I Spent 2 Weeks Curating the Ultimate Summer Shopping List—27 Beauty, Fashion, and Home Goods Worth Buying
From SPF to shell-shaped serving platters and beyond.
If you know me, you know I love a seasonal reset. Each quarter, I set aside time to clean my space, take stock of my routines, and create a wish list of new, seasonally specific items. The latter is my favorite part. Maybe it's because I'm a beauty editor, and shopping is literally part of my job, or maybe it's because I'm chronically online. Still, I love seeking out items that range from cool and collectible to useful and efficient. It's all in an effort to attune myself and my space to the rhythm of the seasons.
Summer is my favorite seasonal reset of them all. It's exciting to plan a vacation, fill up my social calendar, and prep for days spent out in the sun. This year, I'm refreshing my SPF collection, updating my wardrobe with a few key pieces, and prepping my beach bag for long, leisurely days spent by the water. And after spending two weeks shopping, I'm finally ready to share my wish list with you, dear reader. Ahead, see the 27 items I've personally curated for summer 2026.
Summer is rough on my strands. After three months of sun, sweating, and swimming—not to mention heat styling for weddings and other events—my hair needs some serious help. In an attempt to prevent damage, rather than try to reverse it in the fall, I'm restocking my favorite leave-in product: Ouai's St. Bart's Leave-In Conditioner. It's hydrating, smoothing, and protects hair up to 450 degrees. It also smells downright incredible; the tropical scent includes notes of orange blossom, tuberose, and amber.
I don't discriminate between chemical and mineral SPFs. I test and collect both. This chemical formula is my all-time favorite, and I don't say that lightly. It's lightweight, hydrating, and melts onto my skin without a whisper of a white cast.
When it comes to mineral sunscreen, I love Dr. Loretta's Universal Glow Daily Defense. It offers broad-spectrum SPF 40, skin-quenching hydration, and a potent antioxidant complex called Liochroman for advanced pollution protection. Thanks to a universal rosy tint, it blends seamlessly into the skin.
TikTok has officially convinced me that traditional flip flips are out. Since they don't offer any arch support, they can lead to flat feet, aches, pains, and misalignment (or so I'm told). That's why I already purchased two pairs of these arch-support flip flops. The reviews couldn't be more enthusiastic, and multiple people claimed they can wear them for 12+ hours with no discomfort.
High heat causes discoloration and redness (or, if you're like me, full-blown rosacea flare-ups). This year, I'm attempting to prevent that with cooling skincare products I can use on the go. These cooling toner pads are easy to travel with and flood the skin with proprietary pH4.5CICA (a complex of asiatica, zinc, and PHA) to soothe the skin. Meanwhile, hyaluronic acid adds hydration and niacinamide helps correct dark spots and discoloration.
Here's my other cooling skincare pick. This face mist uses a cryotherapy-inspired ingredient to cool the skin on contact, while a post-biotic rebalances blemish-prone skin, and niacinamide minimizes redness and discoloration. It's a no-brainer for hot summer days.
I've been zeroing in on my body-care routine recently, and this body gua sha has been a big part of that. It helps sculpt my skin, minimize the appearance of cellulite, and encourage lymphatic drainage. I simply apply a body oil before using it to facilitate a smooth glide. Then, I work up and out in long strokes.
The start of a new season is the perfect time to evaluate your goals and routines. It's also the perfect time to start working towards those New Year's intentions. After all, we're only halfway through the year—there's still time! I'm doubling down on productivity and organizing jam-packed days with Papier's Mid-Year Planner. It's a brilliant concept, IMO, and makes me want to squeeze the most out of the second half of the year.
Phlur's Beach Skin Hair & Body Mist ($39) was one of my most-worn scents last summer. With notes of bergamot, salted tiare flower, and sandalwood, it's a luxurious seaside vacation, bottled. This summer, I'm doubling down on the scent via this shimmering body oil. It gives the skin a soft, radiant—not glittery—glow.
I'm also introducing one of Phlur's newest scents to my summer lineup. It's one of two new, sun-soaked body mists that just launched, and it's utterly tantalizing with notes of bergamot, coconut, and seaside florals. It evokes "salty skin and sunlit waves." Perfect.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again. The key to a grade-A beach day is an extra-large towel, ideally one that's made from 100% cotton. This is it. It's fast-drying, durable, and breathable. Plus, it can be rolled up with an included cotton and leather carry strap for easy transport. It even has a hole in the center for a beach umbrella, if you really want to go all out.

Kaitlyn McLintock is a Beauty Editor at Who What Wear. She has 10 years of experience in the editorial industry, having previously written for other industry-leading publications, like Byrdie, InStyle, The Zoe Report, Bustle, and others. She covers all things beauty and wellness-related, but she has a special passion for creating skincare content (whether that's writing about an innovative in-office treatment, researching the benefits of a certain ingredient, or testing the latest and greatest at-home skin device). Having lived in Los Angeles, California, and Austin, Texas, she has since relocated back to her home state, Michigan. When she's not writing, researching, or testing beauty products, she's working through an ever-growing book collection or swimming in the Great Lakes.