In My Pool Bag

My favorite place to be in the summer is the beach, but if I'm not at the beach you can find me at the pool on the weekends. I absolutely love relaxing after a week of work in the sunshine by the pool. Here's a look at what's in my pool bag:

1. A towel. I don't need anything too fancy, but I do need something to dry off/wipe the sweat that's dripping down my face. I'm pretty dedicated to staying in the sun for several hours, so that means quite a few dips in the pool to cool off and a lot of sweating. Sometimes I take two towels just to be safe.

2. Sunglasses. I actually prefer not to wear glasses for the majority of the time I'm in the sun (I don't want a sunglasses tan), but I like to have them as an option if need be.

3. A good book. Last Saturday I read Divergent (yes, I just jumped on that bandwagon - and it was so good!), and I just recently bought All the Light We Cannot See. I like to have a long book to last me the whole afternoon.

4. Lip balm with SPF. This yes to carrots pomegranate kind is my absolute favorite for the summer. It goes on smooth, it isn't too quick to melt in the heat, and it smells so good. The only thing worse than chapped lips is burned lips, so I frequently apply this stuff and love it.

5. Sunscreen. I haven't always worn sunscreen (hello 17 year-old self), but in the past couple of years I have changed that. I love being tan but I do not want skin cancer, so I always have sunscreen with me now. I've been using Coppertone Clearly Sheer this summer and really love the lightweight formula. It isn't sticky or smelly (it actually smells good!), which is key since I have to reapply frequently. I tend to have sensitive skin but haven't had any irritations or issues with this formula.

6. Drinks. I usually bring a couple of drinks to try to stay hydrated. Summers in South Carolina are brutal y'all, so the more beverages the better.

So there you have it, my pool bag. What do you take to the pool or the beach?

Disclosure: I received the Coppertone Clearly Sheer sunscreen for free from BzzAgent, a word-of-mouth program. All opinions are honest and 100% my own.