I first wore make-up for a dance recital in 1st grade. I first put my own make-up on in 9th grade. I got my hands on eyeliner and mascara and decided they were part of my high school uniform. By college, I was convinced that leaving the house without concealer meant I was naked and so it was added to the list of necessities together with eye shadow, lip gloss and the veterans, eyeliner and mascara. It was a trip to Cuba this year that finally convinced me that make-up just isn’t worth the hassle of feeling a synthetic layer migrate south on my face due to sweat as I battle a tropical climate. And with this revelation came an indescribable and undeniable feeling of freedom (for me and my carry on) as this phantom responsibility was lifted from my packing and daily routines.

Like all decisions in life, the choice to wear make-up will differ based on lifestyle and personal satisfaction. The most popular pro argument tends to be “my skin is terrible, I need to cover it up.” It also tends to be immediately followed up with “I wear make-up for me.” Ok, sure. But you also tend to only see yourself in the mirror about five times a day… Again, it depends on lifestyle and personal satisfaction, and if make-up is part of your morning routine for work and it works for you, go for it. You do you. But if you’re looking to make your trip just a bit easier, ditching the make-up routine will make a world of a difference! Think about it. You’re hiking up a volcano. How liberating would it feel to just wipe the sweat off your forehead without thinking twice about smudging something? Mind-blowing. I know. So here is my declassified list of reasons why I ditched make-up (on the road and in my daily life):

– save money (…for more travel of course 😛 ) we all know it can get pricey
– save space in my carry on
– avoid getting yelled at in the hostel for hogging the bathroom
– peace of mind when sweating in tropical destinations
– increased urge to visit said tropical destinations
– save time while getting ready to head out for the day
(- alternatively, avoid getting nagged for taking too long to get ready)
– no need to worry about what needs to get re-applied throughout the day
– one less thing to worry about when packing your day bag
– more space in your hostel locker (or one less thing to dig through in your hostel locker)
– dive into the ocean worry-free and free of wondering what your face will look like when you resurface
– none of that face blotting action going on, just wipe off whatever it is
– never worry about getting make-up on your clothes when changing
– always photo-ready because there is no need to check on the status of your face

All that being said, packing a travel-size concealer has come in handy once or twice when heading out for a rather classy night after misjudging the strength of the sun earlier in the day. The lobster effect is less than attractive and a little concealer never hurt anybody. 😉 Happy travels!