Festival time is upon us again for another year! If you’re lucky enough to be attending one of the many that are held here in the UK or abroad (if you are I’m seriously envious)  it’s time to start planning what to pack in your hopefully downsized cosmetics bag.

Now is not the time to bring along your full arsenal of lotions and potions – trust me, you’ll seriously regret it ten minutes in to the trek to your camp site! To help you out I’ve noted down a few of my top picks for five popular festivals.

Glastonbury

25th – 29th June

Arguably the most anticipated festival of the summer, Glastonbury well and truly kicks off the festival season. Held at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, it’s the largest Greenfield festival in the world and likely the most glamorous this side of the Atlantic, with Kate Moss and co frequent attendees.

Keep your face looking luminous with Clarins BB Skin Perfecting Cream SPF25, which nourishes skin and provides a surprising amount of coverage. The added SPF is a bonus, as you won’t need to waste  any precious space in your makeup bag with a separate sun protector for your face.

To keep shine away and to refresh your base after hours of energetic dancing, foot tapping or head nodding, try Daniel Sandler’s Blotting Powder. This non-cake, translucent powder won’t dry out your skin meaning you can touch up as often as needed.

A bold lip is always a win at Glastonbury and it’s really easy to maintain. I love Guerlain Rouge G L’Extrait which is a liquid lip colour that’s not quite a lip gloss or a lipstick but has the best features of each. Just one application will provide a long lasting wash of bold, pigmented colour that bathes lips with hydration but dries to a non-sticky matte finish. One of its best features though is the double mirror that’s stored in the handle. No longer will it be necessary to spend extra time in a portaloo trying not to breathe just to touch up your lippie.

To quickly refresh and detangle your hair in your tent or on-the-go, look no further than Bumble & Bumble’s Pret-a-Powder. This nutrient-rich, lightweight powder was created to help stylists backstage at fashion shows rejuvenate model’s hair when shampooing just wasn’t possible, so it’s absolutely perfect for festivals. It’ll prime your hair for restyling, disperse any previous product build up, whilst softly conditioning and moisturising. Whilst it won’t soak up excess oil the same way a dry shampoo will,  it will add body and texture to tired hair. I bet you’ll wonder how you ever coped without this wonder powder at previous festivals!

Benicassim Festival

17th-20th July

Commonly known  as Beni or FIB, but actually called the ‘Festival Internacional de Benicassim’, this festival is held in sunny Spain and presents a unique challenge to British attendees – how to prepare for the sun! With temperatures hovering around 28ºC in July it’s a good idea to take a high SPF sun cream with you to protect your skin from harmful UVA and UVB rays. I recommend La Roche-Posay Anthelios Easy Application Spray SPF50+, which is a lightweight, non-greasy, water resistant formula in an easy to apply spray bottle.  Great for quick reapplications during the day.

Along with a good sun block, it makes sense to pop a bottle of after-sun in your bag. I like Ultrasun’s After Sun which soothes and repairs skin after a day spent in the sun. The light formula contains Liposomal SOD which infuses skin with the essential lipids necessary to rebuild the body’s natural sun defences.

Other must have products to get you through Beni include the Vichy 48hr Antiperspirant Treatment Roll On which will keep you smelling fresh all day, the Nuxe Reve de Miel Moisturising Stick to repair sun damaged lips and lastly the Avene Thermale Spring Water spray to keep your skin cooled, refreshed and hydrated throughout the sun filled days.

Boardmasters

6th – 10th August 2014

Boardmasters is an annual festival held in Newquay, Cornwall  since 1981, mixing together live music and a surf and skate competition. To complement the relaxed, beachy vibe take along a bottle of the much raved about Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray to fake your way to soft, beachy waves as if you’d just enjoyed a casual dip in the ocean.

For an alternative eye make-up look try Stila’s Countless Colour Pigments which offer a spectrum of vividly bright pigments in one small compact, just the thing for creating a vibrant smokey eye.  Another great from Stila is the After Glow Lip Colour. Perfect for a bright pop of colour in the day and then a luminous finish after dark as it glow’s bright when under UV lights – fab for the after parties on the beach!

If you plan to get involved in one of skateboarding or BMXing sessions on offer, a tube of Bioderma Cicabio Arnica+  will be your best friend! It’s great for helping to reduce the appearance of any bruises or bumps you might sustain and soothe any irritable swelling. Though don’t use it on any fresh wounds as it’ll sting!

Don’t forget to keep an eye out for La Roche-Posay who’ll be on their Be Sun Aware tour at Boardmasters – find out more here.

Reading and Leeds Festival

22nd – 24th August

The Reading and Leeds Festivals are held simultaneously over the August Bank Holiday. Reading is the senior of the two and holds the honour of being the world’s oldest popular music festival still in existence. Guests will generally have to deal with muddy, wet conditions and an overall atmosphere that is not conducive to looking your best.

To keep greasy hair at bay over the weekend, try Klorane Nettle Dry Shampoo which absorbs excess sebum and oil to leave with you cleaner, fresher smelling hair.

Another key product to pop in your weekend beauty arsenal is the Caudalie Beauty Elixir. This versatile spray can be used to set your make-up for extra longevity and to ramp up radiance and tighten pores after cleansing. However I find it fantastic for refreshing my complexion throughout the day – great for when your foundation starts melting away! A true pick-me-up product for your face.

As you’re not likely to have access to a clean water source to cleanse your face properly, it’s a good idea to take along a bottle of micellar water and a stack of cotton pads. There’s a wide range to chose from, but I’d recommend sticking with the tried and tested Bioderma Sensibio H20 Micellar Water. This non-rinse, ultra-gentle formula will easily remove even the most stubborn of make up with one easy swipe.

Bestival

4th – 7th September

Bestival is one of the last festivals of the summer. Held at Robin Hill Park in the Isle of Wight, Besitval is undoubtedly one of the friendliest festivals around with its family friendly atmosphere and fancy dress themed days.

Glitter, face paint and decorative eyelashes are all de riguer at Bestival. Paperself eyelashes are perfect for creating stand-out eyes. I particularly like the unusual Peacock Regular Eyelashes which represent good fortune and lucky days in Chinese culture – just what you need during a festival! Finish off the look with Too Faced Starry Eyed Liner, a quick drying and long lasting liquid liner crammed full of micro-glitter to add a striking pop of shimmery colour either underneath the lower lid or as a sparkly alternative to the traditional cat eye.

Lastly, you can’t go wrong with colourful statement hair at Bestival and Bumble & Bumble’s Spray Chalk is just what you need. Fantastic for creating a range of different looks from a bright ombre, to a whirl of colourful tie-dye or even a full head of colour! Easy to apply – you literally just aim and spray. Easy to wash out too if you’re making do with a solar shower or a bottle of water and a bucket for true here today, gone tomorrow colour.