Going to Coachella? Here’s How to Protect Your Skin, According to Dermatologists

Updated on 4/7/2019 at 2:01 PM

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If you're headed to Coachella, Burning Man, Firefly, or any of the upcoming music extravaganzas, you might already have your beauty looks lined up (we do too!), but have you considered what festivals can do to your skin?

You don't want to neglect your skin care, as the locations of this year's celebrations — like California's Colorado Desert and the heart of Black Rock Desert — will likely bring you somewhere dry during the hottest months of the year. That means you'll be exposed to air that zaps the moisture from your skin, debris, and the highest UV levels.

Even if your face is covered in glitter or swipes of iridescent makeup, you still need to protect it, so we've enlisted the help of dermatologists Kavita Mariwalla, MD, and Melanie Palm, MD, for tips on how to do exactly that.

Stop Using Your Retinoids or Retinols Before

Mariwalla suggested ditching your retinoids or retinols a week prior to attending the festival. "Those make you more sensitive to sunburn and in the desert, the risk is higher to begin with," she said. You can (and should!) continue use as normal when you come back.

Ditch Glycolic and Lactic Hydroxy Acids, Too

Mariwalla said to stop use of products with glycolic and lactic hydroxy acids — which can be found in everything from cleansers to face scrubs and face creams — two days before for the same reason. Check the ingredients list on the back of the product to ensure you're in the clear.

Don't Skimp on the Sunscreen

Sunscreen is the most important skincare step, especially if you're in the desert. SPF — whether chemical or physical — keeps skin from developing areas of hyperpigmentation, lines, and wrinkles, while also decreasing the risk of skin cancer. We love the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Sunscreen SPF 50 ($12) because it's lightweight and has the hydrating ingredient hyaluronic acid in it.

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Sunscreen SPF 50

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$12

Reapply Your Sunscreen — Here's How to Do It Over Glitter

The idea of reapplication might seem intuitive, but we understand that it's easy to push the thought into the back of your mind when you have a full, shimmering face of makeup on. Consider keeping a brush-on, mineral sunscreen — we like the Supergoop! Invincible Setting Powder SPF 45 Beauty ($30) — with you at the actual festival because it won't ruin the beauty look you've spent an hour putting together. Palm suggested using them because they're easy to swipe over your face and scalp, and said to reapply them "every 60 to 99 minutes."

Supergoop! Invincible Setting Powder SPF 45 Beauty

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$30

Keep Your Skin Hydrated

This can be as easy as using hydrating facial wipes (like the Elf Hydrating Water Cleansing Cloths ($4)) to remove dirt and oil, or bringing along mist that keeps your skin balanced every time you spritz.

Elf Hydrating Water Cleansing Cloths

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If You’ve Never Used a Vitamin C Serum, Now Is the Time to Start

"Vitamin C, an antioxidant, will help boost the power of your sunscreen and help with the UV damage from desert rays," said Mariwalla. Her favorite is SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic ($166) (she is a spokesperson for the brand). "When layered underneath sunscreen it improves the power of your sunscreen 11 times," she said.

SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic

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$166