On the second no-wash day of my hair, I realized I desperately needed some beauty products.
For one, I needed dry shampoo, because it wasn’t a regular no-wash day. After a day of travel, I was dealing with some serious postflight hair—as in, hair that won’t pump up volume-wise, even with maximum effort. Upon checking my suitcase, I realized I had forgotten to bring some (unfortunately, this is majorly on brand for me), while also finding out I’d bypassed some of my other beauty go-tos due to last-minute packing. At that moment I’d accepted my fate: My hair and face routines would be incomplete—I was down too many key players. That was until my saving grace entered; a voice asked, “Why don’t you just use mine?”
The voice was one of the girls I’d been sharing an Airbnb with for a long weekend in Nashville. Ten of us decided to travel together, despite being a mixed bag of friends of friends that somebody inexplicably linked somehow, so most of us were meeting for the first time. That’s why it was even more impressive that the sentiment of “Just use mine!” continued throughout the weekend, each person in our Airbnb swapping their favorite volumizers and texturizing sprays, giving their best lip liner and gloss recommendations, and praising their holy-grail and can’t-live-without products. Unintentionally, we’d become our very own influencer brand trip.
To keep the non-gatekeeping spirit of that weekend going, I’ve rounded up the beauty products from the trip that made me add to my cart and my wish list—because, honestly, there’s no influencer more effective at marketing than the one who lends you their face wash after a long night out.
R&Co Skyline Dry Shampoo Powder
My savior borrow of the weekend was this nonaerosol dry shampoo from R+Co. It’s similar to baby powder in terms of consistency and absorbency, and it effectively soaks excess oil at the root without leaving residue or overworking it into the scalp. Also, the size is great for travel.
Tan-Luxe The Gradual Illuminating Gradual Tan Lotion
Planning out your self-tanning schedule is hard—and even more complicated when you want to keep it looking natural for an entire vacation. This easy-to-use gradual formula from Tan Luxe lets you maintain a natural glow and develop within a few hours. Plus, it’s hydrating on the skin. Check, check, and check.
Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Glow Blush
As soon as I saw one of the girls on our trip swipe this cool-toned baby-pink blush on her cheeks, I knew I’d have to have one of my own in my makeup arsenal. Now it’s a favorite in my rotation: It’s highly pigmented, has a radiant finish, and stays on all night.
Croc Hair Professional Masters Infrared Black Titanium Flat Iron 1″
Let’s give the person who packs the flatiron the appreciation they deserve. They could’ve chosen to save precious suitcase room but instead decided to save your life. The communal flatiron of the weekend was this one by Croc with titanium plates that heat up fast. It also uses infrared technology to penetrate the hair deeply, preventing your strands from getting damaged and frizzy.
Ardell Wispies Strip Lashes
If you want to enhance an eye look, try these Ardell Wispie strip lashes. And if strips aren’t your thing, you can totally chop these in half (that’s what we did!) for a more subtle finish.
Clean Skin Club Clean Towels
These ultra-soft disposable towels were made to ensure skin is untouched by bacteria or buildup that might harbor on regular washroom or hotel-room towels. They also make your face-cleansing routine feel more luxe.
IGK Beach Club Volume Texture Spray
This volume spray from IGK is ideal for those looking to achieve an undone, tousled wave. Pro tip I gained from the weekend: Apply this product by turning your head upside down, applying spray all over, and gently combing your fingers through your hair. Once you do, you’ll understand the hype.
Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream
This lightweight cream-gel bronzer from Chanel delivers an effortless and dewy bronze. It’s straightforward to use, especially when you don’t want a sharp, contoured look but want a more minimalistic glow. You can even use it on the eye as a natural-looking shadow.
Dry Bar High Tops Self-Grip Rollers
A blowout with minimal effort is my type of blowout. And these vented rollers from Dry Bar work their voluminous magic without the help of clips or clamps. That’s right: They have a self-grip material that’s sturdy and comfortable. I watched one of the girls in our house use these without heat on her feathered bangs, and I was sold (seriously, I bought them from our shared bathroom).
Kosas Glow IV Vitamin-Infused Skin Enhancer
This vitamin-infused skin enhancer from Kosas is a true trifecta: It’s radiant enough to be a highlighter and light enough to be a base layer, and provides coverage for a daily skin tint. Consider it a glow-inducing skin essential that belongs on your next travel makeup kit, especially since it’s such a time saver. With just a few swipes, your application time will be down to seconds.
Straand Woven Microfiber Hair Towel
Hair towels aren’t your regular old bath towels, and I can’t believe I’ve lived without one for this long. This woven towel from Straand drastically cuts down drying time (again, less time getting ready and more time enjoying what you’re getting ready for) with its absorbent microfiber fabric. For curlies, coilies, and tight textures, this towel will also help keep your natural pattern intact. Plus, it’s super lightweight.
Maison Mataha Escapade Gourmande
Have you ever wondered what a grown-up version of Victoria’s Secret’s Vanilla Lace smelled like? Well, allow me to introduce you to this delicious gourmand scent from Maison Mataha Parfumes. It has notes of black sugar, vanilla, and musk, a divine mixture loved by #NicheLuxury TikTok and Aysia, who shared a room and this find with me.
Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Or Multi Usage Dry Oil Golden Shimmer
This French-branded body oil recently went viral with good reason. It nourishes the skin in a velvety layer, making your body appear silky smooth while achieving a dry-down time that takes only minutes so you don’t have to worry about transfer or greasy buildup. And as if that weren’t enough, there’s also a subtle shimmer, giving an extra oomph to your typical moisturizing routine.
Patrick Ta Major Headlines Double-Take Crème & Powder Blush
Another blush makes a list; this time it’s this compact duo from Patrick Ta. Put plainly, the creme and powder pigments are just beautiful. There’s an impressive amount of color playoff while remaining buildable and blendable. It’s one of those “What are you wearing?” products, which is, ahem, how I stumbled upon its greatness.
GHD Soft Curl – 1.25″ Curling Iron
Again with the communal styling tool of the weekend, except this time it’s this curling iron from ghd. The heat-up time is phenomenal, creating full blowout curls with its 1.25-inch barrel.
Fenty Hella Thicc Volumizing Mascara
While not a sharable product, it’s one that I saw applied in real time next to me in the mirror. Not only was the formula incredibly creamy, but within a couple of swipes, its owner had thicker and bolder lashes and bragged that when she wears it, there is no clumping or fallout. Now with a tube of my own, I can attest that Fenty’s Hella Thicc lives up to its name as a volumizing and lengthening mascara.
