In just over one month, your flight will touch down in New Orleans for the 2026 Essence Festival of Culture. In the meantime, when it comes to festival prep, remembering what to pack may not be as fun as the Evening Concert Series. As you’re spending time rounding up your half-empty travel-sized skincare and deciding which makeup products can survive the Southern heat, knowing what’s worth your bag’s limited real estate is just half the work.
Essence Festival is all about Black culture, which means your beauty bag should be the same. At the top of our list are Black-founded products: EADEM’s new sunscreen, The Hair Diagram’s Bold Hold Active, and, of course, Juvia’s Place’s transition blush holy grail. Additionally, a few other non-Black, best-selling products still made the cut (Dyson’s new handheld fan, for one, is a must-have you cannot forget).
Ahead, check out our beauty guide for Black-owned and travel-size products you can’t forget to pack for Essence Festival 2026.
Skin
This new, broad-spectrum SPF 50+ sunscreen is invisible on all skin tones, including the richest shades, while blurring pores and doubling as a primer for your makeup. Its stick applicator also gives a gua-sha-like massage when you apply (and re-apply!)
Available at sephora.com
Nothing’s more convenient than a travel skincare kit all wrapped up in a suede roll—and, best of all, it’s Pharrell-approved.
Available at humanrace.com
Engulf your skin and your senses with this woody-meets-citrus scented face mist. It boasts a nourishing mix of aloe vera, polyglutamic acid, and glycerin, providing the skin with deep hydration and a dewy finish. This formula is also made with panthenol and ectoin, which soothe irritated skin and protect the skin barrier.
Available at sephora.com
This luminous, Black-founded serum is enriched with multivitamins and vitamin C to defend your skin against hyperpigmentation, environmental stressors, and of course, the summer sun.
Available at epilogicskincare.com
This refillable blotting compact is a savior for oily summer skin, absorbing excess oil without disturbing your makeup.
Available at lalais.com
A handheld fan is a must while traveling this summer to prevent your skin from sweating, makeup melting, and all the hot flashes in between.
Available at crateandbarrel.com
This 3-step travel-size skincare routine—founded by Sabrina Elba—blends science and African botanicals to protect your skin from summertime hyperpigmentation.
Available at amazon.com
Hair
From pixie cuts and afros to braids and wigs, this anti-humidity spray has a flexible hold, while combating frizz and protecting your style.
Available at sephora.com
Black-founded Dosso Beauty has the cleanest braiding hair on the market. The same can be said for their braid spray, which helps moisturize your braids and scalp even in extreme heat.
Available at dossobeauty.com
Summer is known for heightening smells. Let your hair be a good one, exuding the aroma of iris, amber, and sensual musk.
Available at nordstrom.com
Don’t sweat your wig off! Melt with this invisible-bonding, humidity-resistant, and strong-hold lace glue instead.
Available at amazon.com
From the plane to bed, protect your pixie cut with a pillow designed specifically for preserving your hairstyle.
Available at pixiepillow.com
Makeup
Make your eyes say more with this Black-founded volumizing mascara formulated for your lashes to look longer, fuller, and festival-ready.
Available at sephora.com
Lightweight skin is the key to summer makeup. This serum skin tint is formulated with skincare ingredients to blend seamlessly with your summer complexion.
Available at sephora.com
The final step in any makeup routine, especially in the summer, is layering on a sweat-proof fixing spray to keep your look locked in place.
Available at sephora.com
Swap out your makeup wipes with a Black-founded cleansing balm designed to slip off your makeup and SPF, while leaving your skin hydrated, cleansed, and ultra-soft.
Available at sephora.com
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