all the toiletries and makeup you need for safari and a beach trip pre/post safari
in general, i don’t wear a ton of makeup, but for your safari trip/beach trip, you really just need the essentials. on game drives, it’s pretty windy and can be dusty if you go in drier seasons, so makeup is kind of useless. if you must wear mascara, i recommend waterproof especially if you have sensitive eyes, as mine were so watery from the windy and dusty drives (and we even went at the end of rainy season). the most important thing you need is sunscreen and moisturizer. see my full list below on all of the toiletries you need to bring for safari and a trip to the beach after. i fit all of these in my travel kit in my backpack and was under the weight limit. note: these all should be travel size.
toiletries for safari:
this the bag i use to carry most of my toiletries. it’s not the cutest but it’s super lightweight, thin but durable material, and a really good shape. it also has a water repellent sealed interior, so you’re finally free from the shampoo spill nightmares of the past!
i also got a travel kit like this one for this trip, because it was easier than hunting for travel sized face wash, moisturizer, and eye cream separately (as i waited until the day before my trip to run this errand…) plus it has a great hydrating mask (that little pack has up to 10-12 uses)!
here is a full checklist for all of the toiletries you should bring for your safari and beach trip:
face wash: comes in the belif set linked above or get a different travel sized option
body wash: though our safari camp provided this (most probably will)
shampoo & conditioner: if you don’t want to use what the camp provides and some camps may not provide at all
beach wave spray: i don’t recommend bringing a hairdryer and a lot of camps won’t have them/don’t have the kind of energy needed to support using them, so this is a great product for a semi-styled look when you air dry your hair (my favorite is linked below)
leave in conditioner: if your hair tangles easily (my favorite is linked below)
face sunscreen: for my face lotion, i use josie maran argan daily moisturizer with spf. it’s super hydrating and provides good sun protection. for my melasma areas (hyperpigmentation) i have to use something with zinc (regular spf does not protect melasma prone areas). a good zinc sunscreen stick is my go to for this, see my faves below.
deodorant: i recommend a natural brand that doesn’t use aluminum
body sunscreen: i love supergoop and this is a handy travel size
body lotion: although our camp did provide this
face oil / hyaluronic acid: a face oil or hyaluronic acid treatment are both great options to bring for extra hydration since it is so dry there. i’ve linked my top picks for these below. i had a sample size oil that was tiny and the perfect size to bring, but the small size in any of these will work as well.
serum: (only if you feel like you can’t live without it) i’m obsessed with sunday riley good genes, but i actually didn’t bring it and my face survived, so really up to you. even if you don’t take one with you but you’re looking for a good serum for just everyday, good genes is amazing! also, if you struggle with melasma (hyperpigmentation), definitely recommend murad rapid age spot lightening serum. it’s the only product that works over the counter.
hydrating face mask: comes in belif set linked above – the water mask in that set is enough for around 10 uses or bring a few sheet masks instead (like the one below).
eye cream: comes in the belif set linked at the top
eye drops/artificial tears: my eyes got very irritated from the dryness and wind and dust on the drives
makeup wipes: so helpful! never go anywhere without these.
spf chapstick and/or vaseline: i swear by vaseline
disinfecting hand wipes: great for the plane and for drives when you eat in the bush and for when you visit the villages to keep you safe from any germs our bodies aren’t used to. this is my number one thing you really should bring! i brought three packs and used all of them. i went for 14 days.
hand sanitizer: bring this in addition to the wipes
kleenex: most camps will have but doesn’t hurt to have a couple of small packs.
travel first aid kit with all the basics: antiseptic wipes, bandaids (various sizes), pain relief medication, loperamide tablets (aka immodium or pepto etc., definitely need these as malaria pills can cause diarrhea), antihistamine cream, neosporin, tweezers.
daily medications: bring your daily prescriptions/meds and don’t forget any medications you were prescribed for immunizations, etc.
bug spray: we brought deet but only sprayed it on our clothes
hair brush: the wet brush is a great option since you probably won’t be able to dry your hair!
razor: or you can always opt to not bring one for the trip, but you might want it for when you’re at the beach
here is a full list of the makeup you should bring on safari
and beach trip:
note: you could really go with no makeup at all the whole trip if you want!
coverup: you don’t really need full on foundation unless you feel like you can’t go without it. otherwise, i recommend a tinted moisturizer or handy powder brush tool with spf. i think i used my tinted moisturizer once or twice the whole trip, so definitely not a must bring if you feel like just being makeup free!
nars is my go to tinted moisturizer, but i also really like laura mercier. when i was doing some research for my trip, major blogger, lindsay silb, recommend the powder brush tool for easy application and touch up while you’re on safari. the colorscience option is super cheap at walmart (almost half off) so it’s a good time to get it!
waterproof mascara: i ended up never wearing mascara my whole trip, but if you do want it, i recommend waterproof because eyes can get pretty watery on the game drives from dryness and wind and you could use this at the beach too.
concealer: again, only if you feel like you need this, but safari is very low key for makeup, so feel free to be makeup free.
multiple stick: i seriously swear by nars, the multiple stick. it’s super handy, easy to travel with, and no brush needed (you can use it for blush/bronzer, eyeshadow, and lip tint). don’t be turned off by the image below, there are lots of pretty shades. i use south beach (good for olive tones). orgasm is the best selling shade of all time (good for almost all skin tones).
lip tint: if you feel like jazzing up your look for dinner at camp or dinner on the beach (the multiple stick could also suffice for this) definitely not needed for the day. this dior option is one of my favorite products and is super hydrating.
and that’s a wrap for everything you need to pack for toiletries and makeup for your safari and beach vacation.
i also wrote a full guide on everything you need to know about going on safari with a full style guide and packing list for safari. you can check it out here!