My minimal makeup and beauty routine for van life

If you’ve been following along for a little while you probably know that I quit my tech job last year. But what you might not know, is that the first several years of my career in tech were actually in fashion and beauty e-commerce. I’ve always loved style and aesthetics: from uber-frilly dresses my Abuelo (Spanish for Grandpa) made for me as a kid to eventually studying fashion at university. For the first half of my career I worked for brands you may know like ModCloth, Stylight, and tarte cosmetics.

Admittedly, in the last few years, my love for getting dressed up has suffered. Moving around so much has been a massive financial drain and has also limited my belongings—if I couldn’t carry it, then it was sold or left behind. Downsizing for full-time RV-living made me double down on that approach. And to my surprise in one aspect in particular: van life has totally impacted my beauty routine. Minimalistic wardrobes and personal hygiene (like showering) were often highlighted in Youtube van tours, but makeup was often omitted from the discussion. So that’s what I wanted to share today: how van life changed what makeup products and beauty services I use now, and the things I’m hoping to slowly swap out in time.

There are a few specific challenges to living in a van full-time that impact my beauty routine choices

The most important of these is the reality of limited water. We have a 100-liter tank in our Mercedes Elnagh. Consider that this has to account for allllll our water usage: dishes, hand-washing, showering, quick clean-ups…everything! We usually get through our water supply in about 3 days. And that’s with refilling drinking water separately. This is such a big part of our daily routine now, that I can tell you roughly how much water a shower is in percentages. It takes about 12-20% of our tank for us both to shower depending on how indulgent we’re being.

Basically what this boils down to is that I wash my hair less frequently (which turns out is better for it anyway) and go really light on my makeup. Because of our limited water, it’d be unwise for me to wear layers of makeup—no matter how fun it can be to apply. I’d have to rely on makeup removal wipes to get it off, which isn’t good for my skin or the environment. Plus, we live a much more indoor-outdoor lifestyle now. Heavier foundations or makeup would gunk up quickly, causing breakouts. For all these reasons, and probably more I’m forgetting, I’ve changed my makeup routine. Now I focus on easy clean-up, protection from the elements, and a lower-impact on my health and the environment. That, and adopting some new beauty services.

That’s why I’ve swapped daily beauty products for semi-permanent makeup and beauty services

It’s become increasingly important for me to feel put together. In the midst of global chaos—politics, pandemics, and climate change—having some semblance of control feels necessary. And investing in myself, even in seemingly frivolous ways, boosts my baseline. I have had to rethink a lot of habits in my daily routine because of the van. For beauty specifically, I started exploring multi-use alternatives like hair and body bars, low waste and space-saving options, and beauty services that last. That’s when my friend from NYC mentioned brow and eyelash lamination. Lami-what? (Yea, that was my thought at first too.) Basically, they sculpt your brows and curl your lashes into a more flattering shape using a similar chemical to what they use on your hair for perms. I have super sensitive skin and didn’t experience any irritation. And the best part is that it lasts roughly 4-6 weeks. It just gives me a natural-looking boost: fuller brows and lashes without the daily irritation of product on my eyes or the time I’d usually have to invest filling them in.

Oh, and I also opt for gel polish on my nails! I’ve done this one for so long now I nearly forgot. Girrrrrl, there is just something about a fresh manicure that makes me feel like I can conquer the world. (Who run the world?!) It genuinely makes me feel so happy. I’ve been known to show up to the salon with sketches of designs. It’s a little creative outlet that lets me try on new personas with way less commitment than, say, bangs. Pre-COVID it was also a great way to catch up with a girlfriend. Having my nails done makes me feel so feminine and so “Boss” at the same time—not that those things are mutually exclusive. I have relatively brittle nails, so doing a semipermanent gel helps me keep my natural length longer and allows me to do everyday tasks without the nagging concern of chipping a nail. Which let’s be honest, is super irritating after you’ve sat hands-tied for an hour. This way, I can get on with my day with one less thing on my mind. Are you seeing a pattern yet? (Can I get a “hell ya!” from my fellow Overthinkers?)

Now I can focus on lower-effort, minimal makeup in my daily life

Ultimately, this has been an awesome solution on so many levels. Though it’s an additional cost at roughly 50 bucks every 6 weeks, it saves me on other fronts: space, time, and water. It feels like a nice treat and a welcome interaction with another human—something we’re all starved for at the moment. The investment also extends the life of the few products I do use, probably paying off in the end. Most importantly, it allows me to focus my daily makeup routine on just 2 products!

Every morning, just with clean hands, I gently apply a tinted moisturizer with SPF from tarte. This gives me just enough coverage to smooth out my coloring, which can sometimes have redness from rosacea, and protect me from sun exposure since I’m outside a lot throughout the day. It also has the tiniest hint of shimmer that acts like a highlighter catching the Mediterranean sun. The only other daily makeup I use is Benefits tinted brow gel to touch up and maintain the lamination. Et voila! Done. It’s subtle but just enough to feel like the best version of me. It’s also really easy to clean off at the end of the day—mostly because I can skip mascara now. Every once in a while I gently rub some oil into my lashes to nourish them and extend the treatment.

My beauty routine will continue to evolve—just giving myself the permission to go slow and steady

Like most of the world, my salon trips have dwindled in the face of COVID, so my strands haven’t seen a colorist (or a stylist for that matter) in ages. At this point, “doing my hair” consists of finally getting around to washing it. This is my least favorite side-effect of van life on my beauty routine. I’ve read lots about how most shampoos strip your natural oils and leave your hair brittle, so I’m grateful for lockdown and van life being the excuse I needed to make the switch to less frequent washes and establishing my natural hair-balance. But damn, this process isn’t pleasant. When my hair is feeling particularly limp or uninspiring, I’ll opt for a few spritzes of dry shampoo to reanimate it. Though I haven’t found a brand I particularly love here in Europe. Eventually, I’d like to avoid the aerosol cans and find an effective, yummy-smelling option. (Let a girl know if you have suggestions!)

I’m also hoping to explore and revamp my skincare routine. Which at the moment is pretty non-existent. I like the idea of starting preventative practices like gua sha and cupping facials, but for now, I’ve prioritized other things. I’m hoping to find a brush for dry brushing soon and often use natural oils for self-massages or at-home massages. But I’ll share more on my self-care rituals someday soon.

All in all, moving into the van has been an interesting exercise in identity

In the grand scheme of things, living in the RV full-time is helping us to explore our values and build a life around them. For me, a part of that is understanding how my love for style and beauty (often consumer-y behaviors) can coexist in a gentler way. What are habits that I’ve inherited from a broken society (and prefer to shed) and what are passions of mine that I can adjust to be more ethical, sustainable, responsible, etc? Van life has given me a beautiful, and sometimes difficult, medium to explore what it means to be me and who I hope to be. Including the way I look and express myself in a physical and visual way.

How about you? Do you think you could survive on such a minimal routine? Do you have any product recommendations—I’d love the help! I’ve been on the hunt for small European brands I can support.