The festival beauty essentials you need for Glastonbury, Reading & Leeds and more
Lookfantastic is here to save you from last minute supermarket dashes (iStock/The Independent )
Whether you’re a lucky Glastonbury ticket holder, are heading to Boomtown for the first time or attending Reading & Leeds, festival season is well underway – and when it comes to packing, preperation is key.
As well as non-negotiable essentials (hello tents, sleeping bags, SPF and camping chairs), your checklist should include the little luxuries that can make camping in a field for four days a little more bearable. This could comprise of anything from air beds and your favourite pillow to face glitter or Hunter wellington boots à la Kate Moss and Sienna Miller.
While the less high maintenance among us might cope with just a toothbrush and baby wipes (no judgement here), others require a little more TLC in the camping field.
From cordless hair tools and dry shampoo to give some oomph to three-day old locks to instant tan or tinted SPF’s for coverage and UV protection, there’s a host of beauty essentials that can make your time in a tent a whole lot smoother (particularly when you’re limited to shared showers and portaloos with no privacy).
To help ensure you don’t forget anything, we’ve rounded up the beauty essentials you need for your next festival from Lookfantastic (after all, we can’t all glamp in a luxury yurt with the A-listers).
Garnier make-up remover eco pads and micellar water: £10.19, Lookfantastic.com
Your usual skincare regime will likely be neglected while your camping in a festival field. Streamline your routine to just Garnier’s miscellar water for removing make-up and cleansing. Complete with reusable eco pads, the gentle formula cleanses skin without stripping it of moisture. A festival make-up bag hero.
BaByliss 9000 cordless waving wand: £45, Lookfantastic.com
While a cordless hair tool may not be deemed an “essential”, it can certainly make the experience a lot nicer. Adding texture and life back into three-day old hair, BaByliss’s cordless waving tool creates soft, loose waves for an effortlessly tousled look (even if you haven’t showered in a while).
Urban Decay all nighter setting spray: £22.80, Lookfantastic.com
Urban Decay’s all nighter setting spray is a cult classic for good reason. Keeping make-up in place for up to 16 hours, you can apply in the morning and still look fresh in the dance tent at 2am. Touted as waterproof, smudge-proof and transfer-proof, it uses temperature control technology to work its magic.
La Roche-Posay anthelios UVmune 400 oil control fluid: £16, Lookfantastic.com
Our favourite face SPF for 2024, La Roche-Posay’s anthelios UVmune 400 oil control fluid ticks every box. The formula includes UVA, UVB and long UVA protection, being suitable for sensitive skin, non-greasy and lightweight. “Incredibly easy to apply, the thin neck tube dispenses just the right amount to cover every area of the face, and the lightweight lotion instantly absorbs into the skin,” our tester said. A non-negotiable for festival season.
Living Proof perfect hair day dry shampoo: £14, Lookfantastic.com
No festival beauty haul is complete without dry shampoo. Unlike other formulas, Living Proof’s dry shampoo actually cleans hair while eliminating oil, sweat and odor (perfect for camping in a field). Freshening up your tresses between washes thanks to the brand’s triple-action cleaning technology, it releases a fragrance that lingers throughout the day.
Bondi Sands SPF 50+ fragrance-free body lotion: £7.19, Lookfantastic.com
Offering four hours of water resistance with a cruelty-free and vegan formula, Bondi Sands’ SPF has a handy slimline bottle which is easy to slip into bum bag for topping up throughout the day. Our tester described it as “a solid product with a fragrance-free formula that feels soft on the skin and non-greasy.” Enriched with vitamin E, it’s particularly nourishing for skin.
Aveeno baby daily care wipes: £7.50, Lookfantastic.com
If you need a quick wipe down and freshen up, then baby wipes are a handy addition to your festival arsenal (especially if the showers aren’t up to scratch). This Aveeno pack promises to nourish, soften and hydrate skin. Plus, there’s 288 wipes inside meaning you can easily share a pack among friends.
Ultrasun ultralip SPF30: 8, Lookfantastic.com
Burning your lips is never fun, particularly at a festival. Enter Ultrasun’s ultralip balm. The SPF30 formula is designed specifically to protect your lips from UV rays while moisturising any dryness. Fragrance free and sheer, it can be used over lipstick or gloss and topped up throughout the day.
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