My 3 MUST HAVE Summer Products (safe + effective)
It’s almost August friends and that means another 50ish days of HOT summer sun and fun outdoor activities. Even though summer technically ends in late September, it stays pretty warm here in Maryland until mid-October. Some days can reach up into the 80’s in the middle of October so summer doesn’t end abruptly. Needless to say, I’ve come to the realization that these three summer essentials are my MUST HAVES. I use them on a daily basis for me and my family. They’re all safe, effective and absolutely necessary! Don’t wait to buy these MUST HAVES products. Do it now so you can spend more time using/ enjoying them with your loved ones.
So, if you have any beach vacations or camping trips coming up in the next few months I highly suggest snagging these three items beforehand. Below I highlight each item, explain how to make and/or where to purchase. Each one is affordable and is an absolute necessity.
#1 Homemade CLEAN Bug Spray
This homemade bug spray works wonders, friends! If you’re anything like me, mosquitos eat you alive. I still have no idea why? I don’t wear any fragrant lotions or perfumes and they still go after my arms and legs like a free buffet. I’ll leave an outdoor barbeque COVERED head to toe in mosquito bites. I’ll itch so bad and what’s worse, SWELL like crazy. The welts I experience are like no other and to be honest, they’re embarrassing. I always feel self-conscious when I get mosquito bites because of the welts and constant itching. In my opinion, it’s the only part of summer I don’t like. Unfortunately, the only way to prevent mosquito bites is bathing in bug spray and let’s all be honest here, that’s just as bad as getting eaten alive.
Bug spray contains all sorts of harsh chemicals, with the main culprit being DEET. Which, scientists are starting to discover over a period of time can cause serious side effects to the human immune system. It’s especially harmful to pregnant mothers and children, whose immune systems are still developing. I don’t know about you guys, but that’s a HARD PASS for this mama. I will not expose my child to the potential harsh and harmful ingredients if I can help it. So, instead of settling with the choice of a hundred bug bites or harmful chemicals I decided to opt out of both and find a more natural way to repel mosquitos.
Luckily, I discovered the magic of essential oils and now I’m not only relieved, but SO grateful!
This little recipe below should help repel those mosquitos- no problem. I have to thank Tiffany Gray for this discovery because beforehand I was a little lost in trying to find a natural insect repellent online. Her remedy was easy, to the point and effective. I tested it out on the creek a couple weekends ago and I left with not a single mosquito bite. It was a summer miracle!
To make this Natural Bug Spray you’ll need:
- High quality Peppermint oil (I use Young Living)
- High quality Lavender oil (I use Young Living)
- Unscented Witch hazel
- Filtered Water
First add your oils to your bottle, then fill your bottle half way with witch hazel and then fill the remaining space with filtered water. All you do is mix the previously mentioned ingredients in an amber spray bottle (to preserve the oils) and take with you everywhere you go. Just make sure to keep it in a cool, dry place. I don’t recommend leaving it in your steaming hot car.
Clean Bug Spray
- 15-20 drops peppermint oil
- 10-15 drops lavender oil
- fill ½ of the amber bottle with odorless witch hazel
- fill the second ½ of the amber bottle with filtered water
Directions: Drop 15-20 drops of peppermint essential oil to your glass amber spray bottle. Next add your 10-15 drops of lavender oil. Fill ½ of the amber bottle with odorless witch hazel and finish by filling the remaining space in the bottle with filtered water. Cap your bottle and shake. Spray all over your arms and legs as needed.
Notes: The amber bottles I ordered from amazon are a little over 3oz. So, you’re going to want to add a little less than a ¼ cup of both the water and the witch hazel. If you happen to purchase a different size amber bottle, make sure to fill it half way with witch hazel first, and then fill the rest up with filtered water, shake and use as needed.
The oils I use come from Young Living. If you are interested in purchasing oils or have questions on how to use oils, please feel free to email my dear friend, Jaya. Jaya is an oil guru and can help you with remedies, uses and purchases of YL oils. Follow her on Instagram for some oil inspo! You can send her a message on Instagram or email her at hello@streetcherri.com
#2 Beauty Counter Mineral Sunscreen
I’ll be transparent with you all, I’ve been on the fence about using sunscreen for a while now. These days you hear about all of the harmful ingredients sunscreen can contain. So, I often find myself asking, “Is it even worth it?” I think I would rather expose myself to the sun instead of harmful sunscreen. Luckily to my surprise, I found an amazing mineral sunscreen that’s not only safe to use, but its effective as well.
I use it almost every day and it’s safe for children too. I personally have sensitive skin and so does my 10-month-old baby, Keegan. It’s important to me that I find remedies and products that support his sensitive skin instead of irritate it. I am happy to report Beauty Counter’s Mineral Sunscreen protects my skin and Keegan’s skin (without irritating it) and as an added bonus- it smells wonderful!
Not only does this sunscreen work, but it feels so smooth and creamy on the skin. It doesn’t burn or cause irritations. That’s because Beauty Counter has completely banned harmful ingredients from their products. I’ve done my research and I am happy to report that Beauty Counters products are top notch. They strive to create effective skin care and cosmetics that are SAFE for everyone. Mama’s, Babies, Sisters, Friends + more.
Here is a direct link to my favorite sunscreen- Beauty Counter’s Mineral Sunscreen
I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
#3 Mini Handheld Rechargeable Fan
We bought this fan about a month ago and I’ve used it every single day. We originally bought it for Keegan to have in his car seat. It gets extremely hot and humid here on the east coast so a fan can provide a lot of relief. I love this fan because it has three little legs that can wrap around the handle of Keegan’s car seat and it stays secure. I also love that it’s rechargeable, meaning you don’t have to buy a boat load of batteries to keep it running. Less money and less waste! WIN-WIN.
This little fan has three speeds and works like a charm. What’s even better is that you can use it for more than just a car seat fan. You can use it at the beach, on a bike ride, in the car, during wagon rides etc. It has multiple uses and comes in handy all the time! A fully charged fan lasts for 2+ hours and can really throw out some wind. We’re absolutely obsessed and will likely be purchasing a second one soon.
Here is the link to our mini rechargeable (octopus) fan!
I hope you found this info helpful! Please let me know if you have any questions about the products or anything to add. I love sharing products that are safe and effective. I’ve been using each of these products for over a month now and each one has exceeded my expectations! I use each product every day and also use them on my family.
If you make the clean bug spray or purchase one of the products, please let me know how they work for you and your family! I’d love to feature you on my page.
You can follow me on instagram, tag @staysweetwellness and #staysweetwellness.
I can’t wait to hear your thoughts!
Until next time,
stay sweet.
-Ashley