banana Boat Natural Reflect, which were recommended when I did a google search for "best all-natural sunscreens."  And, some old favorites:  Eminence Tropical Vanilla is always a splurge, and you'll understand why when you've compared it to other organic, all-natural sunscreens..it's like butter, I tell ya.  I've also been really happy with Neutrogena pure & free, which is a line marketed towards babies.  Sunscreen is serious business when you're protecting a family of four.

Makeup

As for makeup, I have to admit, that I still usually do put makeup on to go out.  I definitely don't bother with it around the water, but come time to shop, stroll, and dine, I do try some "beachy" looks that focus on cheeks and lips.  I always start the day with a tinted moisturizer SPF 25, and I love to use lots of bronzer, a bright pink lip, metallic brown shadow, a pop of bright pink blush, and mascara to finish it off.

Fragrance

I go through spells where I am lucky to leave the house with makeup on, but this summer, I'm trying to get out of the house with makeup, jewelry, and fragrance.  Crazy, I know.  I have two favorites for the beach:  a new body butter from Victoria's Secret and Dolce & Gabbana's Light Blue Eau de Toilette.  Check out the links below.

Jewelry

For jewelry, I did pack a couple of options, but it wasn't necessary.  Everyday, I put on my trusty starfish jewelry from J. Crew.  The earrings came from the Factory site, and the necklace came from the regular site.  I am so loving these pieces!

Reading

Last but not least, summer reading.  I recently acquired a Kindle.  I consider myself a purist, so I stayed away from e-readers for as long as I could, but now I'm hooked.  The first book I purchased came highly recommended, Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn is definitely a psychological thriller, one that I eagerly read every spare minute I could find.  And, I'm a big fan of having a Kindle at the beach...it takes splashes pretty well, and it remembers its place when you have to put it down a million times to watch your kids cannonball in the pool...again and again ;)

Summer 2012 Beach Must-Haves by riversongspa featuring a crystal necklace

Hope you're having a wonderful summer.  To celebrate, I have another giveaway up my sleeve.  I have a pair of my favorite starfish earrings to giveaway (as seen above).  One of the reasons for the giveaways is to thank loyal readers.  Another reason is to acquire new readers.  I'm hoping that the transition to my new blog will be easy.  It's not quite ready yet, and I didn't want to hold onto these earrings for much longer, so I'm going to go ahead and do it.  Please share this blog with any friends you have that might be interested.  Help spread the word.  

• To be entered to win the earrings, please leave a comment on this post about your favorite outing or trip this summer.  You can also share your summer must-haves as I love word-of-mouth recommendations.

• You can share this giveaway on your own blog.  Just link up and spread the word (and comment here that you've done so).

• You can also share on your Facebook wall.  When I share the blog post on Riversong Spa's facebook page, just click the Share link (to the right of the Like button).  Please comment to original post that you shared so I can track shares.

• If you haven't done so already, like Riversong Spa's facebook page.

THAT'S 4 CHANCES TO WIN!!!

I may keep this giveaway open for a while since it's such a good one.  I will keep you posted as to when I will announce the winner.  Thanks for reading!

BB Cream

Summer's here, and so is the hot humid weather.  It's the perfect time of year to change up your beauty routine and forget about thick, heavy foundation.  If you're still using liquid foundation, now is a great time to try a powder mineral foundation, or a BB Cream.  BB Creams seem to be the current craze in the beauty industry, and you can find a couple of different options for them at Riversong Spa.

First, what is a BB Cream?  Well, after some research, I discovered that BB Creams are all-in-one multi-tasking products.  I'm sold already!  Multi-tasking products are my favorite.  Some of the jobs of a BB cream are to moisturize, prime, protect (with SPF) and cover/even out skin tone.

In doing some research, I checked out competitors' BB Creams, and found out that they aren't always worn alone.  Sometimes people use them under their foundation.  

Eminence Organics has a great natural version of a BB Cream-their tinted moisturizers.  These offer SPF 25 and a sheer coverage foundation.  I never leave the house without this product on as my moisturizer.  If I don't need to wear a full face of makeup, I love that this still offers some color and sheer coverage, but if I decide to put my pressed foundation on top of it, I love that the tinted moisturizer adds a little bit of extra coverage.  There are now three shades to choose from...Vanilla Latte (light), Caramel Latte (light to medium), and Cocoa Latter (medium to dark).  And, check out what Eminence has to say about their BB Creams!

Now, onto gloMinerals' version of a BB cream.  Sheer tint base, with anti-aging benefits, moisturizes, hydrates, and protects while providing sheer coverage to illuminate the skin.

Here are the color choices for glo's sheer tint base...

Which BB Cream do you want to try?

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Today, I used my Eminence tinted moisturizer in caramel latte (SPF 25), gloMinerals protecting powder (SPF 30) in bronze...for that easy St. Tropez-look bronzed glow,

and Eminence illuminator in Chai Berry for a very bronze, summer low-maintenance look.

In the spirit of spreading the SPF love, I'm going to do another giveaway for a gloMinerals Protecting Powder (SPF 30) in Translucent ($40 retail value).  This is a great product to keep in your purse, for on-the-go sun protection when you're caught in the sun (or in a car on a really sunny day). 

For your chance to win, leave a comment to this post, telling your favorite ways to stay protected from the sun.

For more chances to win, you can also "Share" this post once I post it to Facebook.  Make sure you comment to the facebook post that you shared it.  

Good luck!

The winner will be drawn next Friday.

Summer Skin Care

    

 Summertime brings about special concerns for your skin.  Sun protection and hydration are the primary concerns for this time of year.  The sun can be very damaging to the skin, causing hyperpigmentation (brown spots) and premature signs of aging.  Additionally, no one is safe from skin cancer, but prevention is key.  Make sure you don't leave the house without SPF.  Women seem to be getting the message and are using products, like moisturizers or foundations that contain SPF, but make sure that the men in your life are protected too.

     Almost two years ago, my husband found out that he had a basal cell carcinoma on the tip of his nose, and had to go through the Mohs procedure to remove all of the cancer.  He was lucky.  Now I make sure that he's protected everyday on his face and head (he's bald!).  He uses Eminence Persimmon & Cantaloupe SPF 32 for normal to oily skin.  And, he carries his own Sport spray sunscreen when he's out on the golf course or out in the yard working.
     Here's a great tip for summertime:  When you're putting on your moisturizer that contains SPF, don't forget to extend the application onto your neck and decollete.  This will prevent the "red neck" effect and will help keep that delicate area looking youthful.
     When choosing a sunscreen, make sure you are using one that has broad spectrum UVA and UVB coverage.  Eminence makes a great sunscreen that is SPF 32, Tropical Vanilla Body Cream.  I'll be honest, it's pricey, but I haven't found an organic natural sunscreen that has the same buttery, silky consistency.  I try to buy one of these a season and make it last.

Check back for the next post about Summer Beauty, where I'll address tinted moisturizers, mineral foundation, and the hottest beauty craze of the summer...BB Creams.