Outfit Details:

Chicwish off the shoulder gingham dress

Kate Spade Secret Admirer heart crossbody bag

Oui Fresh sunglasses

Boden scalloped flats

One of our favorite summer activities is going to Coney Island, where we ride the Wonder Wheel, drink fresh squeezed lemonade and eat food we’ll regret later, and play carnival games that I never win. Bobby and the kids often win, though, and our last trip had my sister Amanda holding an armful of stuffed animals for my niece and nephews. My 4 year old nephew Ryder exclaimed, “Miku is going to have a blast with these!” — though I think he has since reneged, because I’m pretty sure they’re still in the kids’ possession. Ryder, Roxy, and Jack were winning them left and right. Amanda sneaked away while the kids were on a ride, and gave a couple of them away to nearby children. Seriously, we must have had 10 or 15 stuffed animals…it was insane. But it was so much fun. Coney Island, to me, is essential to our summer.

Before the kids came up, Bobby and I went to Coney Island on a whim, over Memorial Day weekend. Please note that if you want to avoid the crowds, this is the worst time to go. But the weather was beautiful and after a weirdly chilly Spring, everyone wanted to be in the sunshine — ourselves included.

I brought along some of my summer essentials: my new red sunnies from my friends at Oui Fresh, MintFusion lip balm with SPF 30 (don’t forget to protect your lips), SPF 50 Sun-Defying Sunscreen Oil (my sunscreen obsession, pictured in travel size),  SPF 50 Everyday Sunscreen (I like to use a cream for my face, neck, and ears), red lipstick and liner — my only makeup of the day, and Tatcha oil blotting sheets to keep me from being too shiny. We recently attended a Supergoop! party on a boat, and I stocked up on the essentials. You should see my cabinet…full of sunscreen in all its forms. I especially love the travel sizes for reapplying throughout the day. If you’re not reapplying, you’re not staying protected. Once is not enough!

I’m obsessed with skincare and staying protected from the sun, which really go hand in hand. I don’t leave the house without SPF, and though I’m sometimes teased for being so pale, I’m fine with it. You know why? When I was just 15, I had to have surgery on my head that left me with countless stitches and a scar that spans the entire back of my head, in an exaggerated S shape. What I thought was a harmless birthmark had rapidly grown into a tumor and needed to be removed, immediately. It’s not fun and I don’t recommend it. When my doctor warned me about always protecting my skin or I would be likely to have skin cancers removed my whole life, I took it to heart and picked up the habit of always wearing sunscreen. Both my grandma and my little sister have to have skin cancers removed all the time. It doesn’t discriminate, so you have to do your best to prevent it.

When I’m spending a day at the beach, I like to use a cream as a base before I leave home, to make sure I’m completely covered. Then I bring a spray on formula throughout the day, when I need to reapply. For everyday, I’m newly obsessed with the lightweight, spray on oil with SPF50, and then I use a cream for my face and neck. And p.s., my dermatologist says that regularly applying a good SPF is the #1 anti-aging tip she can give, because sun damage account for a good deal of wrinkles and aging skin. So, there’s an anti-aging tip for you. Another? Visit Coney Island (or your local fair). It will bring out your inner child, and being a kid at heart will keep you young. Just ask my grandparents!