Camping can be one of the most relaxing experiences of the summer (and we don’t mean glamping, whatever that is). No, real camping is the one time when you’re allowed, nay, encouraged to just let your beauty neuroses go for a few days “ no one wants to be that girl who tries to portage with a perfect French mani. If you’re worried about going completely bare-faced, have no fear. Just follow our guide to keep your camping beauty routine simple and fresh.
Take: Dry shampoo (plus hair elastics). This miracle product is sort of the holy grail of lazy hairstyles. Not only will it sop up some excess oil, but it will add some needed texture to your hair so that you can easily whip it up into a messy bun or keep it tied in a sporty side braid.
Pitch: Don’t even think about bringing along that flat iron and blow dryer, even if your site does have an electric outlet. Just don’t.
Take: Moisturizer with SPF. If you’re spending a lot of time outside, you’ll definitely need to boost your sun protection at every opportunity.
Pitch: Eye creams, serums, wrinkle creams. Mirrors may be at a premium, so whatever moisturizer you choose should be a catch-all product that you can blindly rub on to your skin.
Take: Cleansing wipes. At the end of the day, you just want to wipe the makeup, sweat, sunscreen, and campfire smoke off your face and hit your sleeping bag. You may not even need to stumble your way to the dismal outhouse facilities to do it.
Pitch: Exfoliator. You might be washing your face in the dark, in a basin, so choose something that won’t require much splashing to rinse off.
Take: Concealer and blush. You can cover up any trouble areas with a little concealer and give your complexion some colour with a cream or gel blush that you can rub in with your fingers.
Pitch: Foundation. This is too time-consuming and just screams makeup!, especially in the natural light of day.
Take: Your eyelash curler. You’ll give your eyes some natural-looking definition and if you decide to take a dip in the lake, you won’t need to worry about any smeary side-effects.
Pitch: Mascara. It’s just a little too much fuss to wash off (especially if you do go for waterproof, which is a pain to remove), and it would be silly if a little eye makeup kept you from enjoying the water.
Take: Tinted lip balm with SPF. You’ll get a bit of colour and moisture while also shielding your lips from the sun.
Pitch: Lipstick. Hollywood glamour has its place, but it is not in the camping ground. You’ll want something that you can easily reapply on the go, whether you’re navigating a canoe down a river or singing Kumbaya.
