Go Back to the Beach With Style

Life’s a beach this time of year.

Hard to remember that, though, when filling your gas tank to get to the shore is more painful than sticking the nozzle in your eye.

But we digress.

Consider these 10 items to enhance your sand-and-surf experience. Or enjoy them in your air-conditioned home and save gas.

Wait. Didn’t someone say utility bills are going up, too?

SWIMMINGLY ST. TROPEZ

Vilebrequin swimwear was born in St. Tropez in the 1970s, known only to Riviera insiders.

With stores all over the world today, the chain just opened its biggest yet, in BalHarbour Shops in Miami. For a limited time, you can get its VIP Salamander collection there. Otherwise, you must head to St. Tropez or Cannes _ no Internet or phone orders _ for these hard-to-come-by swim trunks. Yours, in a variety of colors, for $490. Includes waterproof wallet.

Can’t get to Miami? Order something from the non-VIP line of Vilebrequin swimwear at Neiman Marcus (neimanmarcus.com) from $185 to $200.

SEQUINS AND SAND

The Ipa Nima Beach Basket bag is a luxurious, unstructured catch-all with leather handles and floral-lined interior.

Available in pink, turquoise, purple and silver, this bling-thing retails for $163, through ipa-nima.com or by calling 213-744-1854.

LIP ZING

Orange, like zany ice pops and zinc sunblock, is MAC’s new lipstick shade for summer. They call it Electro. $14 at MAC counters.

SUN STREAKED

NARS Body Glow is concocted in the tradition of French Polynesia, with tiare flowers steeped in coconut oil.

With just a hint of color, it’s suitable for the most blanched of skins. Otherwise, toss it into the bath or onto your hair.

At Sephora or online at Beauty.com, $59 for 4 fl. oz.

REPEL RAYS

Canyon Ranch spa has kept its skin care line to itself for the past 30 years. No more.

Canyon Ranch Protect UVA/UVB SPF 30 Facial Moisturizer relies on minerals to refract the sun, and things like niacin, goji berry and bearberry for other protection.

Get them at SaksFifthAvenue.com. The moisturizer is $75 for 1.7 oz.

OIL UP

Bobbi Brown’s beach line smacks of sweet tanning oil, circa 1976.

This is an olfactory throwback to a simpler, maybe happier time, when SPF meant Some Preposterous Fiction and America . . . er . . . disco was king.

Beach Body Oil is $28 at Bobbi Brown counters or online at bobbibrowncosmetics.com. Smear it on post-sun.

SHACKLE THESE SHADES

Michele sunglasses have 108 diamonds at the temples weighing 0.63 carats. These 18-karat gold-plated shades are named _ what else? _ Aventura.

Get them for $1,250 at Nordstrom and Michele.com. Just don’t leave them on the blanket when you hit the waves.

BIKINI TAMING

Epilation, shaving, trimming, whatever-ing _ the Bikini Perfect Deluxe by Bliss-Philips does it all.

This rechargeable cordless personal groomer has six attachments and can be used in the shower or out. It even shapes eyebrows. At Sephora and amazon.com, $59.99.

BROWS IN THE BRINE

Lose your cares in the waves, not your brows. QVC has just introduced a waterproof brow pencil and comb combo by Tarte. In taupe for blond, auburn, lighter brown or gray hair, and brown for medium brown to black hair.

Through QVC, at 800-345-1515 or QVC.com, $19.50.

BEACH IN THE BATH

Dump some Spider Lily Bath Salt from the India Hicks Island Living collection in the bath and bring the Caribbean to your tub.

With Epsom salts, sea salt and a measuring shell. At Crabtree & Evelyn, 15.8 oz. for $30.

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(c) 2008, The Miami Herald.

Visit The Miami Herald Web edition on the World Wide Web at http://www.herald.com/

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

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