Back••
It’s that time of year again – we don denim shorts, Hunter wellies (even if it’s sunny) and oodles of glitter to spend days on end in a field with limited bathroom facilities. It’s festival season! With Glasto just gone and Secret Garden Party, Lovebox, Citadel and Latitude all in the month of July alone, it’s safe to say that there’s now something available for everyone. And whilst we love the bohemian, free spirited escape from real life and 9 hours straight of live music that a festival provides, it can sometimes be testing to keep the beauty regime on track with the limitations of no running water.
Fear not! We’ve put together our festival edit – top notch natural beauty products that’ll keep you fresh and ready to party the day/night away – all tried and tested by us at Glastonbury last week.
The deodorant/anti-smell product
First and foremost, it’s worth facing up to the fact that you’re unlikely to shower for the weekend, meaning a great deodorant is a pretty crucial part of ensuring you don’t end up stinking. We love Green People’s Quinoa and Probiotic deodorant – it promises 24 hour protection and held up pretty well for me at Glastonbury. It has a summery scent and glides on smoothly without pulling or irritating. If you find that deodorant just aint cutting it then a layer of perfume is a good safety net. Our new fave natural fragrance brand Abel Odor (100% natural fragrances which are SO hard to find) do handy 15ml sizes of all of their scents which is perfect for travel. I love the light and citrusy scent of Golden Neroli – the perfect way to keep smelling great despite the lack of washing.
The SPF
There will no doubt be rain. Even you’re going in during the hottest weekend the UK has ever had, the rain is inevitable. However, don’t let that fool you into thinking that, even if it’s a little cloudy, you don’t need to wear SPF. Rain or shine, you’ll be outside for up to 12 hours each day and those UVA rays will find their way to you. So we always recommend applying SPF at the beginning of the day and continuing to top up. Sunburn at a festival is NOT the one. Our fave? Green People. Their Green People Sun Lotion, SPF 15 is light enough to be used on the face, absorbs well, is formulated for sensitive skin and even has a natural tan accelerator! Your mates will think you’ve been to a Greek island rather than a field in Somerset.
Green people – image credit Content
The hand sanitiser
As running water is generally limited, you’ll need to get used to the fact that hand sanitiser will swiftly become your BFF. We say NO to the cheap and sticky stuff that the festivals provide. Our answer? Dr Bronner’s Lavender Organic Hand Sanitizer. This stuff is just a life saver and actually well worth investing in some to carry around your general life, as well as festivals. It’s certified organic, kills 99.9% of germs and the handy spray function rubs into hands in seconds. But the best bit is really its smell. The spritz of lavender is a welcome distraction to the overpowering hum of portaloos, it’s also great to spritz on your camping pillow before you go to bed to help you sleep through the throb of dance music AND can even double up as a deodorant.
The multi-purpose life saver
Packing light is a must, you want to save space in your bag for the cider after all, so a multi-purpose product is hugely helpful. Our pick is BYBI Beauty Babe Balm as it can be used in so many different ways: a makeup remover, moisturiser, after sun, lip balm, hand cream and (most importantly) the glue for your face glitter. It’ll even help you take your glitter off at the end of the night.
The cleanser
Thoroughly washing your face can be challenging, the trek from your tent to the toilet block at 4am is never easy so it’s tempting to fall asleep without cleansing at all. Step in a micellar water. The mixture of water and oil helps to cleanse, gently remove stubborn dirt and makeup and soothe tired skin. Don’t bother heading to the shops for an expensive pre made version. We make our own with two simple ingredients: rose water to hydrate and sweet almond oil to cut through the grime. Simply mix 4 parts water to 1 part oil, decant into a bottle and shake to activate before use, spritzing the face and removing with a cotton pad.
The GLITTER
Finally, is any festival complete without glitter? Nope. Opt for the eco-friendly version with biodegradable glitter – looks exactly the same as your standard but with the added benefit of not damaging the environment. Get your FREE bag with every order of Babe Balm, or alternatively direct from the man himself at Glitterlution.
Elsie
• •