5 Beach Essentials to Get You Sexy Summer Hair & Healthy Skin + The Mysterious Postcards from Saint-Tropez!

Hey everyone!

Wheee it’s Friday! I hope trooping through this week wasn’t that tough, and that you’re looking forward to the weekend. I haven’t decided what I’m going to do at all! After the wedding last weekend, I really think I could chill out a bit this one!

I know that the weather has been largely unstable in Belgium, and it’s not the perfect weather to start talking about summer hair and sun protection. However, some of you are probably going on holiday somewhere sunny soon, so today we’re going to look at 5 products that will get you ready for summer!

Do you fancy having sexy beach hair even when you’re not on the beach? Well, Wella Professionals has got that covered with their Ocean Spritz. This is basically sea in a spritz can, only it smells better. This has to be used on dry hair. What I do is I flip my hair downwards, spray this around the roots, and style/scrunch it up with my fingers. You can also use a hairdryer to achieve a more intense effect.

What do you get? Real beach hair! My hair becomes very puffy, and the texture is very interesting. It’s almost rubbery. I might If your hair is naturally wavy, it will amplify the wave. For my permed hair it does the same, which I am really happy about! I have used this and accidentally got caught in the rain on my way back from the supermarket. Despite the fact that getting caught in the rain without an umbrella is something I avoid, I was really pleased with how my hair looked afterwards: it was all nice and curly!

The only drawback of this product is that like real sea water, it is full of salt. As you might know, salt is not exactly the best thing for your hair. I might use this once a week for fun (especially maybe the day before I shampoo my hair, when the roots are a bit flat. I find this a great way to put some volume back), or every day during a short vacation, but continuous use might dry your hair out.

Wella Professionals Ocean Spritz retails for 14,70 euros at selective hair salons.

Corine de Farme, a French drugstore brand, launched a line of products that aims at making your experience under the sun more pleasant. Drawing inspiration from the Tahitian Monoï oil (according to Wikipedia, it is prepared by soaking the petals of Tahitian gardenias in a semi-wax coconut oil), the products smell like a tropical holiday!

We all know dry oil is getting big this year, so what if there is a dry oil that has an SPF? Corine de Farme Protective Dry Oil is a dream-come-true. This dry oil absorbs so easily easily into the skin, smells like vanilla, and has SPF30. I love this for the fact that not an awful lot of rubbing has to be done, since it won’t leave awkward white traces anyways. Just spray a generous amount (you always want to use enough sunscreen, because otherwise it doesn’t work) of product on your body, rub it in, and you’re ready to go!

This is paraben-free, but do note that it is a chemical sunscreen instead of a physical one. There are different schools about whether chemical sunblocks are good for your skin, so it comes down to what you prefer!

When I first saw the Corine de Farme Tanning Grease, I was a little dubious. I mean, it looks like something I would polish my shoes with. Do I really want to rub something so thick and potentially greasy onto my skin?

Turned out I worried for nothing! The grease does leave a film on my skin, but it doesn’t feel greasy or slimy at all. As a matter of fact, when you’re sitting under the sun, some grease might actually be welcome. It smells like Tahitian gardenia. The smell is rather strong but not artificial-smelling, so unless you are really not a fan of gardenia or scented products in general you should be fine. It is supposed to help you tan faster. Since I haven’t got the opportunity to go to the beach, I can’t testify for that. I will try to experiment with it this summer and keep you posted!

The only catch of this product is that it doesn’t have an SPF. To be protected from the harmful rays, you’ll want to combine this with a proper sunblock. Getting tanned is important, but giving your skin decent protection is even more important!

Now that you are tanned, is there anything you can do to prolong the tan? Corine de Farme Aftersun Lotion says yes! This gardenia-smelling lotion has a very light texture, is absorbed easily into the skin, and leaves it hydrated. It is supposed to calm the exposed skin down and prolong the tan. Again, this is something I can’t test out properly until I go on holiday, so I will keep you posted!

Corine de Farme is available at Kruidvat and Di. These three are retailed respectively for 9,95, 5,54, and 7,99 euros. They’re bargains if you ask me!

Last but not least, let’s witness another wonder of nutricosmetics: a supplement that prepares your skin for tanning and prolonging your tan! Meet Oenobiol Solaire Intensif (Intensive Sun)!

With ingredients such as the extract of tomato (which is rich in lycopene and lutein), this supplement is supposed to be taken once a day 15 days before you go on holiday, during your holiday, and continue afterwards if you want to keep that tan going for longer. There is a version for dry and very dry skin, also another that is touted to be anti-aging.

I am actually very curious to see how it works, so I will for sure mark 15 days prior to my holiday to start taking this supplement. I will definitely do an individual post to keep you updated about how it goes!

When it comes to topics like this, I feel the responsibility to talk a little bit about proper sun protection. I am probably not the best person to preach this, since I was for several years very slack about it. Well, I’ve got some spots on my face and body to prove that, so you can consider it a lesson learnt!

Nowadays when I know I will be in the sun, I slather sun block on and make Dr. D do the same. I have to admit that I still like it when I am a bit tanned, but this doesn’t mean I can forego sun protection! It is possible to tan safely and gradually without harming your skin or increasing the risk of skin cancer. It might take longer, but you’re also avoiding the pain of sunburnt skin and even graver health risks!

The Foundation Against Cancer here in Belgium recently made a (really funny) campaign to alert the general public about the importance of proper sun protection. We all know that guys are secretly scared of the ladies of their lives turning into their mothers too soon, but without proper sun protection that day might come sooner than you think…

For a laugh and some Belgian humor, I invite you to watch the Midnight Switch:

How do you stay safe from the sun? Is sun protection important for you or are you as slack as I once was? What do you do to prolong your tan? Share your experience with everyone else!

Sunny, your beauty culture translator xx

In other news, I’ve been getting some really mysterious post cards from Saint-Tropez…

This Daphne seems to be having the time of her life in Saint-Tropez! She swims in the sea, lies around in the sand, goes dancing in a cafe, and has a steamy rendez-vous by the port…

I don’t yet know who she is, but I am for sure expecting more postcards from her!

Are you as curious as I am? Stay tuned as I receive more news from the elusive Daphne…

Disclosure: The products mentioned in this review are sent by the PR for my consideration. All opinions are honest and my own. I am in no way compensated for this review. I have always been, and will always be committed ONLY to my readers.