34 Summer Self Care Ideas and products on a budget to pamper yourself

Hi hi! Are you looking for summer self care ideas to unwind during the hottest season of the year? I know, I love summer too, there is just something about long days, warm nights, and wearing flip flops that makes everything feel more relaxed. But also, let’s be honest: summer can be a lot too. Between the heat, the social plans, and that weird pressure to be “living your best life,” it can get kinda overwhelming. So I made a list of summer self-care ideas that I try to stick with when I wanna enjoy the season without getting burnt out (literally or emotionally).

Let’s get into it.

This blog post was all about summer self care ideas.

Here are 34 ideas that mix easy activities, gentle habits, and some products I swear by or discovered recently and just started to implement in my routine. Some of these ideas you can also start doing right now, or buy at affordable prices.

Mindful Moments and Feel Good Activities

Start Your Morning Right

1. Drink cold water before coffee in the morning. I started doing this last summer and honestly, it helps me wake up way better.
2. Make fruit-infused water. Just cut up oranges or cucumbers or whatever you have and throw them in your water bottle. My friend Emma swears by strawberries and mint.
3. Morning walks before it gets too hot. Even 15 minutes around the block with music or a podcast. I feel so much better the whole day.

Chill Day Activities

4. Go to the library. It’s quiet, it has AC, and free books. What more could you need?
5. Make a DIY body scrub. Sugar, coconut oil, a little lemon juice. Smells like a vacation.
6. Pick one day a week to be plan-free. Like, no social plans, no errands. Just whatever you feel like in the moment. It’s so freeing.
7. Eat meals outside. On your balcony, a park bench, or during a picnic. I had brunch on the beach and it felt like a movie, of course not everybody has access to a beach, BUT you can definitely host a picnic somewhere else, like a park for instance.

Small Mood Boosters

8. Light a summery candle. Coconut, ocean breeze, or lemon. My colleague has one that smells like mango ice cream and I’m obsessed.
9. Say no to things you don’t wanna do. I know FOMO is real but so is burnout. It’s okay to skip that third BBQ this week.
10. Have a go-to summer playlist. Happy songs, chill songs, whatever fits your vibe. Mine currently has Harry Styles, Rosalia, and some 2000s throwbacks.
11. Make popsicles. You can just freeze juice or smoothie in a mold. Last week I made mango coconut ones and I feel like a genius.
12. Visit a farmer’s market. Even if you just look around. I went last weekend and bought sunflowers and a mini pie.
13. Paint your nails fun colors. Like neon green or baby blue. I did hot pink last week and it makes me smile every time.

Evening Wind-Down Ideas

14. Take evening showers. Helps cool down your body and you go to bed feeling super clean.
15. Try journaling outside. I sit in the shade and just write whatever. The breeze makes everything feel more poetic somehow.
16. Go tech-free for one hour a day. I usually do it around dinner time. It’s weirdly hard but feels amazing after I decided to address this time to do something that will help me later, like reading a book or preparing for the next day (like my workout outfit).
17. Make a simple summer vision board. Just cut out pretty pictures or print them. I have one above my desk with beach pics, quotes, and pastel colors.
18. Do some crosswords or word search puzzles. I solve word searches and crossword puzzles almost every day. I really like it, it is a fun way to feed your brain with knowledge. I even create my own puzzles, mostly to share with my family or friends when we are having a picnic or having dinner, for instance. Now that summer is approaching, I created some puzzles with Summer theme.

Summer Word Search puzzle

Summer crossword puzzle v1

Summer crossword puzzle v2

Feel Good Products and Little Luxuries

Hydration and Cooling Essentials

19. Buy a cute water bottle. Okay hear me out, I hydrate more when I like how my bottle looks. I got one that changes colors in the sun. Super fun.
20. Use a cooling face mist. I keep mine in the fridge and spray it mid-day. Feels like tiny angels on my face.
21. Get a wide-brim hat. My auntie gifted me one last year and I swear it changed my outdoor life. No more squinting or sunburnt nose.
22. Try ice rolling your face. I bought one from a random ad and it actually feels amazing in the morning.

Soft Fashion and Skincare

23. Wear linen or cotton clothes. Light and breezy. I used to wear denim shorts all the time but now I’m a flowy pants girlie.
24. Use aloe vera gel even if you’re not sunburnt. It’s cooling and calming. I use it like a light lotion after showers.
25. Get a cooling pillow insert. Game changer. I sleep way better now.
26. Use sunscreen that feels good. I used to hate sunscreen because it felt sticky. Now I use one from Supergoop and it’s like skincare.
27. Try dry brushing. It’s supposed to help circulation and makes my skin feel so soft.

Tiny Treats and Personal Luxuries

28. Hand fan. Charming, and really handy, this hand fan can be found in different styles. I still have one from my wedding, and I always have one in my bag, so I can take it everywhere.
29. Keep a mini perfume or body spray in your bag. Feels fancy and fresh.
30. Use a sleep mask. Especially if the sun comes up early. Mine has little gel beads inside you can cool in the fridge.
31. Find a summer scent. Could be a body mist, a candle, or essential oil. I’m into coconut-vanilla lately. Makes me feel like I’m on vacation.
32. Try a hair mask. The sun and saltwater (or chlorine) can dry out your hair. I do one from Shea Moisture and my curls love it.
33. Use lip balm with SPF. My lips got sunburnt one time and I’ll never forget. Never again.
34. Treat yourself to a cute summer tote or fanny pack. I got one with strawberries on it and now I carry it everywhere. Makes errands feel like a fun outing.

Now hear me out here, you don’t have to do all of these, you can test them as I did and see what works for you. So start small, even just picking two or three things that sound nice to you can totally shift your energy and you will be at the end doing things to take care of you. Summer is definetly not a competition, even if Instagram tries to say otherwise. It’s okay if your “hot girl summer” is more like “rested and hydrated girl summer.” And if you liked this post about self care tips you could check other of my posts like this one in the SELF CARE category.

Take care of yourself, friend. That’s the most summery thing you can do.

This blog post was all about summer self care ideas.