I looked outside today and was reminded that we are in THE best city in the world! The weather today is the weather we want to eat. We want it inside us forever. But you can’t just head out into summer without the right kit, and so for now I’m going to give you the bare essentials. Later on we will get into the more luxuruious things you need, but for now you are looking at survival. Let me show you what I’m sporting in Cape Town for this summer.

Sunscreen. Look, you would be a total fool to head out into the sun wearing no sunscreen. Below this level of foolishness is using a below par sunscreen that is loaded with grease such as some of the rubbish like Everysun Aquasport. Hot chicks do every so often go for that slicked back, greasy haired Italian look but for the most part Cape Town girls like a clean cut guy, with a nice tan (Not too dark, let’s stay away from cooking oil…Fabio)

The only sunscreen choice this summer in Cape Town

My personal choice since last summer has been the Aloe Up range because it is the best. And also some of the most expensive. I came across this range when I was hanging with this film crew, and they had bought this stuff overseas. I didn’t realise it was stocked in Cape Town until I went into a surf store here and found it. At R145 (Well last summer it was) for 120 ml’s it’s expensive. It’s not as expensive as cocaine, but cocaine is hectically expensive. Probably around 300 times more expensive than this sunscreen per gram.

On a rough guesstimate. You know…thinking you are paying around R300 a gram. You know…so I hear…via the grapevine. Aloe Up contains 35% aloe gel and is free from alcohol, mineral oil, PABA and is also fragrance free. The best thing about Aloe Up sunscreen is that it’s a dry lotion so you don’t end up looking like a shady drug dealer by mid afternoon. Although it is dry, it is still sweat resistant and waterproof. And the novelty of smearing cream that costs more that R1 per 1ml on your skin is a novelty that doesn’t seem to wear off. It’s just a disgusting display of wealth when you can do this. Not that disgusting displays of wealth are cool, but sometimes it’s fun. Like when we drink whisky that is R800 a bottle. It’s just fun.

Deodorant. I’m quite fortunate that I naturally smell of Gucci and Hugo Boss but for those of you…no I actually don’t naturally smell of that. I’ve always noticed that no matter what you look like, there is nothing quite like being clean and smelling fresh. It’s the least you can do for yourself. Other than following a healthy diet and drinking 2 litres of water a day (Fatty), you should use a good deodorant. Now we have spoken about this before and I’m sad to report back that none of my friends believe me when I tell them about the best deodorant in the world.

They are still using deodorants packed with all sorts of rubbish, including aluminium (Aluminum to the yanks) And they are using anti-perspirants which block your pores which is NOT ideal. Your body sweats and releases toxins and all sorts of things because it is cleaning itself. But here you are plugging your pores, poisoning yourself, FOOL! I pity the fool! (Just made that line up right now…go ahead…don’t be shy…you can use it if you want)

That’s like not visiting the bathroom the entire day. I’m not a doctor or a sweat scientist but I can deduce that this is not ideal.

What you seriously need is a deodorant that will be called “Spray Mist” or “Crystal Mist” I have been buying the Dis Chem name brand Spray Mist. But I went to buy some more last week and they were out of stock of both the spray and the stick. Which means it must be fairly popular and people must be listening to me and it must be a good product. So then I went to the health store in Cavendish Square and asked if they had something similar. And they did! They did! Victory!

It’s called ROK Deodorant Crystal Mist and cost me R55 for 240 ml’s. Now here is where we need to listen, because I want you to be healthy. This deodorant is made up of mineral salts and purified water. That’s it. There is no alumimium, no alcohol and it says it will kill odour causing bacteria. It’s also unscented and non staining.

This is what impresses me. All my old white t-shirts have yellow stains under the arms (Nice) because of the deodorants I was using. For about the past two years I have been using this crystal mist deodorant and my white shirts (Really the only ones I wear) are Omo white! Yes! That’s what we want! YES YES!

I can also confidently claim that I don’t smell like I have been working in a drain all day. Seriously, when I was using regular deodorants, I would not smell fresh at the end of the day. And for some reason, I would use antiperspirants, but I would sweat more than ever. Now obviously everyone sweats, it’s natural. But now I smell good. And so should you! Seriously this is one deodorant worth buying. Don’t give up on it after one day of use though. Use it for a few weeks. It’s the only thing I use.

Obviously after a chilled day at the beach you need to put some moisture back into that tanned hide of yours. Guys…for the face I have found the answer. You know how you get out of the shower, throw a regular moisturiser on and it feels hot and sticky? Enter Green People’s Cool Down Moisturiser for after shaving/sports/sun. Made with organic ingredients and including mint, calendula and aloe vera into the mix, it is THE moisturiser to use after maxing the chillaxing in the sun. It really cools your skin down after some sun time and it also a great after shave cream. It’s what I use and it’s highly recommended. Buy it over HERE at Faithful to Nature or at Wellness Warehouse.

Hemporium, Hemptons, Green People — All over you

For a body moisturiser, you can look at Hemporiums Moisturising Hemp Body Lotion as it’s quite light and easily absorbed. Made with hemp seed oil, vanilla and lavendar essential oils, it takes very good care of your skin. It also has a very natural fragrance, great for those hot days where you don’t want to be smelling like a perfume factory. Actually you never want to smell like that. Unless you’re a Joburg kugel who likes to spray herself with stuff that smells like Toilet Duck. Buy the Hemporium moisturiser over HERE.

A richer lotion is Hemptons Soft Body Butter for normal to dry skin. It is made form hemp, olive oil and a rooibos extract. VERY well priced, it is a must and is also very natural smelling which is great. How do you think my skin is so smooth? Dove soap? Ha ha ha ha ha! At R60 for 300ml’s it’s sometihng you have to have. Buy it HERE.

I’m getting bored of the Gucci’s, need to find something new

Sunglasses. I’m still kicking it with the Gucci’s, but anything will do as long as they are not bought at the side of the road and have all the necessary UV protection. Obviously look for glasses that have a snug fit and possibly even rubber nose and temple grips if you are going to be partaking in some beach action that has you bouncing around. Not sex on the beach, but rugby or something similar.

You can stay with the trends on sunglasses or if you want functional sunglasses, Oakley make the best glasses for sport so you can check them out over HERE. Oakley’s have long been my choice for mountain biking, along with Dragon Rake riding glasses.

So those are the basic essentials for some beach time in Cape Town and we will get onto the more luxurious things such as champagne, yachts and all that in another post.

Sean Lloyd

Editor