Outfit Details:

During the drive I went makeup-less because I wanted to keep my skin fresh and hydrated, plus if I napped, I wouldn’t wake up with mascara under my eyes.

Oversized sunglasses are my saving grace for when I don’t want to wear eye makeup, because I still feel put together even when my eyes beg to differ.

I wore my hair up in milkmaid braids (watch my YouTube tutorial here) because it made it easier to lean my head back in the head rest, especially since it was an eight hour ride. Plus it just kept it up and off my face and I love how low maintenance this style is. It only takes me about five minutes!

I had never been to a Travel Store before but they are pretty awesome because they have everything you need: snacks, water, an ATM and clean bathrooms. And they will usually have a restaurant inside that offers an alternative food option instead of just McDonalds or Burger King.

My new favorite kind of Skittles was only 50 cents at the Travel Store. Win, win!

Here is Casey in the amazing Volvo XC90 that I mentioned above. This car was a dream and practically drove itself! It was comfortable, spacious and made our road trip 100 times better! Thank you again, Volvo, for letting us borrow it for our travels!

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Ok now onto my road trip beauty essentials!

Last Thursday we arrived in Strongsville around 7:30 and met some friends at Brew Garden, but because we were behind schedule, we decided not to stop anywhere beforehand and just go straight there. I wanted to make sure I felt good and looked fresh, so besides my makeup, I made sure to bring these beauty essentials with me….

1. Klorane Dry Shampoo: Funny story about this one. I wasn’t thinking and while we were IN the car, I flipped my hair over to spritz my roots with dry shampoo. Can you imagine what happened after that? Casey started coughing and looked at me with this incredulous look, like why in the heck would I spray that in the car?! Haha. Whoops. Best to use this at a rest stop or anywhere outside. :)

2. Sara Happ Lip Gloss: You guys know I love this stuff (you can watch my video about my must-have carry-on items here) because it is just so hydrating. Especially when you have the AC blasting on your face for 8 hours, it’s good to have some lip protection.

3. Mario Badescu Facial Spray: I have been using this spray for years now and love how it smells like a rose garden. It’s a combination of aloe, herbs and rosewater and is so refreshing, especially if you have dry skin like me. You can use it to set your make-up, soothe your face in drying conditions or give your skin a quick boost when needed.

4. Tide to Go Pen: If you are eating anything in the car, there is always a chance you can get food on you somewhere. So if that happens to you, these little babies are magic and remove (almost) any stain immediately.

5. Lara Bar: I have been snacking on these healthy bars for years (the lemon ones are my favorite) because not only are they good for you and filling, they don’t create a mess especially in confined spaces like a car or airplane.

6. Simply Gum: I have been reading all about how regular gum really isn’t that great for you since it’s basically made of chemicals and plastic, so I did a little research and found this natural gum. Regardless, gum is great to have it you’re an anxious shotgun rider like I am. I can chomp out all of my nervous energy but also have fresh breath for when I get to where I’m going.

7. Neutrogena Face Wipes: This is another product I have been using for years and feel weird when I don’t have them with me just because they feel so good on my face when I want to feel clean and fresh. I know that actually washing your face is the best way to get all the makeup and dirt off your face, but when you are in a pinch, these are so handy and work really well. They also come in a travel size too!

8. Colorscience Sunscreen Powder: I love dusting this powder all over my face, neck and ears whether I have makeup on or not because it has sunscreen built into it! I feel protected without having to always put a separate sunscreen on my face.

9. Benefit Cosmetics Puff Off: I love how the metal applicator feels under my eyes during any travel situation, especially if I wake up with puffy eyes. This stuff is just the thing to soothe the under eye area and help brighten my skin.

10. Not Soap, Radio Joy Inducing Hand/Body Lotion: I received a travel size of this lotion in my most recent Ipsy delivery and fell in love with it. My hands feel so soft after I use it and it really does smell amazing. The sentiment written on the tube says, “When life gives you one too many lemons (you’ve misplaced you happy place…)” which is basically a nice way of saying, stop indulging in self-pity and make a mini-plan to feel more positive and happy. It is infused with the scent of lemon oil, which is said to encourage positive feelings and the color yellow is said to foster friendly feelings, general happiness and joy. Love it!

11.Too Faced Hangover Replenishing Face Primer: This magical face primer is infused with coconut water and feels so great on your face when you need a serious pick-me-up. It hydrates, smoothes, and brightens skin and you can wear it on its own or under your makeup. And don’t worry, you don’t have to be hungover to use or need it, haha.

(I didn’t include clothing in the roundup above, but I still wanted to still talk about what I like to wear on long car rides.)

12. Oversized Sunglasses: I have had these sunnies by Karen Walker for a while now and they still remain my go-to pair when I really want to cover up almost half my face, or if need to block the sun, hide my tired eyes and doze off.

13. Comfy Jumper: I need to be able to move around comfortably in my seat and possibly go into the fetal position for a nap if needed, which I often do when sitting for long periods of time. So a jumpsuit or romper is the perfect solution for me. Since it’s just one piece of fabric, my shirt doesn’t get bunched up plus this style of clothing is usually pretty loose and flowy so that helps with any restriction especially when you already have a seatbelt strapping you in. Shop this one from Old Navy for only $40!

14. Easy Slip-on Sandals: I love to take my shoes off the minute I get in the car but I also want to be able to slip them back on just as easily. These huarache sandals from Target are perfect, plus they were only $25 and are super comfortable too.

I hope you guys enjoyed this post and let me know if it was helpful. If you’d like to see more like these in the future, please leave me a comment below.

Thanks for stopping by! xoxo