I'm the Co-Founder of a Beauty Brand—I Swear By These 8 Summer Items

by Grace O'Connell Joshua

When it came to making a list of my go-to items for the season, I’ll be honest I was stumped. There are so many great summer items that I could fill endless tote bags, but realistically, there are five to 10 that we all need in our lives. While on the hunt for the perfect things to bring with me on vacations and integrate into my everyday life, I enlisted the guidance of influencer, podcast host, and co-founder of Summer Fridays Marianna Hewitt. I have been a fan of Hewitt and following her on Instagram for a while now and remember when she first launched her beauty company.

Hewitt’s business savvy mixed with her super-chic fashion sense and mental Rolodex of all the best products when it comes to skincare and beauty made her the perfect person to ask to share her favorites. When Hewitt and I got to chatting, we talked all things summer, from what vacations we’re taking to what we’ll be wearing all season and the new beauty products that I need to purchase like yesterday. On the topic of trips, I asked Hewitt what travel plans she had that she’s most looking forward to. “I am really looking forward to my upcoming summer vacation. I have a work trip planned in Paris in July, and I’m going to go a few days before to have a little vacation for myself. I’m so excited. I think I’m going to go to Saint-Tropez for a few days,” she told me. I don’t know about you, but I cannot wait for all the European summer content Hewitt is going to bless our IG feeds with. I’m planning a trip to Europe this summer myself, and I’ll definitely be taking notes from her.

She continued, “I’m also going to Aspen this summer. I’ve always gone to Aspen in the winter, but the last time I was there, everyone was talking about how amazing it is in spring or summer. I’m really looking forward to seeing what it’s like in the summer. I know there’s horseback riding and biking and hiking, so I’m excited for an adventurous summer vacation.” I love this for her. I have a lot of family in Colorado and have been visiting for years during summer and winter, and Aspen in the summer is as good as it sounds—another trip I can’t wait to follow along with via Hewitt’s social media.

Keep scrolling to see the rest of what we talked about and the eight summer items she swears by.

Hewitt: “I love Celine sunglasses. They are the most durable. I can just throw them in my bag. They’re made of this thick plastic so they never get messed up or squished. They feel like such a statement piece. So even if I have a really simple outfit on, I feel like sunglasses totally make the look for summer. I always have to have a really great pair of sunglasses with me. The Celine Acetate Butterfly Sunglasses are my current favorite style. I’ll end up wearing the same pair of sunglasses literally for years. They’re just a classic for me. I love a good cat-eye pair.”

Hewitt: “I’ve bought multiple pairs of these sandals in different colors. They’re the most comfortable sandals ever. I mean, you can walk miles in these. I went on a trip recently, and I checked, and I had walked five miles in these sandals, and usually, when you’re wearing sandals, there isn't a lot of support, but with these ones, they’re so comfortable and chic. They go great with dresses, with jeans. I just love them. They're great for day to night, and they make a look feel put together. For me, usually when I go on a summer vacation, I don’t like to take too many pairs of shoes. So if I take a really good pair of nude sandals, I can wear them with basically every outfit. I love this pair. They’re my favorite.”

Hewitt: “I really need a good tank that I can wear with a silk skirt, with denim, under a jacket or blazer, and if I take a white tank with me on vacation, it can go with everything, and I can wear it all summer long. A lot of white tank tops end up being sheer, so you can see through them, which isn’t great for a white tank top, and this one is such a great, high-quality shirt. I love how it fits. I love that it’s not transparent and that I can layer it with a bunch of different things and can look elevated or dressed down.”

Hewitt: “ love anything straw for summer. I’ve been wanting a really good summer bag, and I was thinking about getting the Prada one that everyone had last summer, but then I saw this one, and I loved it. This is my new investment piece for summer. I wear tote bags usually to work, so I loved that this was big enough to carry to work but also great for vacation. It has that summery straw material, so this is my new go-to bag for summer.”

Hewitt: “When it comes to my summer makeup routine, I like to keep things a little lighter. I usually just wear sunscreen, concealer, mascara, lip liner, and a lip balm. I absolutely love this Dior concealer. The applicator is like a tiny brush, so instead of having to put concealer on and then use a brush, it does it all at once, taking one step away from your makeup routine. This concealer is so creamy and wears really well, and they have a lot of shade options. Just overall a great formula.”

Hewitt: “My biggest pet peeve when it comes to fragrance is I’ll find a scent that I really like. Then I’ll get ready to go on vacation, and I don’t want to bring a big bottle of perfume with me. Like, I don’t want to carry around a big piece of glass wherever I go. But I love this Missing Person scent from Phlur, and it comes in a travel size. So I can throw it in my bag to touch up my fragrance throughout the day, or it’s perfect for travel so I don’t have to take my full-size fragrance with me. I just love how this one smells. It's so amazing.”

Hewitt: “I love to take walks, and being located in L.A., it’s not exactly a walking city, so I have to prioritize getting my steps in each day. I track my steps with my Oura ring. I wear it every single day. The first thing I do when I wake up is check my Oura ring and see my sleep score, and throughout the day, I check to make sure my activity score is really high. It’s very accurate with tracking my steps. I’ve found it’s more accurate than using my phone. I love it. I wear it 24/7. I really only take it off when I shower so I can charge it. It’s the best, and it doesn't feel like you’re wearing tech; it just feels like a piece of jewelry. I love that it’s wearable tech that can go with my outfit, and it comes in gold or silver. I’m wearing the gold one right now.”