The festival season is upon us and I am always very excited around this time. I try to make it to at least one festival every year, although having been a poor student until recently seriously affected this mission. This year, I am lucky as I have managed to blag a free ticket to WOMAD, in exchange for a few hours’ work on a merchandise stand.
As a beauty lover, festivals present me with a few fundamental problems. A lack of mirrors and limited access to running water blow any traditional beauty regime out of the water, so you have to think on your feet. I prepare myself by breaking down my to-do lists into three logical categories: before, during and after the festival.
Before the festival, I love to scrub my skin to within an inch of its life, in order to reveal a natural glow that I’d be proud to bare (if) when the sun shines. Any hair removal should be done the day before you go, although if you have sensitive skin and are using products such as fake tan, make sure you don’t cause your skin to flare up just before you go away! Festivals deserve colour, so my nails are always bright and sparkling. I have come up with my own method for trying to prevent chipped nail varnish (which drives me mad), which basically involves at least three coats of polish and a good quality top coat.
Planning is of the essence when it comes to what you will need during festivals, and camping in general. Last minute, rushed decision making will result in important things (face paint and chocolate bars) being left behind and completely random non-essentials (rubber ducks and stilettos) sneaking their way into your rucksack.
Face wipes are an absolute essential, a real relief after a sticky night in a tent and an easy way to rub off bits of mud and grass. The Korres Summer Festival Kit 2012 has EVERYTHING you need for the long weekend, including wipes.
A roll of household bin bags could prove indispensable, especially if the weather decides not to behave itself. They are also useful for separating your laundry and making capes. Camping stoves are really no longer an essential, as food at most festivals is truly amazing. One of the biggest success stories from Bath & Unwind‘s native Bristol in festival catering is Pieminister, who do delicious pies with mash and gravy. I was pretty delirious when I discovered they are now being stocked in supermarkets.
The most important piece of advice I can offer is to take sensible shoes. I wore wellies three sizes too small to Glastonbury 2005, because I was completely unprepared for the rain and had to borrow them from a thirteen year old girl. I’m not sure my big toes have ever properly recovered.
Equally, don’t bring high heels. You won’t wear them, or if you do, they’ll get sucked off your feet into the mud and you’ll end up shoeless. You have been warned.
Once the festival is over, project detox and de-grime is go. A super hot bath with your favourite bath oil is a must. Not only will you feel relaxed and very ready for bed, but it will soften any hard patches of skin on the feet that might have developed from all that dancing in the mud.
Then, sleep, dream, wonder what on earth happened this weekend, and look forward to doing it all again next year.
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