Heading To Glastonbury? These Are The Festival Beauty Essentials To See You Through In Style
Ah, festivals. When you think of those music-filled days and weekends, a few things probably come to mind: the euphoria of seeing your favourite artists perform; basking in the sun on the bright days and dodging for cover during showers; nights spent dancing until the early hours, before stumbling back to your (poorly constructed) tent for a few hours’ sleep – and then doing it all over again the next day. One thing that you probably don’t think of, however, is your beauty routine.
After all, festivals are renowned for being sweaty, muddy and often shower-free events (a survey found that 42% of attendees at Reading & Leeds festival didn’t wash for the entire weekend, yum), so who is making time for a dedicated festival beauty regime? Well, when you take our approach, it’s easier than you’d expect.
Without further ado, let us introduce the capsule festival beauty kit. Ahead of Team Service95 heading to Glastonbury to see our founder Dua Lipa’s headline set, we’ve put together a set of tried-and-tested, high-performing and very low-effort skin and hair care, along with some great statement makeup and a sprinkling of supplements to help keep your body running on minimal sleep (and potentially very few nutrients).
Festival Skincare
Admittedly, festivals aren’t the place for a full 10-step nightly regime, but these multitasking products – all in handy mini sizes – will leave your skin clean, bright, moisturised and protected from the sun, in just a few simple steps.
To Cleanse: Start with a classic: a few sweeps of Garnier Micellar Water Facial Cleanser will remove makeup and grime with ease – use with the brand’s Micellar Reusable Make-up Remover Eco Pads to reduce waste. Alternatively, turn to RMS Beauty Ultimate Makeup Remover Wipes – the individually wrapped biodegradable wipes are soaked in coconut oil, which will remove the most stubborn makeup and grime.
To Treat: If all those late nights have left your skin looking a little lacklustre, apply Soho Skin 24/7 Treatment overnight in place of night cream to wake up with skin so fresh, it’ll look like you’ve had a full eight hours. For any unwanted spots, there’s The INKEY List Hydrocolloid Invisible Pimple Patches – they’re clear, so you can wear them during the day, and they will calm blemishes in as little as a few hours.
To Moisturise: For deep hydration that sinks into the skin with ease (providing a great base for makeup or a subtle sheen if you’re going without), Charlotte Tilbury’s Charlotte’s Magic Cream can be used day or night, while Medik8 Ultimate Recovery is a do-it-all cream that will do just that for tired complexions.
To Protect: Come rain or shine, a weekend outdoors requires one thing above all others: SPF. Institut Esthederm Into Repair SPF50+ has full spectrum light protection and it hydrates, earning it a multi-tasking spot in your bag. And Garnier Ambre Solaire Over Makeup Super UV Protection Mist SPF50 is an essential – the invisible formula can be applied all over your face (and body) without a trace for top-ups on the go.
Festival Haircare
Depending on your hair’s texture and length, a weekend without access to your favourite products might prove tricky. Fortunately, these travel-sized heroes can help.
To Cleanse: If you don’t plan on braving the communal showers to wash your hair, then dry shampoo is a must. Oribe Gold Lust Dry Shampoo’s super-fine translucent powders do a great job of absorbing dirt and oil and it smells divine. Or, if you just need a quick root refresh, sweep one of Hair By Sam McKnight’s Lazy Girl Biodegradable Hair Cleanse Cloths over your hair to remove build-up and keep your strands hydrated, thanks to witch hazel, velvet flower seed and honeysuckle flower extracts.
To Style: Lean into the bohemian festival vibe and make the most of your hair’s natural texture. For straight and wavy hair, Hair By Sam McKnight Sundaze Sea Spray uses sea salt and hibiscus flower to tease hair into beachy waves, while protecting from UV rays. For curly and coily textures, Curlsmith Weightless Air Dry Cream will add an instant hit of hydration, while the Trepadora Bamboo Ginseng Curling Glaze will lock in your spirals while keeping hair soft and shiny (simply scrunch out the cast). It’s also the perfect gel for slicking hair back into a bun and styling edges. And to finish? A few drops of Gisou Honey Infused Hair Oil rubbed between palms and smoothed over ends will add instant shine.
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Festival Makeup
The real beauty of festival makeup is that anything goes – so statement eyes, lips and cheeks are all welcome. For an easy route to high-impact glamour, these are the products to pack.
The Base: Applying an even layer of foundation in a tent is easier said than done, so unless full-coverage is your thing, go light on the base and opt for an easy-to-blend, high-coverage concealer instead, such as the Ilia True Skin Serum Concealer. Saie Glowy Super Gel Mini (opt for Starglow or Sunglow, depending on your skin’s undertone) doubles up as a glow-inducing primer and highlighter in one – apply along the high points of the face for instant radiance. Dot the Rhode Pocket Blush in the aptly named Sleepy Girl shade across your cheeks, nose and chin for a fresh flush. And a dusting of Jones Road The Bronzer will add warmth to skin – plus, it can be used as a setting powder to reduce any unwanted shine. To finish, set with Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Makeup Setting Spray (mini size, of course) for a look that will last all day.
The Eyes: Forget intricate layers of eyeshadow – here, you want one product that makes an impact. Kosas 10-Second Eye is your friend here. Sweep one of the metallic gel watercolour shadows across the lid for an instant wash of colour. For a grungier, slept-in look, Victoria Beckham Beauty Satin Kajal Liner slicks across lids, lines waterlines and smudges under the eyes with ease – and it comes in a host of easy-to-wear colours. To frame eyes, sweep Refy Brow Tint through your brows, for a touch of colour and instant hold, then finish with a slick of mascara – Vieve Modern Mascara for thick, full lashes, or Maybelline Lash Sensational Waterproof Mascara for one that won’t budge, even in a downpour.
The Lip: A glossy nude will go with any makeup look – try YSL Beauty Loveshine Candy Glow Lip Balm, which uses a PH Color Rush Technology to adapt to your natural lip tone for a shade that truly suits you. Or for a bold pigment, MAC Locked Kiss Ink Lipcolour promises up to 24 hours of waterproof colour – enough to withstand an all-nighter.
Festival Wellness
“Festival” and “wellness” in the same sentence? OK, most people aren’t going to be prioritising getting their five-a-day at a festival, but there are some handy supplements and accessories that will help you stay hydrated and sleep better while you’re there.
The Hydrator: Wassen Hydrate + Replenish sachets contain magnesium to support electrolyte balance, chromium to support blood glucose levels, vitamin C to support your immune system and spirulina and green tea extract for added vitamin D. Take one before bed to help restore nutrients while you sleep.
The Morning Tonic: The Herbtender Rise & Shine supplement contains ginseng to support energy levels, along with reishi mushroom to improve cognition – and this one-week trial pouch is perfect for taking away with you.
The Sleep Aids: Falling asleep in a field full of people, with music thumping away in the background, is no easy feat. Apply a Mellow Patch Company Sleepy Head Natural Patch to your shoulder or wrist before bed and allow the blend of valerian extract, passion flower extract and ashwagandha to help ease anxiety and prepare you for a good night’s sleep. Add in the mother of all eye masks – the Drowsy Silk Sleep Mask, which blocks out all light and even covers your ears to muffle sound – and a good night’s sleep awaits, no matter where you are.
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Festival Bodycare
Your makeup, haircare, skincare and wellness is pretty much covered. But perhaps most important of all, in a land without regular access to showers, how do you take care of your body? Try Luna Daily The Everywhere Spray-To-Wipe, a cooling cleansing spritz to refresh your body – spray directly onto skin or onto a tissue. Hand sanitiser is another must – we love This Works Stress Check Hand Shield, for its calming lavender and patchouli scent and the addition of hyaluronic acid, to prevent skin from drying out.
As for deodorant, Wild’s sustainable, refillable formulas is powerful enough to banish sweat all day long, plus it comes in a range of gorgeous scents. To protect skin, Coco & Eve Body Sunscreen provides long-lasting shield against UVA and UVB rays, along with added coconut oil and aloe vera to soothe and hydrate skin. And if you’re going to take a fragrance with you, why not try a roll-on? MANTLE x CRAY-ON Perfume Oil comes in a handy travel size – simply roll onto pulse points whenever you feel the need for a touch of sexy, peppery fragrance and enjoy smelling 1,000 times better than everyone else around you.
Olivia McCrea-Hedley is Copy Editor at Service95
