Beauty Monday – Beach in the City

by Valerie on April 27, 2009 · 6 comments


It is almost 90 degrees again today, so it seems as good time as any to bring Beach in the City out of winter storage. You may remember it from past summers: Beach in the City – A seasonal feature about bringing the beach to the city even when you can’t take a vacation. I started writing about this concept early on in my blogging, back in 2007 – but I suspect it will be quite the rage across media and blogs as staycations are broadening in appeal. Often I write about tips to get a bit of the beach in the city, but sometimes I also write about things like surviving summer heat and still look put-together.

Nothing will substitute for the beach, but here are some quick things you can do to beach-ify your beauty routine while you attempt not to melt in the heat:

-Think beach scents – whether it’s the beach itself (Bobbi Brown’s Beach is great for that) or other beach-y scents like coconuts and tropical drinks. I can’t wear any of these fun scents to work during the week, but I do use various shower washes and scrubs that are beach scented, and I have been known to spray my pillow with BB’s Beach (I did that a LOT when I was studying for the bar a few years ago).

-Think beach makeup – with the sweltering heat, now is a good time to pare back your makeup routine – I still wear makeup to the office in the summer, but I keep it light and stay inspired by the beach – bronzer and sheer lip stains are great yet still look professional. I also wear less eye-makeup, relying more on cream shadows that are quick and easy to apply or sheer eye shadows that I wear as a wash – I still wear liner and mascara as well during the week, but on weekends, I pare back to the bare minimum for more of a fresh-faced look.

– Wear a floppy hat often – this applies especially if you drive or walk to work – first, because it protects your complexion from sun damage, but second, because it does put you in a good mood. It just does. And you want something that has a wide brim for added protection. I have a cream cotton canvas floppy hat I picked up at Target this past weekend, and it made me smile this morning when I put it on for part of my walk to work. I gave up the daily beach hat when I had to commute via subway for several years and had barely a walk (subway within a block of home, with exit right below my office building, yes I was lucky) but now that I am resurrecting it, I am realizing it is good for my skin AND for my mood. Now if only Target had some more of these hats in stock on the web – there were almost none at the store I went to yesterday, and the pickings are pretty slim on their website. And yes, it goes without saying – take the darn hat off before you might run into someone from work who thinks your beach hat with professional clothes is just plain weird. I think it can be pulled off by the way, as long as you don’t have your suit jacket on (and why would you have it on outside, if it’s 90 degrees).

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }

1 renaissancetrophywife.com April 28, 2009 at 6:50 pm

Fun! I love the beach hat suggestion… My commute drops me off right outside my work doors, but I’ve got a wide-brimmed straw hat that I love to wear with a sundress on weekends, or out to afternoon weddings. Summer here we come!

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2 The Curator April 28, 2009 at 7:33 pm

I can’t believe it got so hot here the past few days! I broke out my beloved BBW Tropical Colada yesterday – probably not the most professional thing to wear to work but I was so anxious to have my “beach in the city”! It’s definitely great to have these types of scents and light makeup on hand when you can’t have a proper beach vacation. :)

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3 Michelle April 28, 2009 at 7:37 pm

Great tips! Now can you send some of that hot weather our way? :)

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4 Scate April 28, 2009 at 10:11 pm

I LOVE my big red floppy hat from Target. I almost got the matching beach tote – but i need another tote bag like a hole in my socks. The hat got a workout when hitting the beach in Florida this spring on some windy days. It stayed on though – and kept my lily white MN skin happy.

For tropical drinks – i really like mixing up a vodka sour (tastes like a vodka lemonade – a tad less sweet).
Thanks!

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5 Karley April 29, 2009 at 3:05 pm

Great tips, as always! We had a high of 89 Monday…today it is around 50 and a bit windy :)

I am making it a goal of mine to wear hats this summer more because I am so fair. Thanks for the great tips!

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6 City Girl May 6, 2009 at 1:19 am

Glad you all enjoyed the tips :)

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