Beach Week Day 7 - Lancome O D'Azur

Our last day of Beach Week is going to focus on a product that will help bring the beach to you if you are unable to get away this holiday.  Also we started the week with products from the South of France and now will be finishing it with products from the same place.  This summer, Lancome has released three new fragrances all inspired by the different areas of the South of France.  O D'Azur is the fragrance was inspired by the beaches of the South of France, making it the obvious choice to end out this theme week.  This fragrance is summery and light and I feel that it can be worn for either work or play.

"Carefree.  Enticing.  Surprising.  Drift away on a sensual voyage off the Mediterrean coast with O D'Azur.  The fruity-floral scents captures the feeling of relaxed sensuality on a late summer afternoon where the warm golden sand is complimented by the sparkling blue ocean.", states the Lancome website as a description of this fragrance. This fragrance manages to be both lovely and laid-back at the same time.  It is described as a fruity floral, however I found the fruit notes to coem out more on my skin.

The top notes of the fragrance are: Sicilian Bergamot, Calabria Lemon essence.  The heart notes are: Rose, Peony.  The base notes are: Modern Woody notes, Musk.  I found that the Bergamot, Lemon, and then the Peony notes are the strongest on me, the Rose notes don't come out near as much as they do in other fragrances.  I find this fragrance to be more like Dolce & Gabbana's Light Blue, mostly citrus and then fades down to the bottom notes within about an hour. 

This fragrance only lasts about two hours on my skin and smells very light the whole time.  Because of the lightness and crispness of the fragrance, I find that this fragrance could be worn at the beach or at work.  In fact, this is a great fragrance to wear to work in the summer months.  It will take you mentally to the beach even when you are stuck in an office in the city.

Well my first Beach Week has come to an end and I hope that you all enjoy it and that it has given you guys some ways to prepare for the upcoming Fourth of July weekend.  Personally, I am really ready for the beach right now and I have a great fake tan to prove how ready that I am!

photo courtesy of Lancome

Beach Week Day 6 - Bath and Body Works True Blue Spa Suncare Products

Beach Week is beginning to come to an end and I wanted to back to some sun protection and sunless tanner products.  I first started using Bath and Body Works tanners in college and I am happy to report that they have come a long way since I first bought one in 2004.  In the newly repackaged True Blue Spa line, this company has released both suncreen and tanner options and I purchased them all to try out and see how they work.  I love that I can go to one store and quickly pick up a whole batch of products that I need to both get ready for the beach and to take to the beach.  For Beach Week, I decided to try a well-rounded selection of products to hit every single beach need that I possess.  To begin with, a new body sunscreen and then two new types of self-tanners and to finish it you, a new moisturizer that is targeted toward prolonging a tan.

The first item that I chose to buy from this line is the Cooling Sunscreen Mist SPF 30.  This is a new product that just came out in May.  I have already written about the product like this that came out with the Coconuts line and how effective it was.  I decided on purchasing this product along with the Coconut Mango sunscreen since this one has a very light citrus fragrance and came be used without it interfering with any other fragrance.  "Who wouldn't wear a sunscreen when it feels this good to put on?  This SPF 30 sunscreen is a cool, refreshing mist that's ridiculously easy to apply, which means that hard-to-reach backs will be neglected no more and tops of feet will tingle with delight."  This product works just as a traditional sunscreen does, I apply it 20 minutes before sun exposure and wait until it dries until I get fully dressed again.  This sunscreen is not a waterproof formula so I do recommend applying it affter getting out of the ocean or pool.  I also recommend reapplying it every two hours in order to get the maximum benefits from the product.  The active ingredients in this product are: Homosalate (15%), Octinoxate (7.5%), Octisalate (5%), and Oxybenzone (6%); all of which are used to protect skin from the sun's harmful rays.  This is great product and is so easy to apply that it is almost impossible to use it wrong.  The cooling aspect of it leaves a bit of tingle on the skin which is a relief on the very hot days of the summer.  The neutral fragrance of this product makes it very easy for anyone to use and won't offend even the most sensitive noses.

The second product that I bought is one of their self-tanners, the line contains both a gradual formula and the traditional self tanners.  Gradual formauls are the type of tanners that I rarely use, I have so many body products in my collection that I rarely use the same product more than two days in a row and therefore I prefer to use a traditional tanner once every few days.  The Moisturizing Gradual Tanner is a aloe vera based hydrator spiked with a bit of DHA to give a natural looking tan after several uses.  "Everyone knows the best tans come to those who wait.  Use our Moisturizing Gradual Tanner - Glow & Steady today, notice a gradual, natural darkening as the days go by.  Aloe Vera is know to calm and moisturize.  Isn't multi-tasking beautiful?"  My favorite aspect of this product is actually the hydration benefits, this gradual tanner left my skin so soft and smooth that I actually wanted to use it more than once or twice in a row.  Most experts recommend using gradual tanners for a minimum of five days in a row in order to build the tan up, the back of teh package on this one states that it should be used four days in a row.  After the first and second days, my skin looked exactly the same color-wise.  It took up to four days to get a noticeable glow and then on the fifth day, the tan really began to develop.  After the fifth application, I began using this product everyother dya just to maintain my tan.  This product didn't give me a deep tan and I would only recommend it for ladies that are pale skinned, if you already have a medium or deeper tone, then this product will not produce enough pigment to make any type of change in your skin.  I did like this product however it doesn't really change my view on gradual tanners but if this is the route that you prefer then I recommend this tanner.

The second self tanner that I tried is a traditional formula and actually ended up being on my short list of favorite tanning products. This product is named the Bronzing Self-Tanning Lotion and the performance of it is so much nicer than the original products that I first bought from this company.  The first self-tanner that I used in 2004 had little to no color, was harder to apply, and never seemed to dry.  I am happy to report that this product is a far cry from those.  "Strike gold right at home.  This luxurious sunless tanning lotion is a real treasure that will give you a perfect tan, thanks to a touch of instant sheer color that lets you see where you've applied it."  This formula contains Vitamin E to both hydrate the skin and to help the color last on the skin.  This formula is simply wonderful, everything from the texture to the color that it turns my skin.  The texture may be described as a lotion but it is a light gel that applied very easily, sinks right into the skin, and dries within less than five minutes.  Bronzer is in this product so I get a hint of tint in order to help me apply this and so far I haven't had any major errors with this product.  I first applied this product two days in a row to grow my color and then I apply it every three days to maintain this color.  This is in my listed of favorite tanners and I prefer this formula since I can apply it once and see results.  Personally I don't always get to plan my beach visits so I need a formula that can get me results really quickly.

The last product that I bought from Bath and Body Works is a hydrator that is made to extend the life of either a real or fake tan.  The After Sun Moisturizer contains Aloe Vera to help soothe and hydrate tanned skin.  "Once you achieve the perfect tan, you'll of course want to keep your pale, pasty friends jealous as long as possible.  However sun exposure can cause dry skin and cause free radicals to age and damage skin.  Our special after sun formula contains antioxidant Vitamins C and E to help combat free radicals and soothing, moisturizing Aloe Vera to calm."  This hydrator is another one that has more of a gel texture than a lotion.  It smells like sweet oranges and limes and the scent was first reason that I was attracted to this product.  This product has been out under different names in the True Blue Spa collection for years now and I first bought it back in college and have repurchased many times since.  It helps to extend the life of sunless tan, I have never tried it on a real tan (since I have never had one in the whole time that I have owned this product).  This is great product to use when it is hot out since it sinks in quickly and doesn't make your skin greasy.  I would just be over the moon if Bath and Body Works made a body wash in this same line with Aloe Vera in it too.

So now I have shown you guys some products to use at the beach, some more to get ready for the beach, and one to recover your skin from the beach.  Beach Week is drawing to a close and the Fourth of July is drawing nearer so it's time to beginning a vacation tanning regime!

photo courtesy of Bath and Body Works

Beach Week Day 5 - The Body Shop Coconut Body Products

For the fifth day of Beach Week, we are going to look at some favorite body products of mine.  How many people state that the scent of coconut reminds them of the beach?  It reminds me of the beach and I use it all summer since I love it so much and then I also use it all winter to help me forget about the storms outside.  The Body Shop Coconut line is one of the first coconut based product lines and still remains one of the best on the beauty product market today.  I first bought one of these scrubs a few years ago and fell madly in love with it, prompting me to purchase more products in this scent one of the next times that I was shopping in the store.

The Body Shop has been covered in my England Week and many other times in this blog, I have loved these products for years and now that some of the line is carried at Sephora, it makes it even easier for me to pick up some of the my favorites.  The Coconut line contains organic, virgin, cold-pressed Community Trade coconut oil and coconut milk.  These ingredients give this line a leg up on the competition since they use real coconut and not artifical coconut fragrance in their product line.  This line of products are very hydrating and the scent is pure coconut that reminds me of exotic beaches.  This line of products can take you to the islands in your shower.  I have purchased three products in this scents; the Shower Cream, the Body Scrubs, and the matching Body Butter.

The Shower Cream is the easiest way to use this product on a daily basis, it can be used morning and night to start and end your day off in the right mood.  The Sephora website states the following as a product description.  "A soap-free, moisture-rich creamy body cleanser.  This coconut scented body wash creates big, foamy lather in the bath or shower and rinses easily away.  Formulated with real cocoa butter, it gently cleanses the skin while conditioning and softening."  This cleanser contains two major active ingredients, both of which are organically derived and therefore set the body apart from others on the market.  Community Fair Trade Brazilian Soya Oil restores the skin's natural moisture barrier, helping to restore smoothness and suppleness to the skin.  Coconut Oil Derived Cleansing Agent cleanses the skin and enriches the foam and lather.  This shower cream is gentler on the skin than many other chemical-based products.  I have found that it doesn't foam up quite as much as some other washes however it is much better for dry skin and I love to use in both the summer and the winter.  This product rinses clean and only leaves a hint of fragrance on the skin, so it won't compete with any other perfume that you use during the day.

My favorite product in the Coconut line is the Body Scrub.  I first used the scrubs from this company when I bought the Mango.  I ended up disliking the Mango so I wasn't really keen on buying more scrubs withthat same texture however this product had a very different look and texture when I played with it in the store.  I bought it to try and I loved it from the first time that I used it.  The Mango Scrub was more oily and had a jelly finish however this one has more of a creamy finish.  "Reveal softer, glowing skin with gently exfoliating coconut husks and ground coconut shells in a creamy, moisturizing scrub with pure Community Trade organic cold-pressed virgin coconut oil", states The Body Shop's website.  The organic, virgin, cold-pressed Community Trade Coconut Oil and Coconut Milk condition, moisturize, and soften skin, while helping to replenish moisture levels in the skin.  In addition to the coconut oil and milk, this product also contains Organic Community Trade Babassu Oil which is a very effective moisturizer that helps to restore skin's natural moisture balance.  This scrub is creamy and gentle, with the coconut husks to helps lightly exfoliate the skin.  This product doesn't provide as deep a scrub as salt or sugar would but it is great for very dry or sensitive skin.

The final step of this collection is the Body Butter.  This is hydrating product from the product collection and can be used after showering or at the beach.  I have always loved the butters from this company and the Coconut rivals the Mango as my favorite in the collection.  "Drench your skin in a rich, intensive cream with a lush coconut scent that moisturizes for up to 24 hours and made with Community Trade pure organic cold-pressed virgin coconut oil.  Absorbs easily to help condition, soften, and smooth the skin, providing moisture for up to 24 hours.  Leaves the skin deliciously fragranced with the tropical scent of coconut.", states The Body Shop when describing this body butter.  This butter contains both coconut oil, shea, and cocoa butter to help soften and soothe the skin.  Organic, virgin, cold-pressed Community Trade coconut oil softens and conditions skin.  Community Trade shea butter and Commuity Trade cocoa butter moisturize and soften skin.  This butter is very hydrating, rubs in easily, and leaves the most divine coconut fragrance on the skin.

I know that not everyone loves to wear coconut fragrances but no one can deny that coconut makes them think of summer and the beach.  The Body Shop's coconut line is a favorite of mine because it contains the actual coconut oil and smells simply divine.  The scrub and the body butter rank in my top ten list of favorite body products both for scent and texture.  Another benefit to this product line in the summer months is that the ingredients used are very soothing to skin that has seen too much sun after a long day.  I wouldn't recommend the scrub for sunburned skin but the wash won't irritate and will help to keep the moisture in the skin.  The butter will help replenish lost moisture in the skin and will soothe the burn. 

I love coconut but if you don't I also recommend trying the Mango product line from this company to reap many of the same benefits.  I do wish that the Coconut line contained a bubble bath since then I could bring the beach to my bathtub next December...

photo courtesy of The Body Shop

Beach Week Day 4 - Fekkai Marine Summer Hair Shampoo and Beach Waves

We are already half way through Beach Week!  So far we have looked at self-tanners, a fantastic sunscreen, and the only acceptable makeup at the beach.  Today we are chaning it up a bit and we will look at my two favorite products from the Fekkai summer hair collection.  This collection has come out for several years in a row now, each time just in time for summer and then it disappears by the time that we are all beginning to think about fall.  This year, the Marine Summer Hair collection contains four products, two that are re-releases from earlier collections and two that are brand new.  Today's post is about my two favorites from this line, which actually are the two returning products.

Hair in the summer needs to be treated differently than it does the rest of the year, especially if your hair is color treated or on the drier side.  My hair is both of these so mine can be a bit of a pain to deal with in hot weather.  The sun, the ocean, and the pool water can really dry your hair out but ordinary hydrating products don't always do the trick since salt and chemicals can build up on the hair, rendering some of the hydrating products less effective or not effective at all.  Knowing these facts, Fekkai created a very special line of hair care products made specifically to deal with these issues.  "Take the summer off from frizz, fuss, and damage.  Our complete summer hair care regimen draws on AquaTherapy technology to defend against the damaging effects of sun, saltwater, and chlorine - and now - humidity."

The shampoo from this collection is made to clean out both the chemicals from the pool and the salt the accumulates from the ocean.  This is not your typical clarifying shampoo and won't work the same way, it is targeted for special chemicals and salts, not just for stripping product build-up from the hair.  I purchased this product to make sure that the chlorine from swimming didn't kill my color treated hair this summer.  "Marine botanicals moisturize and gently detoxify to leave hair shiny, soft, and free of chlorine, residue, and impurities.  UV shield helps prevent fading."  This shampoo is more of a creamy texture than any traditional clarifying shampoo, it has more the texture of the shampoo in the Fekkai Essential Shea line.  It foams up easily and rinses cleanly.  The scent of it reminds me of a subtle coconut scent, almost more like a pina colada type of fragrance than a sunscreen type of fragrance.  It left my hair about as soft as any other type of Fekkai hydrating shampoo and the shine factor was about the same too.  I used this product to get chlorine out of my hair and it really helped to get the chemicals out and then the hydrate my hair.  I followed it up with the Fekkai Essential Shea conditioner to further hydrate my hair. 

Beach Waves is a leave-in styling product that also happens to be one of Fekkai's best sellers and top rated products.  This is the first product that I purchased from the Fekkai Summer Hair line several years ago and this was my official introduction to the product line.  "Marine waters create surf-sexy texture, and sea kelp hydrates and blocks moisture loss for sexy, tousled waves, anytime and anywhere.  UV shield helps prevent fading."  This product can be used both at the beach and any other time to create beachy waves.  When used at the beach, I sprayed it on wet hair, scrunched quickly, and then let my hair dry.  This product creates a much nicer wave than the other curl products that I have used, including the other curl spray that is offered by Fekkai.  When not at the beach, this product helps to create the laid-back waves and great texture that could only be found before when getting out of the surf.  It is best when used in the same fashion in the morning.  I find the look that this product created is best used for more casual situations, I wouldn't go into the office with my hair in loose in waves.  This product is so different than other curl sprays because it creates a different texture, it created loose waves for me instead of the curls that I tend to get with other products.

I love that Fekkai has come out with a whole line that is just for summer hair and that allows ladies to have the beachy look even on the weekends in the city.  If you can't get to the Hamptons, then these products will take the Hamptons to you...

photo courtesy of Fekkai

Beach Week Day 3 - Clinique Lash Power Mascara

I am not a person that wears makeup to the beach or pool.  I personally think it is tacky when women show up wearing a full face of makeup at the beach.  I don't have time at the beach to keep up with my makeup and prefer to let a glow light up my face.  In addition, I find that wearing makeup at the beach means messy touch-ups after it begins to wear off and most of it ends up becoming a melted mess in your beach bag.  the only piece of makeup that I will give you is a bit of waterproof mascara.  A light touch will makeup your lashes lovely and defined and won't look made up when you are playing in the surf.

I purchased one waterproof mascara this summer and I bought it for two reasons; the first being that I wanted to wear a bit of tint on my lashes when I go to the beach and the other reason being that I wanted to try something that won't smudge in humid weather.  I have had some issues with wetter mascaras during the summer (especially Givenchy Phenomen'eyes) smearing and smudging when the humidity rises.  I have been hesistant about trying a long wearing formula since I have had problems in the past with this type of formula irritating my eyes, especially if I have contacts in.  Clinique's mascaras are all tested for sensitive eyes so I hoped that if any formula wouldn't be irritating, it would be a product from this brand.

Lash Power is the formula that fits the bill from Clinique.  "Mascara with staying power.  Vows to look pretty for 24 hours without a smudge or smear.  Lasts through rain, sweat, humidity, tears.  Yet the formula removes easily with warm water.  Unique brush reaches and beautifully lengthens even the tiniest lashes.  Ophthalmologist tested."  This product is available in both black and brown shades, of course I bought the black, I'm not a fan of brown mascaras. 

I used this mascara is two different ways.  The first way is use by itself and the second is use over another mascara.  By itself, this mascara produces long and defined lashes but not the volume that I crave in a mascara.  Clinique recommends that this product is best applied in several thin coats instead of one thick coat.  I agree with the several thin coats, it is much easier to keep the lashes defined with applied this way. This style of application gives the lengthened and defined lashes, they are enhanced yet natural enough that it looks appropriate at the beach or pool.  To get a more dramatic look, I tried to use this product over another volumizing mascara.  I kept this experiment in the Clinique line, applying one coat of Lash Power over one coat of Lash Doubling.  It didn't clump but I made sure that I kept the coats as thin as I could.  This type of application allowed me to have the volumized lash look that I normally favor.

The application of this mascara alone stood up to all the circumstances of use.  It didn't stray or smudge when I wore it during the day for regular activities.  It was in place after running on the treadmill and stayed on during the quick shower that I took after running.  The application of the two wasn't quite as successful.  It was fine during regular activities in humid weather but didn't hold up quite as well in the water.  Also, I could see a difference between the two trials in the removal of the mascara.  The mascara alone didn't even remove with eye makeup remover, I had to take a wash cloth that was soaked in warm water and then wipe it off in the shower.  In the second experiment, the eye makeup remover got about half the application of the two mascaras off and the rest came off in the shower.  I realized that my thinking with the two mascara was on point however, I can't fully cover the volumizing formula with the waterproof formula. 

With a product like this, I will concede to mascara at the beach or pool.  I feel better with mascara on and I know that many other ladies do too.  This is very nice waterproof formula and it stays in place no matter what your activities for the day are.  I don't think that I would do the layering for the beach or the pool since I don't think that the combination would hold up to extended time in the water.  However, I would do this mascara by itself to hold up the elements.  A bit of lash definition never hurt anyone at the beach however full full eye makeup still isn't a "Do" for the beach.

photo courtesy of Clinique

Beach Week Day 1 - St. Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Spray

To start this week off, I will return to one of my favorite sunless tanner lines, St. Tropez.  I have used St. Tropez for a very long time and so far has been the only tanner line that I have continued to return to year after year.  St. Tropez is a top contender in the tanner line and many people consider it to be the best that is available on the market today.  I have used both the mousse and the lotion from this line and have repurchased the mousse formula more times than I can count.  This time around, I was in a hurry when I went to Sephora to pick up more tanner and they were sold out of the mousse formula.  I decided to try out something new, hoping it would still have the same fantastic St. Tropez tanner formula.  I had never tried any type of tanning spray product before so this was a beauty adventure when I gave this product a try.

St. Tropez was founded over ten years ago in France and very quickly became one of the best selling and most loved line of tanners.  This line got its first claim to fame as being used on the Baywatch show and was later reported to be the top choice of many celebrities, including Jessica Simpson.  The products in this line are available for purchase to use in the privacy of your bathroom or used by professionals in top of the line salons.  I have never tried this product in a salon, I have found that these products are so easy to work with that I don't need the help of a professional to get a even, glowing tan.

The St. Tropez website provides a complete description of this product and several tips to help you use this product.  "This super-fine self tan spray delivers the ultra-even, ultra-smooth all-over tan you've always wanted.  Infused with conditioning aloe vera and long-lasting color, you'll have a perfectly natural looking tan in an instant.  With 360 degree spray technology.  Our innovative Aromaguard fragrance technology eliminates the tell-tale self tan aroma by a minimum of 70% and instead gives a beautiful subtle, yet refreshing fragrance." 

St. Tropez recommends the typical self tanning regimen; exfoliate, moisturize, and then apply the tanner itself.  They make all the products that are needed to accomplish this purpose and I have bought all of the products before.  After the usual exfoliating and hydrating, St. Tropez provides instructions that are unique to this type of product.  "Hold the nozzle about 6" away from your skin and spray all over.  Blend with your hand or mitt if necessary to make sure you're covered as it's only missed areas that can look patchy.  Once you've got even coverage, wait until you're touch-dry before getting dressed."  St. Tropez also recommends applying this product several times a week in order to both achieve and maintain your desired shade of tan.

I started out by doing the usual exfoliating and moisturizing before I applied this product for the first time.  It went on very easy and dried quite quickly, I was happy with the initial application.  I didn't find this product to be near as tinted as the other products in the line and therefore I couldn't really tell when I was making mistakes.  This formula is much more a shot in the dark.  I thought that this would be the eaasiest formula to apply since all I had to do was spray it on and let it dry.

Well, I found out when I woke up the next morning that I was completely, 100% wrong about the ease of application.  I missed some spots completely and definitely had some zebra stripes on my arms and legs.  My back and stomach were fine since I used a slightly finer mist action and was able to just spray the whole area without much moving around.  I was really bad at the areas of my arms and legs that required me to continually move the spray action.  This was one of my worst tans that I have ever done, especially since this formula provides such a deep tan on the first application.  I first tried it out in May so at least I wasn't wearing a bikini until I was able to begin fixing it.  The second time around, I focused on trying to fill in some of the white areas and even the tan out.  I did somewhat better but I could sstill pick out some areas that needed a third coat for evening.

It took my about half way through the bottle to figure out the best way to work with this formula.  It really helps me to spray it all over one area of my body and then to use the mitt to rub it in and try to smooth it out.  It went on best this way but then ended up taking much longer than my normal routine to get it applied and let it dry. 

I found the ease of use of this product to be very over-exaggerated.  This product was quite hard for me to get a handle on and I have been tanning for years, with all different types of formulations.  I also accidently sprayed my wall and I had to stop the process to quickly clean the area.  I considered trying this product in the shower (after the water is turned off ) so that I can quickly wipe the walls down.  However, then I wasn't totally dry since the shower was still humid and the drying time wasn't correct this time around.  I had to settle on using this product in my bathroom and just being as careful as I could with the application. 

This product may not be my top choice from this company but it still contained many of the aspects that I love of the St. Tropex tan formula.  The tan was rich and golden and looked lovely (once I got it all evened out - maybe by the fourth application).  All St. Tropez formulas are long-lasting and I only needed to apply this product twice a week instead of the three or four that I have had to do with other companies.  The Aromaguard added to this formula is such an improvement, the old formula smelled to high heaven and induced migraines in me when I tried to use it in very humid weather.  It didn't completely get rid of the fragrance of the DHA however it makes it very managable and I ignore it while I sleep now. 

This wasn't my favorite way to apply a tanner and I doubt that I will continue to work with sprays in the future.  I still love the St. Tropez formula and I know that I will continue to buy and recommend the mousee formula for a long time.  This is the tanner that is used by the crowd in the South of France and that makes it a top pick for me.

photo courtesy of St. Tropez

Beach Week 2011 - Introduction

The past few weeks I have been completely obsessed with tanning and taking a trip to the beach.  I haven't gotten the time to run down for the weekend yet so at the moment, I am bringing the beach to myself.  The past few weeks, I have been trying out several self-tanners and I am now a lovely golden glow and I will be ready to put on my bikini as soon as time allows.

I decided to do a Theme Week based on my current love of the beach.  I wanted to get a chance to get all tanner and the last of my summer product reveiws in before the fall collections begin to hit (Too Faced already has their's up online!) and also before the Fourth of July so that you all have time to buy and use products that you like well before the holiday weekend.

Beach Week will consist of a mix of tanners and sunscreens to use on the beach, makeup that won't come off in the surf, and a few products that will bring the beach to you if you are stuck in the city.

Beach Week...  Here we go!

photo courtesy of Bestbeaches.com