It’s time for fun in the sun, but it’s not much fun when you get to the hotel, unpack your bags and find that your lipstick is melted, your shampoo sprang a leak, your mascara dried out, and your powdered eyeshadow cracked and crumbled. Wait a minute— Does cracked eyeshadow mean seven years of bad luck? It certainly doesn’t bode well for a happy vacation.

While there are 101 ways that your vacation can go wrong, let’s focus on what you can do—makeup-wise — to ensure that your vacation goes right. Here are the most important makeup tips to keep in mind before you jet off on your much-needed summer vacation.

Go For Your Signature Makeup Look

Vacation is not the time to sport untested looks. While the idea may sound good in theory (hey, I don’t know anyone here, so I might as well try out this totally different look), it’ll come back to bite you. After all, you will be taking photos on your vacation, right? And you do want your friends and your future self to recognize you in those photos, right?

On vacation, for your sanity (and your wallet), it’s best to stick with your signature, tried and true makeup look. Because you’re familiar with the routine, it’ll be easy to do anywhere. Plus, defaulting to your signature look will save you time in front of the mirror. No one wants to be stuck in front of the hotel’s horrifying, halogen-lit mirror when adventure awaits.

That said, you may not want to do your full-on signature look if you’re trying to keep it simple. On vacation, you can minimize your signature look to just the essentials (and let sunglasses cover the rest). Save the full-on fancy for when you go out to some place nice.

Also, there’s rarely a need to do full coverage foundation when you’re on vacation. In a sunny destination, you may tan pretty quickly, which can spell disaster if you apply your standby foundation (now a noticeably lighter color). Plus, foundation can block your pores. Sweating is a natural way to get rid of toxins, and if you block it with heavy foundation, you could be trapping toxins in your body indefinitely. Instead, use a light layer of SPF to allow your sweat to do its job.

Choose a Bold Lip Color

Bolder lips can take up the slack when you want to wear less makeup. With or without sunglasses, a classic red (like Rebel ) or a daring pink (like Petal Pusher ) can flatter any skin tone while amping up the drama.


Try Rebel

 

Try Petal Pusher 
Also, remember that lipstick does melt if you leave it in the car or your beach bag. To prevent a meltdown (yours and the lipstick’s), we recommend that you slice off a section of lipstick and pack it in a pill container. Be sure to bring along your lip brush for easy application. Also, gloss doesn’t melt so it’s perfect for a beach bag.

Use a Moisturizer

When the summer hits, you need to moisturize— vacation or not! However, if your vacation requires transportation via airplane, moisturizer becomes even more crucial. Airplanes re-circulate air, which often dries out the skin. Take care to moisturize the night before your big trip and also while on the plane.

Once you’re at your destination, keep up your moisture routine. Coconut oil is an excellent multi-tasking solution. Not only can you use coconut oil to moisturize your skin, you can also use it as a hot oil treatment and hair mask, an overall body lotion, a glossy lip balm, and even deodorant in a pinch! For a lighter solution, consider shea butter, which can treat sunburns and reduce the sting from insect bites. Goodbye, pesky mosquitoes!

 

Hydrate Your Skin

You can’t just rely on oils to keep your skin nourished and supple. Water is also important. For a lasting freshness, consider spritzing rosewater on your skin. Rosewater is just what it sounds like: Roses and water. However, this simple formula can act as an anti-inflammatory skin toner plus refresher plus makeup setter plus natural perfume. Talk about a multipurpose item!

What’s even sweeter about rosewater is that you can make your own. Simply simmer organic rose petals for 25 minutes in just enough distilled water to cover the petals. Don’t boil. When pale pink, discard the petals and store your homemade rosewater in a glass jar (like a mason jar).

To make your own rosewater facial toner, pour one (1) tablespoon of your homemade rosewater into a spray bottle and then add four (4) tablespoons of distilled water. Voile! You’ve made your very own refreshing toner.

 

Drink Plenty of Water for Internal Hydration

Dehydration can affect you in ways that you didn't expect— From unexpected exhaustion that robs you of your fun to breakouts and blemishes that pop up unexpectedly.

Keep blemishes at bay by staying well-hydrated, especially if you're vacationing in a warmer climate.

 

Forget the Blotting Papers

Blotting papers are great for soaking up excess oil production on your skin. However, if you have a gluten sensitivity, blotting papers are not what the doctor ordered. These papers can often contain wheat products, which may aggravate your skin.

Instead of using blotting papers, make sure to hydrate and moisturize your skin. That’s right— moisturize. Believe it or not, oily skin is often a result of dry skin.

[bctt tweet="Believe it or not, oily skin is often a result of dry skin. How to prevent it from happening to you:" username="redapplelipstic"]

Oiliness happens when your skin is dried out and it cracks. To make up for the dryness, your body over-produces oil. Ironic, huh? Here’s another reason to stay hydrated!

 

Be Careful With Powder

Powdered makeup can break up and make a mess. However, there are steps you can take to prevent your powdered shadows and blushes from self-destructing. Try these tips:

• Place a cotton ball or pad in the powdered makeup compact to serve as a shock absorber and to reduce vulnerability.
• Wrap the powdered makeup compact in bubble wrap (ideally) or hand towels to prevent it from being jostled wildly about in the makeup bag.
• If applicable, tape the sifter with masking or painter’s tape.

Tape Bottles to Prevent Spills

There is nothing worse than arriving at your destination only to find you have a cosmetic spill. From liquid to powder, nothing is sacred. And spills don’t just affect your makeup. They usually find their way to your new clothes that you’ve been looking forward to wearing. Grrrr.

To prevent spills, plastic wrap and tape are your best friends. Cut the plastic wrap into 3- to 4-inch squares. Next, unscrew your bottles (mascara, foundation, shampoo, etc.) and place plastic wrap on top of the opening. Finally, as you hold down the plastic, screw the tops back on the bottles. But, you’re not done. For extra measure, apply tape to keep the top securely attached to the bottle.

If you’re still worried about possible spillage, take the extra step and place your bottles into individual, reusable silicone bags like this one . Makeup’s expensive, and it’s cheaper to invest in quality reusable bags than it is to replace your entire makeup collection.
Image Courtesy of Kiva.World on Amazon 

 

Consider Using a Transparent Makeup Bag

Speaking of bags, one of the best ways to save time while on vacation is to invest in a clear makeup bag. On vacation, you don’t want to lose time shuffling through your makeup to find what you’re looking for. If you have a transparent makeup bag, you can simply spot your targeted product before unzipping. It’s amazing how much time you’ll gain simply by storing your items where you can see them.

Don't Forget Your Facial Cleanser

A tool that you can’t, and shouldn’t, do without on vacation is a facial cleanser. But, if you want to avoid all of the standard toxic ingredients found in most face washes and makeup wipes, check out Water Wipes . This gentle facial wipe only contains three ingredients: Water, Dead Sea minerals, and fruit extracts. It’s gentle enough for sensitive skin, plus it’s free of all of that additives that we’re working so hard to run away from.

Image Courtesy of Water Wipes

Before cleansing with Water Wipes, use olive oil to gently remove your makeup and provide a moisturizing boost to your skin. Then use the facial wipes to cleanse your face without that dreadful “stripped” feeling you get from other cleansers.

 

Now Have Fun!

Use the above tips to ensure that both your makeup and your skin are fresh and ready for adventure! And don’t forget to take your SPF— It’s essential in sun-drenched locales.

If you haven’t already, be sure to check out our 2-in-1 lash conditioning mascara that won’t clump or dry out in the bottle. Click here to find out how this mascara will help you grow stronger, healthier, and more youthful lashes in just 60 days!