Summertime means warm breezes, sunny afternoons, sand in your toes, and more days spent in the great outdoors. It can also mean bug bites, sunburn, and dreaded poison ivy. Don’t let these little annoyances detract from your enjoyment: Here’s our list of outdoor essentials to get you through the season in one piece!

Sun Safety

Badger is a family-owned company located in New Hampshire. Their clear zinc sunscreen is both safe and effective, plus it rubs in clear! It is free from artificial fragrances, dyes, parabens, petrolatum, and synthetics. Learn more about sunscreen and see the other brands we recommend in our Guide to Safe Sunscreen.

Babyface light mineral water mist (100% electrolyzed, micro-structured, stabilized water) provides superior hydration and is all-natural. Julia, one of our buyers, says “it feels great on sunburn and is nice to spritz the face on a humid hot day.” Use it all Summer long to keep your skin looking beautiful.

Pest Repellents

Nantucket Spider is committed to providing effective natural bug repellents that are gentle to skin, hair, clothes, and the environment. Never greasy, their fine mist sprays are made using unique blends of essential oils, which are not only effective, but smell great, too! Look for their adult spray, kids spray, dog spray, and extra-strength tick-repellent spray. New this year: Outdoor Garden Incense Sticks. These artisan-crafted long-burning sticks are scented with pure essential oils to repel mosquitos and biting flies.

Big Dipper Wax Works has been crafting quality candles since 1993. Their citronella candles are handcrafted from beeswax, soy wax, and pure essential oils of Citronella and Cedarwood. The wick is made of 100% cotton, and contains no lead or metal. 10% of their net profits from candle sales is donated to organizations that promote sustainable beekeeping.

Poison Ivy

All Terrain Poison Ivy/Oak Bar is made using natural-based disinfectants and astringents, specially formulated to cleanse and soothe irritated skin. Use it to combat poison ivy, oak, and sumac, as well as rashes and eczema. They use Rainforest Alliance Certified Palm Oil for this cruelty-free soap. Keep a bar on hand for use after summer hikes and outdoor work!

Boiron Rhus Toxicodendron is a homeopathic remedy for poison ivy is actually crafted using poison ivy itself. Learn more about the uses of Rhus Toxicodendron here.

What are your go-to summer products? Let us know in the comments below!

But Repellent Incense photo courtesy of Nantucket Spider