Summer Beauty Essentials for Your Non-Beach Vacation

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The problem with summer vacation beauty guides is that they’re always made for one kind of vacation: the beach. But hey, that might not be your vacation. Maybe you’re not in any rush to get a sunburn. Maybe you prefer a cooler climate. Maybe you realize that the perfect beach hair is best achieved literally anywhere but the beach.

If you’re not going to the beach this summer and still want to look great, I’ve got you covered for all types of vacations.

The Mountains

I personally don’t know why you’d choose to hang out outdoors, but I guess some of you are into that. And don’t tell me that you don’t need makeup while you’re hiking—I see you posting those forest selfies and your lipstick is perfect. Here are some stay-all-day products perfect for keeping up with you from breakfast to the bonfire.

Tarte’s LipSurgence Matte Lip Tint ($24)

It’s harder than you’d think to find a lip product that gives you lasting color and nourishing hydration, but Tarte’s LipSurgence Lip Tints get it right on both fronts. Instead of forcing you to sacrifice pigment for softness, as many tinted balms do, these hit you with intense pigmentation and long wear, keeping your lips soft throughout the day. They glide on smooth and stay where you put them, so you can swipe one on before your hike and it will still look gorgeous when you reach the top of the mountain, or whatever.

Josie Maran’s Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelee ($22)

While I’m still not entirely sure what a "gelee" is, I do know that this product is somewhere between a gel blush and a cheek stain and gives you a beautiful, buildable flush of color that doesn’t fade. Available in six colors, each shade provides a natural looking flush, like you’re glowing from the inside out. Best thing about it? It’s formulated with coconut water and argan oil, so your skin will drink it up, and it hydrates as it wears.

California Baby Natural Bug Blend Bug Repellant ($15.79)

Know what’s not sexy? Bug repellant. But you know what’s even less sexy? Bug bites. Choose the lesser of the two evils and grab a spray that’s nontoxic and will protect you from mosquitoes, flies, and ticks. California Baby’s blends of lemongrass and cedar essential oils act as a natural repellant without including any harsh chemicals. Spray it on over your sunscreen and go all day without worrying about itching all night.

The City

Not every vacation is about being out in nature! And thank god. But in the heat, an urban environment is an eco-system all it's own, and it requires special products to protect you against the harsh, metropolitan climate.

Living Proof’s No Frizz Humidity Shield ($22)

If you’re vacationing in a big city, chances are you’re going to leave your hotel in the morning and not return until the late hours of the night. We’re smack in the middle of summer, when humidity is at its worst, and that can really take a toll on your breezy vacation look. Keep your hair looking fresh and sleek with Living Proof’s No Frizz Humidity Shield.

It’s a super lightweight spray that works to completely block humidity all day, no matter how gross the weather gets. The best part is that you spray it in dry after you’ve styled your hair, so there’s seriously no way you can screw this up. It’s even available in a travel size 1.8 ounce can! Just throw it in your bag for a touch up throughout the day and you’ll look like your fresh out of the salon—no matter how brutal the weather gets.

Sally Hansen Nail Strips ($9.99)

Everyone is going to tell you to get a gel manicure before going on a trip so you can have two weeks of chip-free wear. However, when you’re a commitment-phobe like me, two weeks is like, a really long time to have my nails the same color. Plus, I hate that I can’t remove the polish myself.

My solution? Sally Hansen’s Nail Strips. They’re the only ones I’ll fuck with because they’re the best in the industry. Instead of being stickers that fray at the edges and leave behind the stubborn adhesive, they’re made with actual nail polish. You can remove them off with normal acetone, leaving your nail plate clean.

They couldn’t be easier to use. You can even apply them in the car on the way to the airport for a fresh set in time to get your boarding pass. They’re very resistant to chips, and each set comes with sixteen strips, so in the unlikely event that you do damage one, you can just pull a spare out of your bag and reapply right then and there to keep your manicure looking perfect.

Marc Jacobs Under(cover) Coconut Face Primer (Coming Soon)

When you’re running around the city, the last thing you want to worry about is touching up your face, or having it melt off in the heat. That’s where a good primer comes in. Launching just in time for summer, the new Marc Jacobs Under(cover) Coconut Face Primer evens the texture of your skin and helps foundation wear better and last longer. Marc Jacobs already incorporates coconut into many of his products because it’s so good for your skin, and now he’s using it as the base for a primer. The coconut replicates the effect of synthetic ingredients, making for a lighter, more breathable barrier between skin and makeup, perfect for hot summer weather.

Road Trip

A road trip is the perfect time to focus on your beauty, because, well, what else are you doing while you’re in the car? There’s only so many audio books you can listen to and games you can play before you get bored want to kill your co-pilot. Instead, distract yourself by using those hours to pamper yourself with some of the best portable, use-anywhere beauty treatments.

When Travelmate Sheet Mask ($7)

A sheet mask is a great way to serve your skin with a shot of moisture and hydration while you’re in the car. Just unwrap, smooth it over your face, leave it on for 30 minutes, and yank it off when you’re done. You don’t even need to rinse!

When makes an entire collection of great masks for different skincare needs, but the Travelmate is the obvious pick for when you’re vacationing—it's in the name. If your trips are anything like mine, involving too much booze and too little sleep, then the soft, coconut jelly sheet mask is right up our alley. Swiss Alpine Herb extracts help to moisturize and leave your skin with a healthy glow long after use.

Shiseido Benefiance WrinkleResist24 Pure Retinol Express Smoothing Eye Mask ($17.50)

Shiseido’s eye masks are a lifesaver for me when I travel. They come in individual packs that I can throw in my bag and bust out whenever I need: on a plane, in a hotel, or in the backseat while napping on my best friend.

Shiseido’s retinol infusion is packed into each little eye mask to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, hydrate, plump skin, and knock out dark circles. The Retinol Micro-Infusion delivers tiny particles of retinol, which are easily absorbed into the sensitive skin under your eyes. Leave these little guys on for 15 minutes and you’ll look well rested after removal and see softened wrinkles and improved skin quality over time.

Julep Moisture Mask Trio ($20)

A trio of sheet masks made especially for your hands, your feet, and all ten of your fingers (individually). Formulated with vitamin e, aloe, collagen, shea butter, and botanical oils, these little masks are extremely softening to even your toughest patches of skin. The great thing about these is that when you’re using the finger masks—which are made especially to nourish your cuticles and nails—you can use them as an excuse not to have to control the music or navigate (even though you can still use touch screens while wearing them, but your driver doesn’t have to know that.)