All The Under-£30 Essentials In Team R29’s Festival Beauty Bag

Whether you’ll be dancing through the Glastonbury fields, pitching up for Reading & Leeds, or heading further afield to party, this festival season is looking tip-top. Alas, along with all the fun, frolicking and days of world-class music also come days under the baking-hot sun, nights under canvas, plenty of booze and stodgy festival food. (A recipe for greasy hair, unwashed bodies and grimy skin.) Of course, you can always commit to boutique glamping with legit showers, but in this writer’s humble opinion, proper camping is half the fun (there’s nothing quite as freeing as getting to day four where no one cares what you look like — all that matters is how much fun you’re having!).

Luckily, there’s a wealth of products out there to ease your experience and keep the effects of sleepless nights at bay — and Team Refinery29 already knows and loves them all. Ahead, read on for all the beauty products we rely on every festival season, from essentials like deodorant, cleansing wipes and sunscreen to party-ready glitter, shimmer oil and face gems (aka everything that makes us feel our best selves, no matter how long we’ve gone without showering).

“This is a bit of a luxury, but I was once sent this Aesop deodorant in a festival goodie bag and have found it to be totally worth the money. It’s a mini, so super transportable, and smells amazing; it’s honestly the antidote to living in a campsite. Two sprays and you’ll forget you’re covered in mud, queueing for hours for a shower and sleeping on a squashed air bed. A little dose of luxury goes a long way.” — Kelly Washington, Senior Social Editor

“I never go anywhere in the summer without one of these stashed in my bag. For a festival especially, it is great for mirror-free SPF touch-ups throughout the day. I love that it can be applied over makeup without budging it, adds a subtle glow without a white cast and can be sprayed on your scalp or part without leaving residue or making your hair greasy. Plus, it feels so refreshing on a baking hot day.” — Esther Newman, Affiliate Writer

“The worst thing about camping festivals is the hygiene. I wouldn’t normally use products like this, but whenever I’ve gone to Glasto and skipped showers for five days, these have been an absolute must. I use them morning and night in my tent and they make you feel less gross. It’s not glamorous, but camping never is — don’t let the influencers fool you.” — Tanyel Mustafa, Senior Writer

“Mario Badescu's Hypochlorous Acid Spray is a non-negotiable for me when I’m working out — and it’s definitely coming with me in my festival kit. The star ingredient, hypochlorous acid, is anti-inflammatory, soothes irritation and helps reduce redness. It also kills bacteria without harming the skin barrier, helping to prevent breakouts. It’s used in clinical settings to treat burns too. I spritz it on my chest, back, arms and face to feel fresher, cooler and cleaner.” — Jacqueline Kilikita, Beauty Director

“I have two beauty non-negotiables come summer festival season: one, I can’t forget sunscreen, and two, my skin needs to glow, rain or shine. As I’m prancing about to my favourite artists on the main stage, I love when my skin reflects the light with the help of body oil — the more shimmer, the better (how else will they spot me in the crowd?!). When I apply Nuxe’s oil (very liberally), I focus on my shoulders and dab it along my cheekbones. The result is sexy, summery and — of course — very glowy.” — L’Oréal Blackett, Editor, Unbothered

“I’ve been an AKT cream deodorant convert for ages and that’s not changing this festival season. All I need is a pea-sized blob under each arm and I don’t smell BO for hours, even on sweaty days commuting or dancing. Yes, you still sweat — it’s not an antiperspirant — but sweat itself doesn’t smell. AKT uses zinc oxide and sodium bicarbonate to neutralise bacteria and balance your skin’s pH. There’s also vitamin E, shea butter and calendula oil to soothe, plus essential oils for scent (my favourite is Orange Grove: mandarin, neroli and petitgrain). Bonus — it’s aerosol-free, so it's better for the environment” — Esther Newman, Affiliate Writer

“This is a must-have for day festivals. It’s not cheap so it never touches mud — I only apply it at home for day events — but I love it. It’s safe to use around the eyes and face, and I always wear it on my eyelids and cheekbones for sunny London fests. The Houdini shade is invisible until the light hits — then, it glows purple. It’s less in-your-face than most glitters, which I love. It doesn’t budge, either. Just dab it on with a finger. So easy, and a little goes a long way.” — Tanyel Mustafa, Senior Writer

“Another of my festival essentials is this natural hand sanitiser made with a blend of niaouli, lemongrass and witch hazel essential oils, meaning it smells amazing. It’s also 70% alcohol, so it promises to kill 99.9% of bacteria without drying skin. It absorbs instantly, leaves no sticky residue and makes my hands feel cleansed and hydrated. So much better than the nasty, tacky sanitiser you find at the festival toilets.” — Esther Newman, Affiliate Writer

“I use Starface pimple patches all the time, but nowhere is better than at a festival. I always wake up with a massive spot before an event, but a colourful little star fits the festival vibe and keeps it clean and protected during a sweaty day. These new neon pink ones are the perfect addition to any festival fit.” — Alicia Lansom, Culture Editor

“Loads of new sunscreens launched this year, but none impressed me like e.l.f.'s Suntouchable. First, it’s slim and compact — fitting in the tiniest of bags. Second, it’s fuss-free — just swipe and go. Third, it’s totally invisible — no white cast, no greasy feel. It dries matte, no rubbing is needed. I glide it over makeup without smudging, swipe across my lips and down my parting — always the first place I burn. It’s SPF 50 with broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protection — can’t ask for more.” — Jacqueline Kilikita, Beauty Director

“I recently wore these Half Magic face gems at a party and not only were they so cute, they were an unlikely conversation starter — strangers kept complimenting me. There’s no wrong way to wear them. I went for an arched shape above my eyes, but you could try them in the inner corners, along the brow bone in a geometric line or as a sparkly eyeliner. They’re made with medical-grade adhesive and literally last all day (even in hot Texas weather). Another bonus: no messing around with glue, which is a nightmare for festival camping. In addition to crystals, Half Magic founder Donni Davi (known for her work as Euphoria’s lead MUA) has stick-on pearls, colourful beads and iridescent gems to bring any festival look to life.” — Karina Hoshikawa, Senior Writer

“Over the years as a festival-goer, I’ve realised I don’t want to bother with too much makeup — especially at a long camping affair like Glastonbury. It’s more to carry, more to worry about smudging and it often leaves my skin breaking out. That said, I still like a little help — especially to brighten a post-hangover complexion on three hours of sleep. I’ll often pack St Tropez’s Purity self-tanning mist and spritz it over my face sunscreen for a natural, healthy glow.” — Esther Newman, Affiliate Writer

“If I’m not using the St Tropez spray, I’m reaching for Erborian’s BB Cream. It has SPF 20 and subtly evens out the skin without feeling caked on. Seriously, the coverage is amazing — a little goes a long way and it covers acne scars, pigmentation and dark undereye circles like a dream.” — Esther Newman, Affiliate Writer

“I always tint my eyebrows before a festival — another one of my go-to hacks for needing less makeup while camping. It helps me feel more put together (I’ve got sparse brows and dark hair, so it helps balance my face) and means I don’t have to pack brow gel.” — Esther Newman, Affiliate Writer

“I rarely attend music festivals, but when I do, I make sure that my makeup stands out, day or night. For me, this means a dusting of glitter on my eyelids and cheekbones. After trialling loads of sparkly shadows that look amazing in their packaging but barely show up on my skin, this silver one is my holy grail. It deposits dense glitter in one swipe with a lived-in, liquid look I love. I’ll be rocking it with winged liner and red lipstick when I see Olivia Rodrigo at BST Hyde Park this summer.” — Venus Wong, Senior Writer

“There are few things worse than watching one of your favourite artists and only being able to think about how dry your lips are. Lanolips balm is nourishing and gives lips a juicy shine. The tube means you don’t have to dig your grubby festival fingers in a pot — no mess, no fuss — and you don’t even have to stop dancing to apply it. Plus, it has SPF, which is essential.” — Joss Peter, Creative

“I’ll admit, I don’t keep up with my skincare when I’m camping at a festival. Usually, the most I do is take off my makeup with a biodegradable wipe before crashing. But this year, I’m packing my holy grail product: TOWER28’s SOS Daily Rescue Spray in the mini travel size. I’ve used it all year and it’s completely transformed my skin —  fewer breakouts, brighter tone, less redness and smoother texture. The little bumps on my chin and the whiteheads that crowd my nose? Gone. It’s all thanks to its star ingredient: hypochlorous acid.” — Esther Newman, Affiliate Writer

“I love glitter for a day festival, but for a camping one? No way — you’ll find specks of it in your tent (and other places) for years. To add shine for the evening, I’ve been loving metallic eyeliner. My latest obsession is Lorde’s molten silver look from the ‘What Was That?’ music video, which I’ll be recreating at Glasto using Hildun’s Immortal Metallic Eyeliner. It’s super pigmented but blendable, has great staying power and is waterproof — perfect for all-night dancing.” — Esther Newman, Affiliate Writer

“This mask is my go-to for post-festival recovery. I apply it after my first shower back home and when I wake up the next morning, my skin is totally transformed — plump and glowing, like I’ve drunk five glasses of water. It’s rich and creamy with niacinamide, glycerin and hyaluronic acid, which help soothe and hydrate skin that’s been parched by sun, sweat and festival air.” — Esther Newman, Affiliate Writer