10 Travel Skin Care Tips: Essential Rules To Maintain Your Skin On-The-Go
An easy-to-follow, hassle-free guide to help you keep your skin healthy on the go.
Dr. Veerula (Dr. V) is a diplomate of the American Board of Dermatology, a Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology and American Society of Dermatologic Surgeons. She is an energetic, proactive, and compassionate medical practitioner w... more
Ramona is an editor at StyleCraze with 11 years of experience in writing and editing. She has authored over 200 articles on skin and hair care. She graduated from the University of Calcutta, West Beng... more
eshna dasAssociate Editor Experience: 3 yearsEshna is an associate editor and a certified skin care coach. She has over three years of experience, a triple main bachelor’s degree in psychology, English, and journalism from Mount Carmel College, ... more
shiboli chakrabortiCommerce Editor Experience: 4 yearsShiboli has a master’s degree in English literature from The English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad, and is a certified skincare coach with four years of experience. As a commerce editor,... more
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If you are forever dipped in wanderlust, you need to know some travel skin care tips!
Traveling is stressful, even when you are flying to some exotic location. All of the stress associated with travel can disrupt your body’s equilibrium, particularly your skin. Before you leave, a million thoughts run through your head, from packing your clothes to gathering your belongings. Your skin is probably the last thing on your mind, but you don’t have to worry about it. Your travel skin care regimen should not be complicated or time-consuming.
It is not necessary to have a long and sophisticated travel skin care routine. All it takes is a little planning, which this article will show you how to do. Let’s take a moment to discuss how traveling affects your skin before we get started. Keep reading!
In This Article
How Travelling Affects Your Skin
When you are traveling, your daily skin care routine takes a back seat. You are also exposed to different weather and environmental conditions (including pollution levels), and you will probably eat a variety of foods (including junk food). All of these factors affect your skin when you are traveling. Let’s look at them in detail.
- The Changing Air
Remember this: your skin breaks out when it lacks moisture. Whether you are traveling by plane or the air at the place you travel to is dry, it is going to affect your skin. Moreover, when you travel, you often forget to drink enough water. This dehydrates your skin further.
Also, check the weather of the place you are traveling to. If it is cold, the air will be dry, and your skin will dry out quickly. If it is a warm place, it will be humid, and your skin will release sebum and be prone to comedones (clogged pores).
- A Change In Your Daily Skin Care Routine
When you are traveling, it is impossible to follow your daily skin care routine religiously. In between your overnight flights, train journeys, and road trips, you will not even get the time to wash your face properly. When your skin is not clean, the dead skin cells accumulate on its surface, leading to uneven skin tone and breakouts.
- Changes In Your Skin Care Products
You check into a hotel, and just when you plan to take a shower, you see these small skin care products (usually face and body lotions, face wash, cleanser, shampoo, and soap) provided by the hotel. While it is hard to resist the temptation, you need to remember that these products don’t address specific skin problems or are not designed to suit your skin type. Using them will only lead to breakouts and other skin issues.
- A Change In Your Schedule
When you are traveling, your sleep and wake up cycle becomes erratic.
TriviaHence, you might not be able to follow the usual skin care routine that you do when at home.
Well, the good news is, there are fixes for all these travel skin care woes. You don’t need to invest in new skin care products while traveling. All you need to do is tweak your routine and take along only the “must-have” products. Here is how you can do that.
10 Essential Skin Care Tips To Follow While Traveling
1. Carry Facial Wipes Or Towelettes
If you don’t want to carry a facial cleanser or use the cleanser provided by the hotel, pre-moistened facial wipes or makeup removing towelettes are your best option. Carry them in a ziplock bag. You can use them anywhere – in the airplane, while traveling in a bus or car, while sitting at the beach, or in your hotel room. When going on vacation, make sure to carry good-quality facial wipes that match your skin type and issues.
Make sure to carry good-quality facial wipes.
2. Carry A Facial Mist Spray
This is a must-have for everyone! Whether you are on a weekend trip or a long vacay, never forget to carry a facial mist. It is hydrating and will keep your skin refreshed throughout your trip. When you spritz it on your face, you add moisture to your skin. This is especially helpful if you have dry and combination skin or if you are traveling to a colder climate.
3. Carry Your Favorite Facial Cleanser
A facial cleanser is more important than your serums and under eye creams. A daily cleanser makes sure that at the end of the day, your skin is devoid of dirt, pollution, and impurities. Unclean skin is a strict no-no wherever you are!
4. Don’t Forget Moisturizer
A good face moisturizer helps maintain your skin’s health. It keeps your skin hydrated, which prevents breakouts and skin issues caused by excessive dryness. Remember to moisturize your skin before you board your flight. The air inside planes is drying and can damage your skin.
5. Don’t Ditch SPF
Ask anyone which product they can’t do without, and they will tell you the secret – a good sunscreen. Sunscreen goes a long way in taking care of your skin and the way it looks.
6. Pack Some Sheet Masks
Sheet masks don’t take up any extra space in your luggage and are great for your skin. These treatment-soaked paper-thin sheets are a great alternative for the serums and special creams that you will miss while traveling and are great for skin hydration.
7. Avoid Touching Your Face Often
Keeping your hands off your face helps minimize breakouts. Strictly abide by this rule when traveling. This is because you might pick up unknown bacteria that can cause multiple skin issues. Wash your hands with an antibacterial hand wash or sanitizer as much as possible.
8. Skip Makeup
Whether you are about to board your flight or check out some tourist spots, makeup is a strict no-no. Many prefer using a tinted moisturizer while traveling, but it is better to stick to your daily day cream and SPF to let your skin breathe. This is because the changing weather conditions and atmosphere may cause your skin to break out.
9. Carry A Good Eye Cream
If you are constantly battling eye puffiness, carry a good under-eye cream with you. As an alternative, you may also wrap crushed ice in a washcloth (if you don’t have an ice pack) and apply it on your eyes. This will rejuvenate your eyes immediately.
10. Don’t Compromise On Your Beauty Sleep
Not getting enough sleep while traveling can make your skin more prone to issues. So, try to get a good night’s sleep even when you are traveling.
Now that we have covered all the skin care tips you should keep in mind while traveling, let’s check out some post-travel tips as well to ensure your skin stays healthy and glowing.
Post-Travel Skin Care Tips
- The dry air in airplanes can lead to dehydrated skin. Thus, ensure that you use a hyaluronic acid serum every night to deeply moisturize it.
- Dehydrated and dry skin can also lead to puffiness. To combat this, use an ice roller in the morning or apply a caffeine-based face pack and cucumber slices on the eyes.
- Use a clay or charcoal mask once a week to detox and deal with unwanted congestion and breakouts.
- Traveling can also lead to the formation of blackheads and whiteheads on the skin. To tackle this, you can use a chemical peel or exfoliating scrub on the face once every two weeks.
Quick TipA quick fix to deal with acne breakouts during traveling is to use plain Greek yogurt as a 15-minute face mask before bed.
Quick TipInfographic: The Travelista’s Skin Care Guide
Never make the mistake of assuming that a few days of traveling will not harm your skin. You never know what a slight change in weather, diet, sleep cycle, or environmental exposure can do to your skin. The next time you travel, be mindful of all the essential details discussed above.
If you need a quick refresher later, we have an infographic for you that summarizes all the important points in the article. Check it out below.
Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team
We hope you all see the value of maintaining a skin care routine even while not at home. We have included some travel skin care tips to help you stay healthy while on the road. Bring all of your skin care items in a pouch that you can readily access from your carry-on or travel luggage to make this procedure easier. If capacity is limited, pack your cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen at the very least. It is not true that skin care is vital when you are resting at home. It is, however, needed if you are planning a long journey.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can moving to a new city cause acne?
Moving to a new city may cause acne due to the sudden change in the air and surroundings. The change in the temperature and humidity may cause skin issues.
Can you bring skin care products on a plane?
Yes, you can carry skin care products on a plane. However, go through the airline instructions to know the permissible quantity of items you can carry.
Can high altitude cause acne?
The low humidity and temperature at high altitudes reduce the water content in the skin. This makes the skin dry and leads to the accumulation of dry skin cells. As a result, the dry skin cells may clog the pores and cause acne.
Key Takeaways
- Skin gets negatively affected while traveling because of pollution, calorie-laden foods, changes in skin care regime, and climate.
- Carrying some travel essentials like facial wipes, moisturizers, eye cream, and sunscreen can effectively reduce skin damage.
- Also, avoid touching your face often and get that beauty sleep to maintain your skin glow.
Want to discover valuable tips and tricks to keep your skin healthy and radiant during your adventures? Click on the following video featuring a dermatologist’s expert advice on skincare while traveling!
