Ever notice how on holiday, our relationship with beauty changes dramatically? Routines tend not to feel so set in stone or forced. We create our own brand new holiday beauty rituals.
A long day out might just call for a splash of water before heading to a pre-booked dinner or lounging by a bar on the beach.
Showers are longer (and much hotter or colder depending on where we are), but not because you’re doing an “everything shower” or shaving head-to-toe. There’s no strings attached to the extra minutes spent.
Your skincare routine isn’t rushed. You let your hair air-dry (whether that’s thanks to the holiday sea salt curls or an incompatible outlet…or simply not wanting to bother with the hotel’s crappy hairdryer).
Makeup is minimal because you’re enjoying yourself. There’s more living in the moment, and you’re doing your best to soak in all the experience a new place has to offer.
All your 2-in-1 and 5-in-1 products come out to play, even if they were apparently single use before. Suddenly your blush doubles as a lipstick and an eyeshadow, and you end up skipping foundation entirely.
So how do we take the pressure off our day-to-day routines and recreate those holiday beauty rituals at home, without any travel or plane-rides involved?Â
How do we be more mindful with our daily rituals and actually enjoy those little moments?
Harnessing The Holiday Beauty Rituals Mindset
First, let’s get clear on what your essentials are. Pretend you’re packing for a three-day trip – long enough to bring what you actually need, short enough that you’re not overthinking it.
Alternatively, think back to your last trip away. What felt essential? What did you miss and wish you’d packed? What didn’t you reach for once?
Check-in with your skin, too. Was your skin happier on holiday because you were using less? Were you stressed because you didn’t have the extras you usually love?
This is a good reset for the rigid beauty rules we can hold onto – routines we follow just because that’s “how we’ve always done it”, or because our skin was in a different place when we started them.
The holiday mindset is a perfect opportunity to step back, assess what’s actually serving you when you’re feeling your best, and challenge (or let go of) what’s just taking up space on your shelf.
Long Showers Without The Guilt or Pressure
If the last time you had a long shower it was because you were doing an everything shower – 20 skincare steps, full body shave, exfoliating, scalp scrub, hair mask – it probably felt more like a task than a treat, even though no doubt you left super smooth.
(By the way: a long shower doesn’t have to be exorbitantly long. It’s more about the state of mind and not stacking in endless steps after you’re clean.)
So, when was the last time you had a shower without rushing or packing in steps? Or if showers aren’t your thing, when did you last take a bath, read a book, or listen to a podcast while you soaked?
Holiday beauty rituals should support our wellbeing – not add stress to moments that are supposed to be enjoyable, or be endlessly optimised for impact.
Recreating those holiday beauty rituals at home means we have to let go of the endlessly optimised routines at every stage of our beauty ritual.
Longer showers are great with:
What Slower Skincare Actually Looks Like
This is a huge one for most, and one I wouldn’t notice if I wasn’t literally filming myself when doing my skincare routine.
Hear me out: next time you do your skincare routine, pay attention to how much pressure you’re putting on your face.
Are you mushing things around? Tugging at your eyes? Slapping products on?
Watch out for that clenched jaw, too.
A lot of us bring the stress of the day into our skincare routine – and sometimes we can’t help it. Not only can all the pulling and tugging irritate the skin, it also takes away any chance for the routine to feel relaxing.
When we’re away, there’s an opportunity to be more mindful and leave lots of the business behind. Naturally, we apply products more gently and we skip what doesn’t feel necessary.
Take a moment before you start. Check in. Is your jaw tense? Are your shoulders up? Some people use facial massage or gua sha to release tension and feel more present during their routine.
Another option is building in nights with no actives to focus on barrier repair – just layering hydration, or incorporating something that brings a bit of joy, whether that’s a lush oil, a mist you love that smells lovely, or that slightly expensive cleansing balm you save for special occasions.
I know finding joy in skincare can feel complicated when your skin is being difficult, but small shifts like these can help reframe your routine from something you endure to something that actually feels soothing.
Imagine stepping out of a hotel shower, putting on your robe, and slowly applying your skincare with nowhere to be.
That’s the holiday beauty rituals energy we are trying to recreate, and sometimes that’s only possible when we change how kind we are to our skin.
The Case For Air-Drying Your Hair More Often
One of the best things about being away is letting your hair air-dry – after the beach, after a long shower – without loading it up with products or spending time with hot styling tools.
We hold ourselves to different standards on holiday, but it doesn’t change how we feel. If anything, we tend to feel more comfortable and more relaxed.
Letting your natural wave or curl come through might be worth trying on a low-pressure weekend – and you might find the more relaxed look feels more like you.
As a bonus, it’s also helpful to give your hair a break from hot tools. There’s also a practical benefit to stepping away from constant styling.
Pro hair stylist and founder of ROBE Lauren Mackellar mentioned “Over-colouring and daily heat styling are both things that will weaken the look and feel of your hair. Unfortunately, when we start noticing early signs of damage from chemical treatments or heat styling, we often end up using heated tools more regularly to get the desired result. That creates a vicious cycle – and ultimately, very damaged hair,” Lauren explains.
Finding ways to embrace your natural hair pattern might be a cheat code to recreating the carefreeness holiday beauty rituals promote while saving your hair health. Who knew?
Care-free, happy hair picks:
- Junie Quick-Dry Hair Towel, $44.95
- ROBE Haircare Tonic, $69.99
Why Minimal Makeup Can Feel More Freeing
On holiday, we tend to use less, and we get more creative with what we do have. We focus on the bare minimum that makes us feel good and put-together.
There’s no right or wrong here – but is tuning into that holiday makeup approach something worth bringing home?
Think about the looks you default to when you’re away. Are you going for a glow? Looking awake?
Do you reach for more at home just because it’s there, or do you genuinely enjoy the process?
Our faces change constantly, and so can our routines.
Favourite makeup multi-taskers:
- Naked Sundays SPF50 Glow Balm Mineral Peptide Stick in “Dusty Rose Pink”, $38
- Naked Sundays PoutScreen™ SPF50 Lip Treatment in “Darling”, $35
How to Make Your Beauty Routine Feel More Relaxing
Why can’t your beauty corner be your little holiday beauty rituals corner? Take a look at the space. What needs to go? Be brutal.
Is your to-do list nearby? Are your products sitting next to a pile of laundry?
Whatever is pulling you out of the moment during what should be a time of self-care can move to another corner of the room.
Some people light a candle. Some have a dedicated headband. Some put on a favourite song, dim the lights, switch on a lamp. Small things, but they shift the energy.
While filming Mortal Kombat II, Actor Ana Thu Nguyen set up her routine as a ritual to stay grounded during the travelling chaos. She shared “I always go for a bath, add some candlelight, and play soft solfeggio frequencies to help me relax.”
She also mentioned that opting for scents that feel nostalgic help get her into the right mindset. “I’m obsessed with my Dusk Cherry Blossom & Musk Osaka scented candle. I’ve recently returned from Japan and it instantly brings me a sense of nostalgia.” Ana said.
For yourself it might look like wearing your favourite comfy robe, or making sure to keep your vanity clear. Many people prefer a lamp instead of a strong overhead light.
Scents we’re loving:
- Urban Rituelle Vanilla, Lavender & Geranium Fragrance Diffuser Set, $49.95
- Peppermint Grove Burnt Fig & Pear Soy Candle, $44.95
Bringing The Holiday Beauty Rituals Home
Remember, you don’t have to overhaul everything. Refining even one routine to really work for you – and feel a little relaxing while you’re at it – is a solid place to start.
Maybe the goal isn’t recreating holiday skin perfectly, but bringing a little of that softer, slower version of yourself back home with you.
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