Hello,
This is Martha Thomas, head of customer care for Tree of Life Beauty, and I want to welcome you to our weekly newsletter where we discuss important ways to age gracefully, “how-tos” for keeping skin healthy as you age, and so much more about your skincare regimen.
This week we will discuss “7 Tips To Care For Your Skin While Traveling.” If you missed any of our past newsletters, please check them out here on our blog.
Please be advised that we are not doctors or dermatologists, and this article should not be taken as medical advice or any medical statement. Any questions or issues involving your skin-care needs should be taken up with a physician, and we highly recommend you consult with your doctor before taking up any skin-care regimen.
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The holidays are a popular time to travel both short and long distances. Whether you’re visiting family in another state, looking to hit the slopes, or trying to escape the nip of Jack Frost, traveling can be exciting and thrilling… but it can also be harsh for your skin.
Why does travel affect skin?
You’ve likely noticed skincare troubles when traveling. Maybe your skin gets too oily or too dry, you get breakouts or dark under-eye circles, and you may even return home with a new wrinkle. Traveling, especially in airplanes, can throw your skin off balance. Here’s why:
- Environment: Your skin is going into climates and atmospheres that it isn’t used to, with new levels of humidity, dryness, and temperatures. You’re also submitting your skin to new heating and cooling systems.
- Stress: If you’re an anxious traveler, the stress can affect your face.
- Diet: While traveling, you may be eating new foods or consuming more or less than you normally would. This change in diet may come out in your skin. For example, dry skin may become oily if you’re consuming fried foods; oily skin might breakout if you’re eating those delicious chocolate treats.
- Sleep: You might be sleeping and resting less than you would at home, or sleeping at a different schedule. This lack of sleep can cause puffiness, dark under eye circles and breakouts. This is especially true if you’re traveling on an overnight or early morning flight.
- Products: You may not travel with your entire skincare routine. This can confuse your skin, causing unexpected breakouts and irritations.
- Planes: Going up in a plane subjects your face to large amounts of dry air. This can dry out your face and make it look dull and flaky. Dead skin cells can then get trapped in fine lines or pop out as acne. If you have oily skin, this dry air can even make your skin oilier to compensate for moisture loss, further leading to breakouts and a greasy sheen. Plane air also tends to lead to dehydration.
No matter where you go or what you do, you want gorgeous, youthful skin. Thankfully, there are steps you can take to avoid these travel problems to keep your skin glowing wherever you are in the world.
- Do an at-home facial the night before traveling.
Before traveling, pamper your skin. This will help detox and prep your face, so it’s ready to take on whatever travel stressors it may “face.” A facial will remove deep layers of dirt, close open pores, and hydrate skin. Check out our article 7 Steps To A Luxurious At-Home Facial so you can DIY a natural, rejuvenating facial right in your own bathroom.
- Pack the products you use.
I have a bad habit of using my free samples when I go traveling. Any “sample” sized goodies I’ve picked up along the way get thrown in my suitcase because they’re small and lightweight. Plus, they’re “different” and “fun”—just like traveling.
But I’ve quickly learned how damaging this can be to the skin. Your face is already going through travel-related stress. Add products that you’ve never used before, and it’s no wonder your face starts to act funky.
Make sure you take products that you use on a regular basis to keep your skin in its natural routine. Maintaining a normal skincare routine can help your skin stay consistent despite the changes in environment. Buy travel-sized containers at your pharmacy, and put your own products in there so they’re easier and lighter to carry in your luggage.
You should pack: 1 cleanser, 1 scrub, 1 toner, 1 serum, 1 moisturizer, and 1 eye gel.
If you don’t have room in your suitcase, you need three key things: cleanser, toner, and serum. Choose a serum that is brightening and hydrating, so it can function as your moisturizer and eye gel as well.
We recommend our Hyaluronic Acid Serum. This serum can be used in the morning or evening, so it’s a perfect solution if you have little room in your bag. Hyaluronic acid is intensely hydrating, which can help fight off the drying effects of the plane or new, arid environments. Our serum also has vitamin C, so you can be bright and glowing no matter where you are.
- Pack sunscreen.
If you’ll be spending any time outside—including in the snow—you need sunscreen. Even if you’re going on a ski vacation rather than a beach one, the harsh UV rays of the sun can still damage your face.
If you don’t plan on being outside, you should still consider bringing a light moisturizer or foundation that has SPF in it. This helps block daily UV rays, even when you’re not in direct contact with the sun for an extended period.
- Bring a separate baggie for skincare.
Along with your usual products, you’ll want a small “go” bag of your goodies in your carry-on or purse. This makes them easy to reach, so you can apply whenever you get a free moment. This is especially important when flying, as you’ll want to reapply serums and moisturizers mid-flight in order to keep your face composed in the dry air.
Then, when you get off the flight, you can easily reach into your bag to re-cleanse and moisturize your skin. (We always recommend cleansing your face after a flight to get rid of any dry skin cells and oil that may have accumulated. Then, moisturize to bring your face back to life.)
If you’re flying, make sure your liquids are TSA-approved. That means your liquids and creams need to be under 3.4 oz and placed in a see-through, re-sealable bag. Having them on hand in a bag also helps ensure they don’t leak, as they might in your suitcase.
- Drink lots of water.
You should drink a lot of water to help keep your skin healthy and radiant. You can also try eating foods that are high in hydration levels. These include watermelon, cucumbers, tomatoes, cantaloupe, oranges, and pineapple. Hydrated skin is happy skin.
- Wear less makeup.
When traveling, it’s common to throw on makeup and forget to take it off.
Keep your makeup light while traveling. Stick to light powder foundations, as liquid ones can dry out your face. The less makeup you wear, the more your skin can breathe.
- Sleep more.
Even though you’re having an amazing time on your trip, you can’t neglect sleep.
Bring an eye gel with you just in case. If you wake up with dark under-eye circles, a vitamin C eye gel can quickly brighten and lighten, so you’re ready to take on the day with an energetic glow.
The Bottom Line
Holiday traveling is exciting and thrilling, but it can also stress out your skin. Thankfully, you can use the above 7 tips to focus on your skin care while traveling to make sure you look as bright and youthful as you do at home!
Our Tree of Life packing list:
Cleanser: Vitamin C Cleanser
Scrub: Green tea/White Tea Exfoliating Facial Scrub
Toner: Vitamin C Toner
Serum: Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Moisturizer: Retinol Moisturizer Cream With Hyaluronic Acid
Eye Gel: Vitamin C Eye Gel