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Between the sun, sand, ocean, and coconuts there’s not much to not love about Hawaii! My husband and I just visited there a few weeks ago on our honeymoon and we definitely fell in love with the islands. We visited Oahu and Maui for about two weeks. Now we’re already planning our visit back after getting a taste of the Hawaiian life. The weather there is gorgeous, sunny almost everyday and not too humid. Beyond the beauty of the island, the culture and the people are what really makes Hawaii such a magical place. Everyone we met was so nice and inviting and always willing to lend a helping hand.

Anywhere I travel, I’m always keen to observe local beauty trends and customs. Wherever I’m visiting, always inspires me to try new looks whether its a bold red lip in Paris paired with a black leather jacket, or a sun-kissed glow in Hawaii. I’m going to be writing a series of posts related to my travels to locations such as Hawaii, Paris, Rome, Greece, Barcelona, and more and my beauty observations there.

First: My Hawaii Makeup and Skincare Necessities

Sunscreen: Neutrogena Sunscreen SPF 55

I always make sure to apply sunscreen, but its especially important to wear everyday in Hawaii so you don’t get burnt. Even when it seems cloudy, trust me, you’ll still get burnt. I always wear at least SPF 55 on my face, and at least 30 on my body if not the 55. Everyone loves that sun-kissed glow but no one wants sun damage to their skin over time! I love this sunscreen because it doesn’t have that greasy sunscreen feel to it. The only downside is it doesn’t rub into the skin as well as other sunscreens, you have to really massage it into your skin if you put on too much so it doesn’t leave a white residue.

Foundation: Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Full Coverage Foundation in Medium Sand

This foundation is great for when you want a matte look that will last all day in the sun. It has a very creamy consistency so I like how it feels on my skin. This is my go to summer foundation because it lasts all day. I’ve tested this foundation in the sun, sweat, sand, you name it, and it lasts pretty well without feeling heavy.

My other favorite foundation is Too Faced Born This Way in Warm Beige. This foundation is great for providing a more dewy look. It was a little too much for me sometime in the Hawaii heat, my face is naturally pretty oily in the T-zone so I would typically wear this one for dinner and date nights.

Another favorite makeup essential I always travel with is NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer. I’ll usually apply a little bit of this under my eyes and on any blemishes and maybe some mascara and lip gloss especially on mornings when we woke up at 5am for the airport (the joys of traveling!).

Besides sunscreen, most days I wore very light makeup as I was either in the pool or ocean, on the beach, or in the hot tub. Remember it was my honeymoon so I was living it up with my new hubby! I think Hawaii really inspired me to embrace the natural look. All I really needed was my sunglasses, some light concealer, chapstick, and a flower in my hair to feel like a Hawaiian goddess.

Local Beauty in Hawaii

Hawaii is all about embracing and taking care of the land. I think this definitely reflects in all aspects of the Hawaiian life, including beauty. Something that we learned while we were there was that Aloha was not just “hello” or “goodbye”. Aloha is a way of life. Aloha has a much deeper meaning, something closer to
“what’s mine is yours” similar to Namaste. Aloha means sharing the love with those around you whether its family, friends, or complete strangers. It is an almost tangible spirit of camaraderie that just embraces you as soon as you land on the islands!

I was so inspired by the luau’s that we attended and the history of Hawaii that was reflected in their hula dances. It was a mesmerizing combination of history, culture, music, and tradition. Their outfits also played a big role in communicating the history, from their brightly colored costumes, to natural elements such as beautiful flowers and leaves to form their skirts, leis, and headdresses. Everything has a significance to it.

I was definitely inspired by the hula dancers who were gorgeous with their long dark hair, sun-skinned skin, and pops of color with flowers in their hair.

Coconuts are abundant in Hawaii so its no surprise that they are incorporated into locals’ beauty routines. Coconut oil has many benefits, something I’ll touch on in another post because honestly coconut oil is so important to me, it deserves its own post lol But something we also learned while in Hawaii is that they do not waste anything, including with coconuts, they use everything from the tree trunk, to the meat of the coconut to the leaves and the husks. Coconut oil is great for moisturizing hair (for growing long, healthy locks!) and I use it almost daily for moisturizing my skin.

I think another beauty inspiration from Hawaii is their abundance of fresh delicious fruit. Their apple bananas are seriously the best thing in the world. I’m a firm believer that beauty starts from the inside and having beautiful healthy skin depends on the quality of food that you eat and the nutrients to feed your body.

Beyond these, the beauty of Hawaii is really all about having fun and letting loose! Everyone has a big smile on their face (because they’re in Hawaii!) and having a blast no matter what they’re doing and this kind of joy is beautiful.

Have you been to Hawaii? How was your experience visiting the islands?

If not, are you planning on visiting Hawaii? Let me know any questions you have!