Non-Toxic Sunscreen, High-Waisted Bathing Suits, and BBQ Chicken Thighs: The June Roundup
The Monthly Roundup: everything I'm using to kick off Summer feeling nourished, confident and aligned ☀️👙🍉
Hi love,
So, I got married last week (ahhh!!!!!). I’m still coming down from the high of it all and, honestly, not quite ready to dive into it here yet either (though stay tuned). I always find it hard to go from being so present and immersed in a lived experience to suddenly sitting back in front of a screen, so forgive me if my Substack and Instagram have been a little quieter lately.
That said, I did want to deliver on my monthly roundup as we kick off summer. Because…is anyone else confused about how we’re already in June? I feel like spring absolutely flew by. But alas, we’re stepping into one of my favorite seasons.
Now, once upon a time, summer brought a lot of anxiety. Bikinis and beach days magnified every body image insecurity I had. Layer on over-extending myself socially and alcohol, and it was a perform storm of mental and physical depletion. But summer means something entirely different now.
Now it feels like freedom with frizzy hair, rosy cheeks, and long days spent outside. It feels like confidence…dancing around in a bathing suit without a second thought about a roll or a little bloat. It feels like nourishment and abundance, eating (vegan) s’mores with family and sharing BBQ chicken with friends. That’s the energy we’re embracing this summer.
So in this month’s roundup, I’m sharing a few of the things helping me lean into that even more: truly comfortable, moveable bathing suits, non-toxic sunscreens, minimal dewy makeup for that sun-kissed glow, and all of the summer recipes currently on repeat in my kitchen 👇🏼
The Summer Beach Day Essentials:
Things just feel simpler in the summer in my opinion. The sun gives us a natural glow, ocean swims leads to salty waves, and we just naturally spend more time outdoors, moving our body, cooking etc…. it all just leads to an inherently healthier lifestyle and an inner glow and radiance that we don’t have to try that hard for.
After spending the last two weeks in Italy (more on that to come), I’m leaning into that mindset more than ever. Even as a bride, we’ve remained very “no muss no fuss.” Skincare has dwindled down to my fav face cream and a high quality mineral sunscreen, and even applying it daily, I’ve managed to get a pretty good tan. As an acne prone girl, I’m also very sensitive to sunscreens, and this face one has worked well for me.
I’ve also been rocking more natural hair as of late - as my keratin slowly creeps out and I’m watching my curls come back in, my top priority is more health and hydration than it is style. And I recently learned UV rays can actually breakdown and weaken your hair (!! which is why the top layer of your hair is often more damaged than what’s underneath), so I’ve been spritzing this UV hair protector post shower and packing it in my beach bag most days too.
Now with that, I often get push back when I talk about sun exposure - on one side of the internet, there’s a big “fear the sun,” narrative, and then on the other there’s the “the sun causes no harm, ditch the sunscreen” vibe. So let me be clear on where I stand:
The sun is medicine…when harnessed correctly. I believe in daily sun exposure, morning light before 9 a.m. without sunscreen, and using sunscreen or protective clothing during extended daytime exposure. I don't believe seed oils are the reason we’re sun sensitive, but I do believe the sun supports health, immunity, and energy. I also think we're overusing sunscreen, and that sun tolerance is highly individual, influenced by genetics and geography.
in my opinion, it’s a common sense approach.
So bottom line, a high quality sunscreen used correctly is a must. And I never go to the beach without it. Other beach bag essentials?
Sunscreen - again, a fav here
A good book - I use Kindle and lately have been reading Quicksliver and love. Also reading Young Earth and I can’t stop highlighting
A good hat + sunglasses
1-2 snacks in stasher bag - think: clementines, pistachios, a really good bar; jerky, caprese salad, popcorn, etc.
Water bottle - Loonen for on the go
Less is more. Same goes for summer outfits. For the last 2 weeks, I think I’ve worn a bathing suit under my clothing every single day - and am currently LIVING in this one by Matteau (high waisted + twisted top is a vibe my girls). Not only beyond comfortable, but a sustainable brand committed to environmental practices (which is so important in swimwear). I’ve also just in general been loving a deep brown bathing suit moment and so just ordered this one by SAMELA. I also generally like the Ref’s swim collection too if you’re looking for staples. Throw on a good white T-shirt, sarong or I got this white matching linen set from Posse that I’m obsessed with- simple but the sinched pants adds a little something fun IMO.
Non-Toxic Every Day Beauty Products:
I’m not a big makeup girl across the board. I’ve maybe used foundations twice in my life (one of which was last week for my wedding). But I do think a little swipe of mascara and tint of the cheeks can go a long way.
For me, glowing skin = sign of health and beauty; not necessarily layered on makeup. So I always start with my skin: I use a non-toxic body wash, typically Agent Nateur (this is important because whatever we’re showering with gets washed down our drains and into our water supply), followed up by what I honestly think is the most luxurious silky body cream/oil. And then for handcream, I actually use the Aesop body cream because it literally smells of Summer for me. I don’t travel anywhere without it.
If I’m doing a double cleanse of my face, I’ll either use a seabuckthorn oil cleanser first or just wash twice with my bioeffects cleanser. I’ve been using Bioeffects for about 2 years now, and it’s really the only brand that has been calm enough not to clog pores or cause my skin to react. As someone with pretty serious combo skin and an oily T-zone, I also only cleanse my face in the evening, and then use this hylauronic acid and their face cream.
Most days, it’s just this and a really good lip oil (or this UV protective chapstick as someone who also can get cold sores). But if I’m looking to dress up a little more, there area really only a few things I’ll truly use. I think mascara, a good concealer, and a hint of rosy cheeks and lips are all most girls need. So my tried and true brands are:
Concealer: Kosas (by far)
Cream bronzer: SBE
Mascara: Ilia (only one I’ve used for years)
Cream blush: Ilia or Living Libations
Lip gloss: Haus labs (used their orange one on my wedding day mixed with Victoria Beckham one here)
Now finally because it’s summer, I wanted to share a non-toxic bug spray. Most mosquito sprays are filled with DEET, which works to confuse mosquitos (so effective) but also has been linked to seizures and nervous system issues with high or chronic exposure. So, it’s also recommended to avoid it in pregnancy (and I would also if you’re TTC). So I just ordered the Primally Pure one so will report back but everything they do is typically great.
And that’s really it. I’m going to share the full wedding day makeup breakdown (which my sister did for me 🤍) soon but we brought all our own makeup to Italy and obviously packed it all in Parallele (I know I sound like a spokesperson now but I truly am obsessed. I brought 3 with me lol).
Everyday Nourishment
Summer is prob my favorite time for cooking - BBQ chicken, grilled corn on the cob, and berries with cream….all quite literally my favorite things. But to be honest, so far this past month, very little cooking has come in. Like I’ve shared, I’m still at my parents home as we get our new apartment ready, and it’s made it difficult to stock the fridge and cook in the way we used to. Layer in travel, and food in general has looked a little different lately.
For example, I pretty much switched over to coffee from matcha this past month, simply because in Italy, there are no other options haha. I’ve been doing an almond or soy milk latte with 1 shot espresso every morning, and while my stomach isn’t used to the level of acidity that’s going on, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss the coffee taste. So it’s been nice to bring that back in.
I’ve also been big on my egg game as of late - pretty much every day, I’m having 2-3 eggs, which from a fertility perspective is important so we get in that choline. And then I’m having it alongside fresh fruit (and summer is legit fruit season).
In Season Fruit:
Blackberries
Raspberries
Blueberries
Cherries
Apricots
Peaches
so literally all the best.
Favorite summer recipes:
These boneless roasted chicken thighs are soooooo frick’n good. I’m making it on repeat (adding a splash of liquid aminos and honey to them) and then adding it to a Caesar Salad and it’s legit perfection
This corn salad I’ve been making for years. It’s oil free and still so beyond flavorful and nourishing. I personally double the lime.
These feta eggs in the morning with a high quality piece of toaste
And then for beach snacks, I love Stasher bags…load them up with legit anything (crudite; fruit; hummus; sandwiches) for a plastic-free option for on-the-go snacks. Lately I’ve been going hard with dates, cashews, and elemental bars.
Finally, I’d be amiss if I didn’t share some things on our registry that I’m vibing with lately. Like these glass espresso tumblers (chic, if I do say so myself) and these beautiful serving platters we’ve been fortunate enough to be gifted. I also started peeping around Zarahome (one of my fav places for more affordable finds) and am gushing over these intricate Terracotta plates that scream backyard dinner party to me and these little fruit table linens and cocktail napkins (I mean come on, how cute). And finally, I’m dreaming of the days that I’m back in my own kitchen to start cooking again, and can use this incredible recipe book stand we found.
But until then, it’ll be more Goop kitchen and Matchaful lattés for the foreseeable future….
a quick note - I genuinely share products that I use and enjoy (which is why I also included photos of me with these things). With that, if you do choose to purchase something, I may earn a small commission. Saying this to be transparent and honest (which we need more of in the wellness space). Thank you for supporting me and this page in all it’s endeavors and you can find all the links here on my Shop My too.
Written on my honeymoon cause I’m committed to you girls,
Xo,
Amanda
Love this post! I have one question though - Doesn’t Rahua hair sunscreen have fragrance / aroma in it that can have potential bad effects on reproductive system?
Love this! For all the natural fiber girlies, Masa (like the chip brand) has a similarly priced swimsuits that’s 100% organic cotton and made in Greece! Cheers to the start of summer