Summer Beauty Essentials: The Best Hair & Makeup Picks for Every Type of Getaway

Beauty must-haves for road trips, beach vacations and flights

By Erika Stalder Jun 24, 2015 9:26 PMTags
Jessica AlbaThe Grosby Group/AKM-GSI

It's summertime, and livin' is easy—that is, until you have to pack your beauty bag for a weekender. Most of us have a plethora of products at home base, and discerning which are best suited to give us a lit-from-within glow at the beach, a natural-but-pretty look in the wilderness or beam with A-list radiance when deplaning is more complex than we care to admit.

To help take the guesswork out of summer beauty packing, we've assembled some essentials to help you look as luminous as Beyoncé on a yacht and as cool as Jessica Alba in an airport—all while staying  carefree.

Kailey Strachan for E! Online

Wheels up: Our strategy for summer air travel? Multitask and deplane while looking like a star. First, sidestep a pasty, post-flight complexion by feeding it some mid-flight skin food; after giving skin a quick-cleanse with a facial wipe, try a highly-concentrated antioxidant and niacinamide-packed serum like Epionce Intense Defense Serum. When in flight, change your mani without the toxic fumes (and side eye from seat mates) by using decals instead of polish.

Once the flight crew announces descension, spruce up with a swipe of complexion-lifting lipstick, eye-defining shadow and bronzing highlighter. Finally treat your face with a quick blast of face mist (Drew Barrymore calls Tatcha Dewy Skin Face Spray a "game changer"); it not only sets makeup but can mask unpleasant in-cabin odor (thanks guy who kicked his shoes off mid-flight).

Jouer Oh La La "It" Bag, $65; Antidote Rose Salt + Lemon Chocolate Bar, $7; Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips in Get the Point, $10; Tatcha Dewy Skin Face Spray, $48; Susan Posnick Coloressential Lipstick in LA, $21; Whish Deodorant Swipes, $7; Epionce Intense Defense Serum, $136; Tarte Poppy Picnic Palette, $38; Hello Breath Spray, $4; Make Up For Ever Invisible Cover Stick Foundation, $43; First Aid Beauty Triple Remedy Overnight Balm, $38; Savvy Traveler Take Offz Remarkably Refreshing Facial Wipes, $10

Kailey Strachan for E! Online

Into the wild: Whether road tripping or camping, a wander into the wilderness doesn't have to mean going full granola. Instead, bring multitasking products that protect from the elements. Manuka honey can not only serve as one of the world's most natural astringent face washes, it also doubles as a perfect topping for toast.

Kill two more beauty goals with one product by using a powder sunscreen. Brush On Block Mineral Sunscreen is not only chemical free, it doubles as setting powder and comes with a built-in brush. Instead of packing moisturizer and lotion, try a multipurpose hydrator; just apply a little to dry skin or wear overnight as a mask. Finally, don't forget the SPF for the lips with a non-sticky tinted balm that looks as good as it protects. 

Wedderspoon Gold Organic Raw Manuka KFactor 16 Honey, $40; Eyeko Sport Waterproof Mascara, $24; EO Transformative Night Serum with Tsubaki & Rose, $40; Meow Meow Tweet Deodorant Cream, $14; Cosmedix Rescue + Intense Hydrating Balm & Mask, $59Brush On Block Mineral Sunscreen, $30; Paula's Choice Anti-Aging Lip Gloss SPF 40, $18; Urban Decay Naked Skin Ultra  Definition Powder Foundation, $36

Kailey Strachan for E! Online

Beach bound: This is not your mom's resort beauty bag. Sure, the analog read may be a throwback, but the modern way to get a golden glow is achieved with serious skin care and a few light-bending products. Start by babying your face with a few skin care essentials: buff away dead skin cells and grime with an exfoliating cleanser, then treat skin with an antioxidant-rich serum and a broad spectrum SPF.

It takes more than a killer pair of shades to protect the eyes from the elements, so don't cut corners when it comes to eyes. Pack a vitamin-rich cream or serum to help minimize photoaging (try DermaQuest Stem Cell 3D Eye Lift, which is made with vitamin-rich algae and antioxidant-packed resveratrol). Focusing on skin care minimizes the need for major makeup. Instead, fake a golden glow with a subtle illuminizer. A few drops of Charlotte Tilbury Wonderglow added to tinted moisturizer adds light-diffusing glow without making skin look dirty.

The best part of resort life? It doesn't take much to make beach hair look great. Skip heat styling and embrace the natural texture that salt water provides. Come dinnertime, a touch of de-frizzer gives strands a sleeker look.

Tarte Tarteguard Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30, $32; DermaQuest Stem Cell 3D Eye Lift, $78; Flower Transforming Touch Powder to Cream Blush, $13; Maybelline Great Lash Mascara, $6; Sigma Lip Switch in Transcend, $14; Dr. Gross Clinical Concentrate Radiance Booster, $68; Charlotte Tilbury Wonderglow, $55; Sibu Beauty Sea Buckthorn Exfoliating Scrub, $20; Sonia Kashuk Sunset Nail Color in Sunray, $5; Rouge Bunny Rouge Trio Eye Shadow Keeper, $16; Nunzio Saviano Anti-Frizz Sheets, $18