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Save These 7 Tips for Your Best Spring Break Beauty Routine

Susan Muramoto DefaultSusan Muramoto Default
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Published on Feb 24, 2026 • 4 min read
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Photo by Javi Sanz/Getty Images

Is there any vacation as infamous as spring break? Maybe you fancy yourself a spring break traditionalist: someone who uses this time to chase sunny skies and prance around the beach in a bikini. Or are you a chill spring breaker who stays local to laze by the pool, the newest romantasy book burning a hole in your beach bag? Or—and this is one of our faves—maybe you’re the snow-bunny spring beaker with a rebel streak, taking the road less traveled (or skied?) by hitting the slopes for late-season snow.

Whatever kind of spring break you’re manifesting, this is the perfect time to recharge and refresh before the countdown to summer begins. So to help you make the most of your well-deserved break from the grind, we put together our top tips for keeping your beauty routine spring break–ready so you can look and feel your best while you get your R&R.

It's about glam time you treated yourself.

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7 Hacks for Spring Break Beauty Greatness

1. Repair Your Hair After a Dip

Chlorine hair (aka swimmer’s hair) is a real thing. Avoid the look of fried, brittle strands by giving them a little extra love after spending time in the pool or saltwater. FENTY HAIR The Comeback Kid Instant Damage Treatment is our pick for bringing your hair back to life, because you can rinse it out or leave it in, depending on what your hair needs. It helps smooth, soften, and restore the look of damaged strands with a rich texture that glides through like silk, leaving your hair feeling touchably soft and freshly revived.

2. Keep Hydration Levels Up

This goes for both what you put in your body and what you put on your skin. Keep your Stanley close by for regular sips of water, and don’t forget to slather your skin in the K-Beauty fave COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence for a quick boost of hydration from soothing snail mucin. This viral, award-winning product offers deep hydration, improved texture without irritation, and that coveted “glass skin” glow. 

3. Exfoliate After Exposure to the Elements

Different climate, different routine, different products—during spring break, your skin goes through a lot. Help your complexion stay fresh by going in with a gentle exfoliator like the CLINIQUE 7 Day Scrub Cream Rinse-Off Formula, which brushes away roughness and flakiness to clear the way for moisturizer and smoother makeup application.

4. Bring Products One Shade Deeper

Got a ticket to a tropical destination? Even if you practically bathe in SPF and keep your skin covered, catching a few rays and getting a shade or two deeper is almost inevitable. Come prepared by bringing a concealer, a tinted moisturizer (bonus points if it has SPF), and a bronzer in a color deeper than your usual shade. This way, you can color match your new bronze on the go (future-you will thank you!).

5. Pack a Spray-On Facial SPF 

You know by now that SPF is non-negotiable in any weather. But still, remembering to reapply—especially to your face when you’re wearing makeup—is easier said than done. That’s why we firmly believe in lowering all barriers to your SPF application, which includes making reapplying as easy as possible. One of the best ways to do that is with a setting spray that contains SPF, like the MORPHE Sunsetter Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Setting Spray. Keep one with you at all times so you can give your face a spritz and maintain sun protection levels throughout the day. 

6. Keep Base Makeup Lightweight

When your face is mostly covered by big sunglasses, a hat, or snow goggles, there’s no need for a full beat. Less makeup = less chance to mess it up, so we recommend going in with lighter (or fewer) layers of your complexion products. That way, readjusting your accessories doesn’t leave you with unsightly streaks through your makeup—maybe just a few creases or two.

7. Prepare an S.O.S. Beauty Kit 

If you’ve got an extra IPSY Original bag lying around, this tip is for you. Before your spring break adventures, take five minutes to pack a pouch with travel-friendly versions of the makeup you know you’ll be wearing. This prepares you for any quick touch-ups needed due to impromptu splashes in the water (let’s hope you’re wearing waterproof mascara!), accidental smudges, or makeup slippage caused by humid weather.

Final Thoughts

Spring break prep doesn’t stop when you book your plane tickets. Build a spring break beauty routine that works hard (so you don’t have to) with a few key tips and tricks, like keeping SPF and an emergency kit on hand and paying extra attention to your skin, hair, and hydration levels. So, ready to pack your bags with travel-friendly products you can get through TSA? Explore the IPSY Shop, where everything is up to 70% off!

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