I'm taking all of this with me in my beach bag

Oh people, I'm really already in vacation mode. Yesterday I was still lying on the beach at the Côte (albeit with incredibly bad weather, ahem) and next week I'm flying to Italy. All the way down south, to the tip of the heel. Two weeks of beach, beach, beach, wine, pasta vongole, Aperol Spritz, wine, and beach. No worries, my sports shoes are coming with me in the suitcase. As hand luggage, I always have a huge wicker basket, which is also my beach bag. What am I taking to the beach? I'll tell you.

– A thin cloth or pareo. You roll it up small, it weighs nothing, but it's such a handy thing. To wrap around yourself when you're going to get an ice cream, to dry off, to lie on, or even to cover your head if you plan to take a nap.

– The first thing I buy on vacation is a facial water spray. From Evian, for example. You only pay a few euros, but I find it pure luxury. Now and then you spray your face with water when it really becomes unbearable. Even better is when you put the bottle in the (mini) fridge at night. Ice-cold water mist on your face.

– Always a fresh pair of underwear or an extra bikini. Something like that. It's nice to put something dry on when you go to the table for lunch or if you want to take a dip just before leaving the beach.

– The moment I clear out the entire magazine shop at Schiphol with the finest magazines and find a nice book, I really love it and it's a sign that I'm really going on vacation. All in my beach basket.

– A little mirror, I also have that with me. I always go to the beach without makeup, but it's always nice to tidy myself up a bit before I go to the table. Hair nice and so on.

– Sunscreen, not to forget. I used to always want to get as brown as possible and would just start with oil on day 1. Now I know better and I apply factor 30 all summer long. I get super tanned and it lasts even longer. I also apply aftersun every evening. It's also a nice cooling thing. I always use sunscreen products from Biotherm, they spread nicely and smell divine like vacation.

– Then I always put the bottle of perfume L’eau, also from Biotherm, in my bag. It's a lovely light scent that doesn't leave any weird stains on your skin from the sun. Oh, if you ever come across it, just smell it. A perfect summer perfume for the beach. Your boyfriend will surely like it too.