Don’t get burned at Bonnaroo or goopy at Glastonbury. Follow these simple beauty rules for every festival (and beyond) so you can focus on fun, not fuss.
The snow has thawed, the flowers are blooming, and soon the sun will stop playing hide-and-seek with us. You know what that means. Festival season is almost upon us! Are you ready? No? Let me help with that.
In my city of Montreal, practically our entire summer is just one long festival. As soon as the sun comes out, we only go indoors to sleep. Between the huge multi-day Osheaga (think Canada’s Coachella) and the weeklong Pride festival activities, there are also weekly outdoor electronic music festivals, neighborhood festivals, and even a three-month long fireworks festival set to music every Saturday. To say I’m well versed in the ways of the fest is an understatement. I’ve got getting ready for this time of year down to a science, but I’ve broken it down to a few simple festival beauty rules for you. So let’s get this party started!
#1 rule for festival preparedness? Don’t get burned!
Don’t get burned. Don’t get burned. Do. Not. Get. Burned. If I could tattoo that across your palms so you’d always remember, I would. Not only is it dangerous for your health (increased risk of skin cancer later down the line), too much sun exposure is also the number one source of premature aging. Let’s protect ourselves out there, people!
Start with a strong water-resistant sunscreen, like Missha All Around Safe Block Waterproof Sun Milk. And don’t skimp on the application; get a good healthy layer on. I use about a cherry sized dollop for my face alone. Remember, this is what’s standing between your skin and those UVA and UVB rays trying to roast you alive. For touch-ups on the face, go for a physical sunblock pact such as A’Pieu Pure Block Water Bling Sun Balm SPF50 PA+++. It’s essentially a sunscreen in a compact so it makes touch-ups ridiculously easy and you have no excuses.
Rule #2: Don’t melt!
Even in the roughest of outdoor, sweaty, crazy conditions, there are products that can carry you all the way through to the end. The perfect look for a festival is fresh, not overly fussy, and easily maintained (so keep the false eyelashes and goopy lip gloss at home). The trick is to keep it simple, as well as keeping it as waterproof as possible.
Here’s a pretty festival beauty look that checks all those boxes.
1. As I’ve mentioned before, there’s nothing The Face Shop’s Face It Waterproof BB can’t withstand, so start with that as your foundation.
2. Next, apply Etude House Proof 10 Eye Primer all over the lids.
3. Then line your upper waterline as close to the lash line as possible with Tony Moly Back Gel Real Fit Waterproof Liner. This is my favorite pencil liner. It goes on highly pigmented and doesn’t budge. Choose either black or dark brown, depending on how dramatic you’d like to be. I like to do this tightline eyeliner step first before applying shadow so as not to risk disturbing the shadow later.
4. For the eyeshadow, we’re going to do a very simple smoky look using one shade and our fingers. Apply A’Pieu Creamy Butter Shadow all over the lid and blend up into the crease. Then take the same color and smoke it out under the eye with either your pinky or a pencil-tipped synthetic brush. The shades French Cocoa or Cranberry Kiss would be particularly nice for this look.
5. Since this is a festival, you want to be, well, festive! So add some drama with a pat of Peripera Wholly Deep Jewel Pot right on the center of the lid. I absolutely love this sparkly product. Its texture is somewhere between a cream shadow and a gel, and it does not budge. You get all of the benefit of glitter with none of the fallout. Any of the shades available would work, but I think Be Celeb and Be Illumi are particularly lovely.
6. Next, curl your lashes well and apply A’Pieu Skinny Waterproof Mascara Long Lash on both the top and bottom lashes. The skinny brush will help you get into the roots of your lashes and separate them, giving you a beautiful, wide-eyed look.
7. Now for the cheeks and lips. We’re going to consolidate and use one product for both. A good lip tint will also translate well onto the cheeks, giving you a flushed, healthy glow. Some of my favorites are Peripera Peris Tint Water Balm and Tony Moly Liptone Get It Tint. Apply on the lips, blot, then apply three dots to the cheeks and blend in quickly as it dries down fast. The results are a vibrant yet natural looking blush and long lasting, smudge-proof tinted lips.
8. If you have oily skin, be sure to have blotting papers and pressed powder on hand. Innisfree’s No Sebum Mineral Pact should be kept in your bag to keep yourself camera ready. (Because let’s be real, we all know this is all going straight to the ’gram.)
Rule #3: Be prepared
Like I said, it’s going to get messy out there, but that doesn’t mean you have to be. Make sure you bring a bag of little essentials to get you through the day (and night). Hand sanitizer, pocket tissues, breath strips, these are obvious. But what about the little extras? Your hair’s major enemy is going to be the wind, and your nose’s biggest threat is going to be the sweaty masses. Space is at a premium and carrying liquids is both discouraged and messy.
The solution? Etude House My Beauty Tool Folding Comb and Tony Moly Pocket Bunny Perfume Bar. Keep tangles at bay with this space saving little pink comb that folds up, taking up virtually no room in your bag. To keep yourself smelling as cute as you look, the Tony Moly Pocket Bunny Perfume Bar is your perfect (and, might I add, adorable) companion. The bunny shaped packaging houses a solid twist-up stick of perfume in three scents and colors: beige is baby powder, orange is citrus, and my favorite purple is floral. When you’re packed in like sardines, your fellow fest-goers will appreciate it.
Last but not least, don’t forget your style
You’ve chosen the perfect outfit, you’ve decided on how you’re going to do your hair, you’ve got your makeup on point. Why not add something special to the mix? 3CE’s Fake Tattoos are a modern minimalist’s perfect complement. Hearts, diamonds, crosses, even the traditional love/hate design are all there, as well as a pretty script piece that would look great along the inner arm or wrist. If you want something more like a traditional tattoo, Tony Moly has four different design sheets to choose from.
How do you get your festival beauty on?
Loading...