Hands up who's heading to Oxegen this weekend? With a weekend of music, late nights and loads and loads of fun with your mates on the cards, packing your beauty bits might potentially come a little far down the list of important things to do.
As veterans of more than a few festivals though, we've picked up a trick or two along the way and a bit of judicious rucksack-stuffing can really make all the difference between having a good time and having a completely blimmin' brilliant one.
So, what should you bring? We've got 10 things you definitely shouldn't leave the gaff without, and then scroll on, because Ford Fiesta are running a competition offering you a chance to win tickets to an Irish music festival (yep, any one!) for you and 10 friends! We know: wibble.
- Make your foundation long-lasting, budge-proof and sweat-resistant - Rimmel's 25 Hour Foundation, €8.75, is a good pick for a few days in a field and sure you can varnish it on again the next day for a repeat performance.
- It's a festivaling standard: you simply cannot head Kildare-wards without a can of Batiste, €2.99, about your person somewhere. Essential for keeping hair looking half-decent when there are no washing facilities, this soaks up grease (gross, we know), and leaves things smelling relatively fresh up top.
- Speaking of up top, downstairs needs attention too. In the absence of a shower, a bumper pack of Johnson's, €4.61, will see you through your three-day jaunt and they'll not only keep you in some semblance of cleanliness, but they can also double up as a makeup remover as well.
- A brilliant tip we picked up from contributor Cathyfly a couple of years ago was to paint nails a dark creme shade to hide the dirt. Chic and effective! Our pick is the budge-resistant Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure nail polish line, which come in 36 shades for €8.95,
- Yep, I have fallen asleep on my open toothpaste before, welding my person to the sleeping bag in a gloopy mess, leaving me mucky and minus a breath freshener. Lush's Toothy Tabs, €3.10, are a handy alternative: all you need to do is crunch one in your mouth, add a little water and your brush and hey presto, instant toothpaste.
- No one wants to be that girl with the fairy wings and the pink wig AND the butterflies on her face and the flagon of cider strapped to each limb, but this is a great opportunity to play with makeup and have fun. Catrice's Absolute Mono Eye Colour range is a great bet for vivid shades for very little outlay. This little lot are just €3.29 each.
- We're loving lip tints this season and handily they're stellar at festivals. If the budget stretches, bag Smashbox's Limitless Lip Stain and Colour Seal Balm, €26, in Guava. While pricey, it's a bright, in-your-face coral that'll get you noticed and the addition of a tinted balm on the other end to the stain means lips are never tight and sore.
- Loving these bomb-proof liners from Gosh: the excellent Extreme Art Liners, €10.99, dupe Mac's much more expensive Liquidlast offerings for a lot less cash. And they truly won't come off until you absolutely insist on it.
- For the tiny price there's no excuse to leave it at home: Nivea Sun Pocket Size SPF30, €5.79, is an essential. It's really easy to forget to bring sunscreen and it's true that Irish festivals can often be a washout, but UV rays can penetrate through cloud cover and as you're outside most of the day enjoying the fun, it's important to protect skin.
- God forbid you get to bare some skin, but if you do, Rockstar Tan's Fame, €19.99, is definitely one of the best instant tanners we've tried. A good-for-skin ingredient list, a decent, bronzed result that's pretty budge-proof and ease of use mark this out. Best of all, it's instant so there's no waiting around for colour to come up.
WIN!
Advertised
Festivals are all about sharing: the music, the crowds, the atmosphere – there’s nothing else like it. Now imagine how brilliant it would be if you could enjoy this experience with 10 of your Facebook friends.
You can: as part of The Fiestaval Movement, that’s exactly what's on offer – the chance for you to bag free tickets for you and 10 Facebook friends to an Irish music festival in 2011.
Simply upload a photo of your ultimate party moment to Ford Ireland's Facebook page – it can be anything from your favourite gig to that time you crowd surfed at your sister's wedding. Once you've posted your pic, get your friends to vote for it – the one with the most votes wins!
Terms and conditions apply
