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Summer is just around the corner. Before you know it, the UK will be doused in sun cream, BBQ’s and middle aged men walking around topless. Hurrah! (Sorta) Summer seems to come around every year and I don’t know about you but I’m never prepared for it. So how does one actually prepare for Summer anyway?

Vertical image for How to Prepare for Summer blog post featuring bilou Pink Melon Shower Foam and bilou Coco Cocktail Bodyspray products

As someone who doesn’t actually like Summer very much, I’d say preparation for me is key. I struggle in the heat. Not to mention how houses in the UK turn into an actual furnace at anything upwards of 23 degrees.

But something I love about Summer is taking care of myself and upping my beauty game with lovely products and more pamper time! From fake tan to eyelash serum, you name it, I’ll be using it!

Summer can definitely be a bit of a slug in the UK but here’s how I’m going to (and you can) more effectively prepare for Summer in 2019!

How to prepare for Summer in 2019:

If you don’t like water, find a suitable alternative

Luckily, this is one that doesn’t really apply to me because I love water. I drink so much goddamn water. But we all know how important it is to stay hydrated in the Summer and if we hate plain water, what can we do?

Well my Mum always drinks flavored waters (which I now drink too and absolutely love them) which you can pick up dirt cheap from local supermarkets. Or you can try these water bottles with fruit infusers to really mix it up!

Staying fresh

The products we use can really vary in Summer. I don’t know about you but I don’t want to be wearing super thick and heavy creams and make up if it’s going to make me feel gross and sticky in the heat. A great way to prepare for Summer is to have a little declutter of your beauty products and invest in some Summer friendly alternatives.

I was kindly sent 2 products from bilou to try, which I think would be a perfect addition to your Summer products!

bilou Coco Cocktail Bodyspray £3.99

Close up photo of the bilou Coco Cocktail Bodyspray with white flowers blurred in the background

First of all, I adore the fun, bright and colorful packaging of this entire range. But the first product I tried was the bilou Coco Cocktail Bodyspray. There’s so many exciting scents, it was hard to choose but I love coconut scents so was keen to test this one out.

And as scents go, this is one that you’ll definitely want to prepare you for Summer! It’s VERY Summery and instantly makes you want to be lying on a beach, with an actual Coco Cocktail in hand! It’s also multi-functional as a body spray and deodorant. So ideal for travelling with too.

bilou Pink Melon Shower Foam£3.99

Close up photo of the bilou Pink Melon Shower Foam bottle with white flowers blurred into the background

The second product I tried was the bilou Pink Melon Shower Foam. The scent I chose for the shower foam was out of stock, so I was sent the Pink Melon scent instead, which was absolutely fine because it smells delightful anyway! Although I have a suspicion that all their scents are wonderful.

Again, the packaging is so cute and fun. I’m a sucker for nice packaging. But onto the actual function; well I’ve never used a shower product which resembled shaving foam before but I really liked it! It was unusual but did the job. The smell lingered in the bathroom for ages after I’d finished using it!

Bin out of date sun cream and buy new ones

Arguably one of the most important elements of Summer: sun cream. And how many of us have got crusty, old and dusty sun cream bottles sitting under the sink in the bathroom? Show of hands? Most of us are going to be in the sun at some point during Summer and we don’t want to be worrying about the effect the sun is having on our skin when we’re trying to get on with our day.

So take some time to also declutter your sun creams, bin any which are out of date and invest in some nice new ones. We all want to enjoy Summer but it also doesn’t hurt to be clued up on SPF and do a bit of research into how it works and why we need to use it. Natural and organic sunscreen is always the preferable option!

Prepare your home for Summer

We spend most of our time at home and when that home is 400 million degrees in the dead of Summer, it’s not a pleasant experience. So preparing our home and getting it ready for Summer is important:

  • Bring fans out of storage or purchase shiny new ones
  • Ensure all installed fans are working properly (as well as other important appliances – like the freezer!)
  • Change to lighter and thinner bedding
  • Declutter as much as you can and store away things you’re not going to need for a while
  • Tend to your garden – you’ll be spending a lot of time out there!

Know how you’re going to take care of those that can’t prepare for Summer themselves

Summer can be a really dangerous time when the temperatures soar for prolonged periods of time. As a young, able-bodied person, I can do all the things I need to do to prepare for Summer myself and ensure I stay as safe and hydrated as I can. But that’s not the case for everyone.

So if you’re able, have some strategies in place for how you can ensure the people around you are as safe as possible during Summer. Check in on elderly neighbors, visit elderly relatives regularly and ensure their homes are cool and they’re drinking enough water and make sure any pets have a cool shady spot to lay in, plenty of water and hydrating treats and aren’t taken out in the middle of the day when the sun is the hottest.

How are you going to prepare for Summer this year? Any neat tips or tricks you can share?

Pinnable photo of bilou Vegan products

73 Comments

  1. I hate Summer too! Mostly because I don’t do well in the heat at all. I need factor 50 sun cream or I’ll burn. 🙁 Being sticky and sweaty at night is one of the worst things about Summer, so I’ll be investing in a new fan this year. I’ve seen the Bilou range in Superdrug but have yet to try it out.

      1. The body spray and foam both look adorable, I love the packaging! They sound like they smell so good as well. I’m not a massive fan of Summer either, not good at dealing with the heat but we do have a few fans ready for when it gets warmer!!

        Chloe xx
        http://www.chloechats.com

  2. This was so much fun to read! I love new body products, especially summer scents. The melon body wash/foam sounds delightful (I love anything watermelon scented), but I also liked the fact that the first product doubled as a body spray AND deodorant! What??? I’ll have to check out bilou, as I’ve never heard of them before!

    And these were great summer tips! Always good to have some reminders about keeping cool, hydrated, and healthy! Especially where I live, in Arizona, it gets crazy hot here and having an A/C is a MUST! That’s on our checklist here 😉

    xo Emily

    https://www.thatweirdgirllife.com

  3. Even though the summers in Texas were unbearable, there was at least air conditioning so it was a shock coming here & not having any AC! I told my bf we need to bring the fan up from the basement, but Denmark decided to go back to cold weather so it can wait a little longer. I also just bought sunscreen for my face & body since I ran out of my sunscreen from last year!

    Karalee
    Tales of Belle

  4. Fab post. I absolutely love these shower foams. My sister gave me the coco cocktail shower foam in amongst my Christmas presents ans it smelt unreal!

    Shona Marie xo | bellechic.blog

  5. Having plenty of leafy greens will definitely be on my ‘to do’ list for when the UK actually gets a ray of sun, and of course layering up with my SPF 50.. As you know us pale folk have got to stay pale. 😉

  6. I keep seeing these pop up here, there and everywhere! Really want to give them a try, sounds like a nice summery fragrance to help freshen up on a hot day! I completely agree with you about not liking being all hot & sticky haha

    Hayley | hayleyxmartin

  7. I really hope its a nice summer this year, its been cold at the moment lol! I really need to buy fans this year. I love Bilou products they smell amazing, their shower foams are my favourite!

    Mel 🌙 | Moonlight Mel

  8. The Bilou bottles look super cute! I love that they’re vegan products – more ethical than ever. Big plus is that they’re super affordable as well. I like that they smell great! With summer coming, this is a perfect time to use them. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on these products!

    Nancy ♥ exquisitely.me

  9. Gosh that pink melon foam sounds lush, ,and you had me at ‘vegan’! I’m so conscious of what I buy now so I love saving reviews of cruelty-free and vegan products. Thanks so much for sharing!

  10. My summer prep is basically adding more salad recipes to my to do list 😂. My skin becomes slightly less sensitive in summer which is something I look forward to every year (you have to find something to look to). Those products sound lovely, the shower foam especially sounds dreamy x

    Sophie

  11. I love My Bilou products, they smell soooo good! 😀 I’ve already bought a new fan after the last Bank holiday weekend with that warm weather. It killed me last year being so hot. If I could afford it I would buy an AC unit! 😀

    Sarah 🌺 || Boxnip || Latest Post

  12. Oh my god that packaging is actually the cutest! I love it! Also the coconut body spray sounds great. I will definitely have to give these a try! 🙂
    Chantelle
    xoxo

  13. I love shaving foam shower gels! I think Imperial leather was the first brand I came across that did them XD takes me back to my youth!

    My big tip for sunscreen is to find the symbol that tells you how long it’s good for after opening (usually 12 months) and then write the date you opened it on it with a sharpie 🙂

    Oh and don’t forget to grab an SPF lipbalm too 😀

  14. I love bilou products, their packaging is so bright and fun and they smell gorgeous too! I am currently using the Coco Cocktail spray and it defo makes me want to go to the beach with a nice cocktail! 🙂 Thanks for sharing your tips too, I had to panic buy sun cream during the Easter bank hols, it was sooo hot! Fab post Jenny and such pretty photos <3 xxx

    Bexa | http://www.hellobexa.com

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