We’re first and foremost beach babes at Salt and Wind Travel.
We hail from Southern California and plan most our vacations around the beach, ensuring we hit Europe, the Caribbean, and the South Pacific in style.
Even so, we adore trips to big cities full of energy where we can walk miles each day taking in amazing art, culture, and tasting our way around the world.
Packing your beauty bag for a trip to a city calls for some special urban beauty must-haves to combat pollutants and to go from day to night without missing a beat. Here are the 10 beauty products you need to master any metropolis.
Opening photo by Brooke Cagle
Protect Your Skin Against Pollution
Beautiful skin is the secret to looking your best, but travel — between jet lag, changes in climate, and dry airplanes — can do a number on your complexion. While you always want to be diligent about your travel skincare regimen, it’s even more important in a city to combat pollution and city grime.
While travelling to any major metropolis, we always (and we mean always) pack the Clarins Extra Comfort Anti-Pollution Cleansing Cream. It’s packed with anti-pollution ingredients including extracts of moringa, shea, and mango, so it not only removes the day’s makeup but also it wipes away the pollutants you encountered seeing the sights. It’s safe on your eyes, won’t dry your skin, nourishing, hydrating, and totally effective. Are we gushing? No surprise because it’s the kind of cleanser one would gush over.
Fight The Elements With Face Cream
Another gush-worthy skincare product and staple of our urban beauty bag is the Algenist Genius Cream. Perhaps the best facial moisturizer on the market, no exaggeration, Genius Cream can and should be used day and night. It has the best ingredients (hyaluronic acid, plant collagen, and microalgae oil) to combat signs of aging.
So, in addition to hydrating impeccably, it will improve elasticity, brighten and smooth fine lines and wrinkles giving you a gorgeous glow. Who are we kidding? Urban beauty, beach beauty, Lazy Sunday beauty — add this to your everyday beauty regimen and thank us later.
Take Extra Special Care Of Your Eyes
Always remember to take extra special care of the delicate skin around your eyes, especially while travelling. We love the Kiehl’s Facial Fuel Eye Depuffer because it’s made with caffeine and vitamin C and lots of anti-pollution antioxidants so it instantly reduces puffiness, wears well under makeup, and it has a super soothing cooling effect. Plus it’s in stick form, which makes it super practical for travel.
Use A Day-To-Night Foundation
We often end up going directly from day-to-night in big cities after losing track of time taking in exhibits, shopping for local treasures, and stopping for local tasty treats — that means makeup that wears well all day is a must.
Smashbox Studio Skin 15 Hour Wear Hydrating Foundation is our go-to for our urban beauty bags because it’s ultra hydrating (but oil free), goes on light, but is buildable, so you can choose a no-makeup-makeup look for day and dab on a little more for a glam evening. The finish is beautiful and natural so you always look yourself and not overdone, though, imperfections are perfectly hidden.
Line With Long-lasting Eyeliner
Whether tightlining to make lashes look fuller or going for a classic cat-eye, both of which are ideal for a day or nighttime look, we swear by the Em Cosmetics Matte Gel Pencil Illustrative Eyeliner. Inspired by renowned French charcoal pencils, this liner has the color intensity of the darkest kohl and the precision and lasting power of a gel meaning it’s a stellar liner that won’t budge.
For A Red Lip That Won’t Quit
A classic beauty look will ensure that you look your best at all times. Minimal makeup, black liner, and a perfect red pout make the look that masters any metropolis.
For the red lip that won’t quit, we turn to Ciate Pretty Stix Murumuru Butter Lipstick in First Love Red. Whether you wear it during the day or save it for the PM, this is the perfect rouge. It’s lightweight and moisturizing but has good staying power for a lipstick that isn’t long wear.
Power Lunch With This Powder
When packing for travel, bring multi-taskers and only what you need. One palette should do it, and it should be this Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Volume 3. In our opinion, Hourglass has the the very best pressed powders on earth. And, in this newly launched palette, you get everything you need: two setting powders, two bronzers (that can double as eye shadow!), a highlighter, and two blushes. The colors are universally gorgeous, buildable, and the finishes are to die for. It’s possibly the only palette you need in your beauty arsenal.
Crosstown Tresses
You certainly want to keep your tresses tamed while travelling and also employ a low maintenance routine. When we’re on the road, we work our blowout as long as possible, which means we rely heavily on dry shampoo.
We’re currently loving the newly launched Pret-a-powder Tres Invisible (Nourishing) Dry Shampoo by Bumble and Bumble because it doesn’t leave a white cast on dark hair, effectively absorbs oil at the roots, and nourishes dry ends.Think of it more like a dry shampoo and conditioner in one, which also happens to boast UV protection (essential on sunny days). Be sure to shake well and hold the can 10-12 inches away from your hair and then work the product through with your fingertips (or a Tangle Teezer) to get the best results.
No Sweat Beauty
A little travel secret we swear by? Freshening up throughout the day with the Pacifica Beauty Coconut Milk Essential Oil Underarm Deodorant Wipes. We could go on and on about these wipes: they’re 100% vegan, packed with coconut milk and essential oils to neutralize odor while moisturizing skin, and lightly scented, which is why they’re always in our travel tote.
End The Day With Some Self Care
And after a long day on your feet, it’s imperative to give your toes a little love. Our nighttime travel beauty routine, especially in big cities that call for lots of walking, includes a self-love acupressure foot massage with the helpf of Kiehl’s Ultimate Strength Hand Salve. Made with avocado and sesame oils, it’s soothing (but not greasy) so it can help repair the damage done by walking miles in stylish shoes.
The Best City For Your Food Personality
Now that you’ve got your urban beauty routine down pat, it’s time to figure out where you should travel next! Read this article to find the best city for your food personality.
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