It can take some careful curation of your everyday cosmetics bag to make it vacation-ready. If you find it difficult to make the cut, cheat with minis.
Vacation make-up is all about effortless looks so forfeit the bulky palettes for easy, transportable products that work for on-the-go. Not only are you minimising the potential for spills or broken powder mishaps on the plane journey, but choose your minis wisely and you’re making your beauty regime less complicated, too (win, win).
From the pineapple setting spray to the beach proof mascara, these are the make-up minis you need for your vacation glow-up.
Hero shot credit: VOVK high summer campaign (https://vovk.com)
No vacation make-up repertoire is complete without a setting spray to lock your base in place when temperatures soar. Anastasia Beverly Hills' pocket-sized Mini Dewy is available in three vacation-inspired scents to boost your mood – coconut, pineapple or mango. Designed to make your skin look instantly fresh and dewy, this lightweight mist is the ideal tonic if your skin is looking/feeling parched. Wear it alone for a natural-looking glow, or spritz over your make-up to make it go the distance on sun-filled vacation days.
Designed to make your skin look instantly fresh and dewy
Water babies, rejoice. Eyeko Beach Waterproof Mascara is specially formulated with waterproof pigments to prevent panda eye melting or smudging, no matter how wet your eyes get in the ocean or pool. The vacation-friendly formula includes coconut oil as well as added sunscreen to keep your lashes healthy in the heat. With a dinky 4ml tube to pop in your beach bag, swipe up to add instant drama and length and take your lash look from beach to bar.
Vacation looks are made for ‘no make-up, make-up’ vibes – that elusive off-duty look where you can’t quite tell if the radiance is real. Nudestix’s Nudies Matte Blush & Bronze is your ticket to an effortless holiday glow. With a conveniently dual-ended applicator – colour stick at one end and a blending brush at the other – this buildable brightening balm can be drawn directly on to cheeks, eyes and lips. Just gently dab in with your fingertip or stipple lightly with the brush. The stick comes in ten versatile, neutral shades, but we love Bondi Bae.
Vacation looks are made for ‘no make-up, make-up’ vibes – that elusive off-duty look where you can’t quite tell if the radiance is real.
If you’re more content reading your favourite novel in the shade, save your skin and faux a two week holiday glow instead. Urban Decay's Beached Bronzer is a silky powder that can be dusted all over your face or body (or both) for a believable sun-kissed finish. Available in two shades – Bronzed or Sun Kissed – you can apply this finely milled powder dry, or try it wet for a longer-lasting finish. Inside the tropical compact you’ll find a full-sized mirror so you can check out your bronzing handiwork during cocktail breaks.
Reward your mini make-up downsizing with a designer pouch to keep all your vacation favourites in. Anya Hindmarch's playfully printed clementine ‘I am a Plastic Bag’ make-up bag is made from recycled plastic bottles and the innovative fabric is coated in a material made from car windshields to give it a durable and weather-resistant finish for beach days. Perfect for keeping your make-up minis super-organised, one side is embossed with ‘MAKE-UP’ and the back has a separate zipped pocket embossed with ‘EYES’. Bold and bright in eye-catching orange, it should be easy to find in your carry-on.
Up your SPF game with a CC cream that has sun damage-deflecting properties. IT Cosmetics Travel Size Your Skin But Better CC+ contains SPF50+ broad-spectrum protection from harmful UVA and UVB rays for a vacation super-base. In a handy travel-size tube, the complexion correcting cream gives you ‘your-skin-but-better’ style coverage with a hydrating formula and brightening colour correcting pigments. Apply with a face brush in a circular motion to achieve flawless skin for those Instagram moments. #nofilter.
Skin can feel sweaty and oily on balmy holidays but who wants to plaster themselves in powders to keep shine at bay? Meet the nifty miracle worker that will instantly stop make-up slipping off. NYX’s Matte Blotting Papers are made from 100% pure pulp paper that help mop up excess oil and sebum, all while keeping your make-up perfectly intact. Just gently press a sheet against your T-zone and hold against your skin for several seconds for instantly mattified skin. Weighing virtually nothing, they’re so discreet you can keep them in your favourite vacation dress pocket to apply whenever you need some anti-shine SOS.
Any Questions or Tips to add?