For many of us, Memorial Day weekend is the official summer kickoff, and by the time it finally rolls around at the end of May, we’re more than ready for sunshine, barbecues, days on the lake and all of the other delights a Minnesota summer has to offer.
No matter what your summer weekend plans are—whether you’re heading to the cabin, taking a staycation in your own backyard or finding the nearest body of water—you can look your most Instagrammable without hauling every single one of your beauty essentials along with you (and good thing, because you probably need some room in your bag for swimwear). Here are some tips to help you look the part while staying as relaxed as possible throughout the holiday weekend:
Think small.
Pick up travel-size minis of your “I can’t live without this” products so you never have to be without them. Have you ever stayed at a friend’s cabin and realized you didn’t pack shampoo, so you’re stuck using whatever old stuff they’ve got hiding in a cabinet? That’s the worst, right? Many of your favorite beauty brands offer travel sizes of their most popular products, and if they don’t, you can still bring your faves along on vacay; head over to Target and grab one of their travel sets, then fill ‘em up with your go-to Oribe or Bumble and bumble shampoos, conditioners and styling products. It’s like a taste of home when you’re on the road.
Air dry when possible.
Don’t waste a minute of your precious holiday weekend with hot tools! Cole’s designers never air dry without Bumble’s “Don’t Blow It” cream, which nixes frizz and gives your hair a cool, undone vibe. Then, channel a beachy vibe with a texture spray, like the iconic Bumble Surf Spray, Oribe’s Matte Waves or Apres Beach Wave and Shine Spray, or Aveda Texture Tonic. Or, kick it old school and wear your damp, post-beach hair in braids when you sleep; in the morning, undo them for cool texture. You can even go the entire weekend without washing your hair (provided you’re not in the lake or the pool) and still keep your hair feeling fresh with a good dry shampoo.
Multitask.
To keep from having to carry everything you own to the cabin, beach or backyard barbecue, make your beauty products do double duty. Use lipstick as blush, or wear bronzer on your cheeks and as eyeshadow. Don’t overthink it!
Make it an event.
Hanging with friends over the holiday weekend? That’s the perfect time to do some masking. Bring some Eminence Organics skin care products to your next get together and have a spa night! You can even pretend you’re at a middle school sleepover and give each other makeovers. (This is also a great way to pass the time if it’s raining and you’re stuck inside.)
Don’t forget the SPF.
If you’re outdoors at any point during the long weekend, you *must* protect yourself with some SPF. Skin cancer isn’t fun! IMAGE Skincare’s Prevention+ line—broad-spectrum UVA/UVB sun protection to hydrate and protect skin—is one of our faves. And Jane Iredale even offers SPF makeup products, from tinted moisturizer to powder, which makes your holiday weekend beauty routine even easier—and isn’t that exactly what you want during a weekend that’s all about relaxing?
And remember, we’re here to help.
If your weekender bag is already stuffed to the gills with floaties and flip flops and you don’t have room for your usual beauty regimen, your Cole’s designer is here to help. Stop in and chat with us; we’ll help you decide what to pack (and teach you how to achieve that beachy, lakeside look you’ve been dreaming of all winter)!
