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    What’s In Our Editors’ ESSENCE Festival Beauty Bag? Composite by India Espy-Jones By India Espy-Jones ·Updated June 3, 2026 Getting your Trinity Audio player ready…

    Since 1995, Essence Festival has been an annual destination for our editors to road test their summer beauty routines in New Orleans. While some products melt under the Southern heat, others have proved to be the holy grail we’ll bring for years to come. 

    This year, for Senior Beauty Editor Akili King, it’s all about makeup suited for eczema-prone skin like skin tints and blush. As for Content Operations Manager Shelby Stewart, she’s not going without a blurring balm. Meanwhile, a hair oil is a must for Senior Director of Editorial, Victoria Uwumarogie’s sister locs. For myself, mascara and sunscreen are the beauty products I’ll be reaching for the most during Essence Festival weekend. 

    Ahead, our editors open up their beauty bag for an inside look on the products they’re bringing to Essence Festival 2026. 

    Akili King, Senior Beauty Editor Shea Radiance Whipped Body Butter A rich, soothing balm enriched with colloidal oatmeal, this body butter melts into a smooth balm in the summer which is the finishing touch in King’s EFOC body care routine. Available at amazon.com 21Shop Now Tower 28 SunnyDays Tinted SPF 30 Their makeup is lightweight and also designed for eczema-prone skin,” King says about Tower28’s complexion products, including her favorite broad-spectrum tinted sunscreen. Available at sephora.com 32Shop Now EADEM Le Chouchou Lip Softening Balm For general moisture, King is using one of the most popular Black-founded lip balms on the market: the exfoliating and softening EADEM Le Chou Chou Balm. Available at sephora.com 24Shop Now Pattern Beauty Edge Control Finding a good edge control that’ll hold all day, prevent breakage, and doesn’t flake or turn white is a must in the dead of summer. For King, this is the one. Available at sephora.com 14Shop Now EltaMD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46 “SPF is also key,” King says. That means using a cast-free sunscreen she can rely on under her makeup. Available at dermstore.com 45Shop Now Cocokind Resurrection Polypeptide Cream To keep King’s eczema-prone skin moisturized, this rich cream is her go-to for plump, soothed skin. That, and a bit of aloe. Available at ulta.com 27Shop Now Sienna Naturals Dream Curl Mousse Since braids are King’s annual EFOC hair class="retailer essence-commerce-link" target="_blank">weloveus.shop 30Shop Now Vie Beauty 30COOLDOWN Rose Water Misting Fan “To keep cool, I’ll have my Vie Beauty fan on hand,” King says, which disperses a refreshing rose water mist for New Orleans’ hottest weekend. Available at weloveus.shop 60Shop Now  Shelby Stewart, Content Operations Manager Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder “It is much lighter than foundation (perfect for the heat/humidity) and it’s buildable for when I need more coverage,” Stewart says, reaching for shade 6. Available at sephora.com 39Shop Now LANEIGE Hydro UV Defense Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 50+ As Shelby Stewart’s tried-and-true daily sunscreen, “will definitely be bringing that.” Available at sephora.com 30Shop Now Victoria Uwumarogie, Senior Director of Editorial Biosilk Silk Therapy Original “This treatment helps to lightly hydrate my sisterlocs, which will be curled,” Victoria Uwumarogie says about her favorite EFOC hair product. Available at ulta.com 20Shop Now Undefined R&R Sun Serum Broad Spectrum SPF 50 As Uwumarogie’s go-to summer serum, “it’s not too thick and gives my skin a glow.” Available at amazon.com 28Shop Now Vaseline Coco Radiant Body Oil “This body oil helps me shine—not be greasy,” Uwumarogie says. “There is a difference!” As a pro tip, she adds Aquaphor and massages into her feet to prevent cracking after a long day of walking. Available at cvs.com 10Shop Now Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes A must for Uwumarogie, makeup remover wipes are the first step to clean skin after a long day—and night—at festival. Available at amazon.com 10Shop Now Earthly Derm Turmeric Glow Soap “The makeup for stage moments and sweat from the heat will do a number on my skin,” Uwumarogie says. So, she’ll be using this turmeric bar “to properly cleanse but also continue to fade my hyperpigmentation from years of acne prone skin, slowly but surely.” Available at earthlyderm.com 38Shop Now India Espy-Jones, Contributing Beauty Editor Shiseido Eyelash Curler What’s a lash routine without a curler? This Shiseido curler is the foundation of my beauty routine and doesn’t pinch my eye. Available at sephora.com 28Shop Now Byredo Tears In Rain Mascara I’m a minimalist in all things except mascara. I use this one exclusively for my bottom lashes because of how fine the applicator is. Available at byredo.com 50Shop Now Prada Pradascope Lash Lifting & Lengthening Mascara This mascara has hands-down the best applicator I’ve used. The nylon bristles are one-sided, precise, and reaches every lash without making a mess. Available at sephora.com 35Shop Now PAT McGRATH LABS Dark Star Mascara I always try to replicate Diana Ross’ lashes with my mascara. This one is perfect for voluminous upper lashes, which I layer on top of my Prada mascara. Available at nordstrom.com 34Shop Now EADEM Sunsuede Daily Sunscreen & Blurring Primer Since my skin is acne-prone, I like to focus on protection to prevent even more hyperpigmentation. That means carrying around a perfectly pocket-sized sunscreen for reapplication throughout the day. Available at sephora.com 32Shop Now TOPICS: 

    The post What’s In Our Editors’ Essence Festival Beauty Bags? appeared first on Essence.

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