I love summer because I can streamline my shower and beauty routines. Although more leg-shaving is required, I don’t feel like I have to wear as much make-up or do as much to my hair when the weather heats up. Part of that is due to the overall freedom that summer allows in clothing trends and hair styles (hello, waves!) But, another good reason for streamlining is that your hair might not hold up so well in 100% humidity and you certainly don’t want foundation sliding off your face. It doesn’t look good and feels even worse!

I use nearly all these products daily in the summer to keep my beauty and shower routine simple, fun and affordable. You can by all of these things–except for one or two–at your local drugstore, Target or on drugstore.com.

Shower

• Dove Advanced Color Care is a shampoo I tried on a whim and loved. It really softens my very color-treated hair and helps prevent split-ends and frizz. The scent reminds me a bit of Downy fabric softener–in a good way, trust me–and the color of the bottle is about the girliest you can get.
• Aveda Blue Malva conditioner saves my hair. I’m naturally brunette, so when I dye my hair blond, it has a tendency to become quite brassy in the sun. This conditioner zaps those gold tones out and brightens the cool tones in my hair instead.

• I love all Burt’s Bees products, but this Radiance Exfoliating Body Bar takes the cake. It has a sweet–but not overbearing–scent, which is a huge plus. Others soaps can have too timid a scent or one that’s too strong. I like the rich lather of this as well.
• Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Anti-Blemish face scrub is a morning and evening must for my skin. During the summer you sweat more (obviously), so you want to make sure you keep your pores clear of dirt and bacteria to avoid break-outs. This scrub gets my skin clean without irritation and also has anti-wrinkle ingredients in it. Although I’m 21, it’s never too early to prevent early signs of aging.

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If you are like me, you are careful about what kind of beauty products you use on your sensitive skin. Here are some of my favorites. I hope you’ll check them out and let me know what you think of them as well!

I have searched all over for the perfect illuminating makeup for my skin, and Keelie Nicole Mineral Fresh Glow is it. My personal color choice is stargaze. This product is hands down, my absolute favorite yet. If you’ve ever wondered how magazines get their models to look like they have perfectly dewy and radiant skin, this product does just that. It’s a little bit pricey, but well worth the money.

Apply with foundation brush, sponge or fingers anywhere you want to highlight or add shimmer. Can be used alone, over foundation or mixed in with moisturizer for a more subtle glow. I line my cheek bones, the apples of my cheeks, temples, collar bones, lower lips and the inner corner of my eyes with this product.

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