Although falling asleep on the beach has its consequences, such as turning into a human tomato, nothing beats the feeling of the sun on your skin or the sounds of waves crashing onto the shore a few feet in front of you.

I was reminded of this feeling the other day after going to El Matador State beach in Malibu. I’m not really much of a beach person, because I usually get too bored or hot in the sun after ten minutes. But this time, I promised myself that I would relax, crack open a book, and enjoy one of the perks of summer.

In this post, I’ll share some tips for a day at El Matador State Beach as well as my summer beach essentials.

If you ask any local for a cool, photogenic beach in Southern California, chances are you will be recommended El Matador State Beach in Malibu. Seriously, look it up. The rock formations and coves are sites you don’t want to miss! It’s the perfect backdrop to sneak in that photo shoot you’ve been looking forward to. It’s fine, we all do it! A.K.A me as seen in the photo below.

Although it looks shady in this picture, don’t be fooled. The beach barely has any shade. If you’re like me and prefer sitting in the shadow of a palm tree, that ain’t gonna happen. I suggest bringing an umbrella if you want that extra sun protection!

I went to the beach on a Saturday afternoon. We found a nice little spot to set up camp but it was fairly crowded! The beach isn’t as wide as other Malibu beaches such as Zuma, so I hope you don’t mind being close to your neighbors!

Now, let’s talk about the fun stuff: parking! I drove my car there around 1:15 pm and easily found a spot along the side of PCH, right next to the beach entrance. I know, I was surprised too. Maybe I was just lucky. However, cars started filling up the spaces behind me in no time. There is also a small parking lot down the hill of the beach entrance.

Honestly, I couldn’t have asked for better weather on my day off. I totally want to come back for a picnic at sunset! I’m hoping to do that before the end of summer. If you plan on doing the same, I’ll give you a heads up that alcohol is prohibited at this beach!

If you’re planning on going in the middle of a hot day like I did, then take a look at my list of beach essentials down below! You’re welcome.

1. A swimsuit. Duh. But like you wanna be trendy so how about sporting this cute one-piece from Showpo?

2. Sunscreen! Because no one wants to be wrinkly at 50. Sorry to be gross but it’s the truth! I use eltaMD UV Sport sunscreen because my dermatologist told me to.

3. And if you wanna wear face sunscreen yet look flawless at the same time (me), layer up with Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer (with SPF of 20! Bonus!) I use the oil free one in nude.

4. A good book! Any one will do but if you’re interested in what I’m reading, here it is: Sweetbitter. PS, this book is also now a series on Starz Channel!

5. Sunnies or a good hat. A must.

6. This is extra but after spending a day in the sun, my skin feels so dry! I like to hydrate it with Milk Makeup’s hydrating oil stick. It’s so easy to throw in your bag without having to worry about it spilling, because it’s a roll on!

7. Another way to stay hydrated? Uhhh… water! So make sure you do the planet a favor and use a reusable water bottle. You can even go a little crazy and squeeze some lemon juice in there. Yum.

Well there you have it folks! I hope you visit this amazing beach one day and soak up all the sun (and views). Don’t forget to bring along my beach essentials!

Love,

CQUINN (or Sequin) x