How good are you about keeping up your regular beauty routine when you’re on vacation?
These days, I pare everything down to the barest of essentials for skincare, hair and makeup.
Skincare
For my face and body, I’ll do a double cleanse, moisturizer and sunscreen, and if I’m going to be out in the sun a lot, then all of those things will be very gentle — no active ingredients.
This was a lesson I had to learn the hard way, ahhh! I’ll never forget how angry my cheeks and lips were when I piled on a bunch of exfoliators and antioxidants when we were in Hawaii a few years ago. No more of that!
Makeup
For makeup, it really depends on where we’re going. Say for instance, camping by the Russian River, which is what we did last weekend. I knew that I wouldn’t want to bother with putting on or taking off makeup, so I just left it all at home. I wore a hydrating lip balm and that was it!
But if we’re going on a trip where there may be a combo of outdoor things (like the beach) and indoor things (like dinner or a visit to a mall), then I’ll bring minimal makeup. I can get by with tinted moisturizer, brow pencil, mascara, eyeliner, a blush/bronzer duo and gloss.
Yup, I don’t even bother taking concealer on trips anymore, LOL!
I’m telling you, the last few years (especially 2020) changed me. I find that I’m so much happier getting by with a handful of makeup that I know and love.
I wonder sometimes if I’ll ever be the glam traveler that I used to be, but that’s another Beauty Q for another time. 🙂
Hair
OK, hair. So here’s what I’ve learned about growing out your grays and also having crazy @ss cowlicks that stick up at all angles: throwing your hair up in a funban or a ponytail becomes, well, challenging. When I do this, all the grays pop out along my hairline and I feel like it makes my face look severe.
So, if we’re doing a combo outdoor/indoor trip, I’ll do long, side-swept bangs that I blow out with a round brush. For the rest of my hair, I’ll curl a few pieces around my face with a large barrel curling iron.
If it’s anything in the woods like camping, then forget about it. I just put my hair back and live with the crazy, LOL! Or I throw a hat on.
This is all very different from what I used to do 10 years ago. I’d take the whole kit-and-caboodle with me wherever I went.
Isn’t it interesting how our beauty journey can sometimes take these crazy turns?
Anywho, let me know what you do these days. Do you keep your regular beauty routine when you take summer trips? Or do you do a modified, pared-down version of skin, hair and makeup?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
I learned a lot about my beauty needs last year thanks to a month spent in Hawaii (Big Island). It dawned on me that I really don’t need much since I barely missed or thought of my “stuff” for a whole month! I still used my regular face moisturizer and HA and vitamin c serums, but I skipped the retinol. Since my sunscreen was already tinted, I skipped the foundation altogether and just spot concealed. An Hourglass palette was all I needed and a couple of lipsticks and a tube of mascara and eyelash curler. As for my hair, I got a haircut (long bob) before the trip so it was in good shape and needed minimal styling. Plus I wore a floppy hat most of the time anyway. When I came home to SoCal, I did a major decluttering of not just beauty and skin care products but my closet as well. It was cathartic. That trip also got me into growing houseplants and learning about Feng Shui (oh and golf!) so you can say that it was a pretty life-changing summer trip 😊
I’ve never been outdoor camping (I’ve only stayed in cabins) and I don’t think I can anymore because I have specific bathroom requirements now lol
Hi KC! I’m headed back to Hawaii soon. Can’t wait!
Ooh! Which island? I hope you and your family have an amazing and relaxing time!
I spent so many years as an airline pilot that keeping the beauty stuff light is just natural for me. When I travel I take a gentle cleanser, toner, and small moisturizing serum in the little travel bag you can get for them (all essential oil free for sensitive skin that is prone to acne from Wabi Sabi Botanicals) plus some Badger SPF 50 Mineral (in the tin). That and deodorant and a shampoo bar is it for me.
Brigid – I am in awe of you. I’ve always wanted to learn how to fly!
Same!
Brigid, do you still fly?
I tend to leave all actives at home when I travel. It’s no fun to have a surprise reaction when you don’t have contact with your derm. I still have a tub of Christophe Robin Creme Levant which is shampoo and conditioner in one. Not sure what I’ll do when I run out. I take a mini oil cleanser and a gentle face wash, a hydrating peptide serum (like Biossance Copper Peptide or Ordinary Matrixyl or Multi-peptide) and a Japanese or Korean hydrating essence and a tone-up sunscreen. If I’m getting on a plane I usually pack a hydrating cream mask to slather on too. For makeup I just wear the tinted tone-up sunscreen, eyeliner, mascara and a tinted lip balm. I also take a Bliss Kiss cuticle oil pen and hand moisturizer with me. Dear Husband always has body lotion in his kit, so I steal that from him if I need to use it.
Good call to take a cuticle oil pen with you! I’m going to add it to my list.
It depends on the destination. My hair is always the same since I have a pixie cut and there is only so much you can do with it. I will stick with my usual- concealer, blush, foundation stick, lip gloss, mascara & brow pencil – and toss in an eyeshadow pencil if I feel I need to step it up. Everything I use is compact and easy to pack. The skincare is what gets me – I’m working on streamlining it for travel. I think I am low maintenance for this stuff until I have to pack it!