Packing List: Music Festival Essential

I have a confession.

I’m a little bit of a festival queen.

And I LOVE getting to act as spirit guide and helping someone prepare for their FIRST music festival. Talk about all tingly inside! After all, there is nothing like your first festival.

I just got home from Splash House (one of my FAVORITE festivals), so I decided to put together a little list of my festival essentials. Granted, every festival is going to be a little different and this list is going to be geared more towards the spring/summer outdoor festivals (what you generally think of when you think of festival season).

So I’ve broken this up into a few digestible categories: Makeup, Skincare, Suncare, Glitz, Accessories, and Survival Items. I skipped over the categories of clothes because I feel like everyone’s fashion sense is really different AND it varies drastically on the season and type of festival you are going to. I dress very differently at Coachella than I do at Splash House or Outside Lands.

Also, not to be a mom, but please please please HYDRATE BEFORE, DURING, and AFTER the festival. I know people probably don’t think it’s important to drink alot of water before a festival, but it is. You get really dehydrated running around a festival in the sun all day and you want to prep your body as best you can.

Ok! Now that I’ve lectured you, onto the packing list….

Packing List - Music Festival Essentials

Survival Items

Splash House

• Cash - while most festivals will take cards at a lot of places, there always seem to be water stands that only take cash and you want to be able to get quick and easy access to water whenever you need it!

• Water Bottle - speaking of water, if it’s a festival that offers free refill stations, you’re going to want to bring a water bottle with you. Make sure to check on this beforehand so you’re prepared.

• Camel Bak - again, these aren’t allowed at all festivals but they are amazing to have when they are!

• Fanny Pack - this is one of my top recommendations….I’ve been wearing them since they were considered out of fashion, but now there seem to be so many cute ones to chose from! It keeps your hands free to dance and you don’t have to worry about misplacing any of your items. And it’s small so it forces you to downsize what you’d normally carry with you.

• Unopened Lip Balm - I don’t know why but opened lip balms often get confiscated by security. So make sure yours is sealed if you want to bring it in.

• Electrolytes Packets - Another life saving product. Even when you feel like you’re drinking water constantly it’s hard to stay hydrated. Pack a few electrolyte packets to keep your system running in tip top shape.

• Bandana - Dust is ever present at festivals, so bring a bandana to keep it out of your eyes, nose, and mouth.

• Flonase - On the same topic, we like to have some Flonase with us to use at particularly dusty festivals. It really helps clear your nose at the end of the day.

• Comfortable Closed-Toed Shoes - I recommend combat boots, hiking boots, or tennis shoes. Don’t buy new shoes for a festival because 1) you want them to be very broken in and comfortable and 2) they are going to get SO dirty.

• Bandaids - If you think there’s ANY chance your feet will hurt, pack a few bandaids. Better safe than sorry!

• Flask - Depending on how “bad” you want to be. Obviously you aren’t supposed to bring them in, but they are generally pretty easy to sneak in. A friend of ours bought a sealer on Amazon and so we can make soft mini flasks of any shape/size to fit into our boots/bras/etc. But you can also find flask bracelets, sunscreen, tampons and other funny novelty flasks that are very useful for festivals!

• Purell - You don’t want to have to stand in the bathroom line just to wash your hands, so this is handy when your hands are dirty and in a pinch.

• Portable Charger - When you’re spending all day at a festival, phones will start to die, so a portable charger is an excellent item to have with you.

Suncare

• SUNSCREEN - if you remember anything please let it be sunscreen (I LOVE the brand SuperGoop)

• Sunglasses - a MUST

• Hat - or visor or whatever keeps the sun out

• Aloe Vera - for that sunburn you know you’re going to get

Mermaid Vibes at Coachella

Makeup

• Mascara - at the bare minimum you wanna have mascara :)

• Highlighter - you gotta glisten at a music festival

• Lip Gloss - makes everyone feel pretty

• Makeup Setting Spray - you don’t want your makeup to melt off on a hot day!

• Anything else you normally include as a part of your routine that helps you feel good!

Skincare

• Moisturizer - you are going to come home feeling like your skin is the driest it’s ever been

• Cleanser - to wipe away all the grime from the end of the day

• Sheet Mask - I like to pack a sheet mask too to just give my skin a little extra boost

• Facial Oil and/or Vitamin C Serum - you will be running on less sleep than usual and you want to give your skin a little brightening help!

Splash House all glittered up

Glitz

• Glitter - glitter is always in style at a music festival. And there aren’t enough opportunities to wear glitter as it is, so you should definitely go all out.

• Face Jewels - these have been really popular the last 2 years…you can buy them in really easy to apply stick on packs

• Body Paint - this one is going to be more appropriate at certain kinds of festivals

• Flash Tattoos - these are a big party pleaser too, bring a big pack and make lots of friends

• Hair Extensions - colored, braids, feathers, there are many options here to spice up your everyday look

Toiletries/Other

• Deodorant - you will sweat ALOT

• Eye Drops - another helpful item for the dust situation

• Toothbrush/Toothpaste - I don’t think I need to elaborate here….no one likes halitosis

• Contact Solution & Case - you will be sorely sorry if you forget this

• Razor - or shave before!

• Shampoo/Conditioner - you’ll probably want to wash your hair at some point during the weekend :)

• Medicines - self explanatory!

• Supplements - same!

Well I hope this was helpful, enjoy your festival!!!!!!!

For those who love festivals, please let me know if you have any festival secrets or go-to items you always bring!

xoxo