I just got back from five days of vacation in the Caribbean, and yes, I’m still mourning the sunshine and warm island breeze. After living in New York for 13 years, I deeply understand that by the time late February or early March rolls around, you 100 percent have to book a trip somewhere warm, for both your sanity and your skin health. For context, my complexion has been battling eczema flares since December, and the hormonal acne popping up along my jawline can be at least slightly credited to stress (and the resulting cortisol spikes) so a week lying on a beach with a piña colada, a smutty romance novel, and a firm zero-email policy was everything I needed to make it through the rest of winter in one piece. But that doesn’t mean I slacked on my beauty treatments pre-travel. On the contrary, I’ve figured out exactly what to book before I ever set foot on the plane to make sure I still look polished, even if the only glam I get into each day is copious sunscreen application.
Hats off to anyone who is game to arrive at their beachside getaway with a bare face and zero pre-treatments, but I’m a longtime beauty editor with high-maintenance hair and skin, and so that will never be me. Still, I don’t exactly love the idea of applying makeup or styling my wavy 2B hair to the same degree as I do back in NYC; nor do I want to look completely blown out or ragged in my vacation photos (vanity, baby, vanity). So, like any good beauty obsessive, here’s everything I suggest doing before going on vacation to look really, really, ridiculously hot—minimal effort required.
My eyelashes are naturally quite light with a blonde base, so not great for providing definition without mascara. I swear by a lash lift (which is basically a perm) and tint to give me that curl and mascara-level color, without any product, but before I book my appointment, I make sure that my lash density is on point.
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Grande Cosmetics
Grandelash-MD Lash Enhancing Serum
Want thicker lashes that look like you’re wearing falsies? Add this serum to your pre-travel routine a few weeks out and you’ll hit the beach with thicker, fuller, flirtier lashes.
Sweed
Eyelash Growth Serum
If you’re looking for a prostaglandin-free option to grow your lashes, you can’t go wrong with this gentle formula. Prepare for compliments after a few weeks of use.
My full brows are my calling card, but again, my hair is naturally on the lighter side. If an appointment to tint and shape them is feasible, I swear by Joey Healy in Manhattan or Kristie Streicher in LA, but if I have to DIY, a stellar pair of tweezers and some beard dye (yes really) are almost as good.
I know this has a steeper price tag than drugstore options, but I live and die by these Swiss-made tweezers. Those rogue hairs that pop up so far outside my desired brow shape you’d think I was a Eugene Levy double don’t stand a chance.
Just for Men
Mustache & Beard, Beard Dye
This is my most-beloved beauty editor hack for fuller-looking brows (even my mom swears by it). I do two five-minute sessions to tint my brows, and the results last for weeks—no brow gel or pencil required.
I color my hair with camel-coat blonde highlights three times a year, but if I’m not careful, it will turn brassy in the sun. So, before I step foot on a plane, I make sure to do a gloss and toning treatment to keep my blonde bright and beach-ready.
Sisley Paris
Blonde, White & Grey Hair Mask
If you’re a blonde devotee like me, you know that purple shampoo and purple masks are a must to counteract those unwanted brassy tones. This new luxe mask works so fast, one treatment is all I need pre-travel to amplify that neutral blonde shade that I love.
JVN
Revive Rapid Repair Bond Gloss
With copious sunshine and salt water, your hair is bound to get a little dry and damaged. I prep for that with this bonding gloss treatment, which also gives my wavy hair a healthy boost of shine.
I’m a true sunshine baby, but I know better than to sacrifice my health and skin condition for a tan, especially when self-tanner in 2026 is so exceptional. I reach for my favorite formulas a few days before vacation for a gorgeous faux glow.
Bondi Sands
Everyday Gradual Tanning Milk Body Moisturizer
The entire MC beauty team swears by this tanning milk and for good reason—it’s an incredibly easy way to build a natural-looking tan without streaks or that tell-tale orange cast. I make sure to get three applications in (post-shower and exfoliating) for a healthy tan color.
St. Moriz
Color Correct Tanning Mousse
If I’m short on prep days or I want a deeper, richer tan, I apply 1-2 coats of this tanning mousse with a mitt (plus a dense brush for my wrists and fingers). After a few hours of developing, I’m a buttery biscuit bronze and ready for vacation.
I’m a few years into professional hair removal for my bikini line and underarms, but pre-vacation I make sure to give myself a little touch-up with an at-home hair removal device to nix any strays.
Silk’n
7 Hair Removal Device
The rotating head and three different attachments on this device make it super easy to reach every area that needs a hair removal touch-up. It’s also tested and safe for all skin types and tones.
This is my go-to IPL device for the bikini line, and after five days of wearing my skimpiest bikinis on the beach, I can safely say that I looked smooth and stubble-free.
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