When traveling, don’t let your skincare routine take a hiatus, too. Read on to learn the top vacation skincare essentials you need to keep your skin healthy and glowing while enjoying your time away…
When you’re traveling for vacation, it’s not uncommon for your standard skincare routine to take a vacation itself. No worries, though, if you ensure you’re doing the bare minimum to care for your skin wherever the winds take you.
How does traveling impact your skin?
1. Weather changes. The weather and climate where you’re traveling to is often different than the weather where you live, which can impact your skin.
For example, if you live in a climate with high humidity and you’re traveling to the beautiful mountains of the Rockies, then the air will be much drier, and your skin might require more hydration than typical. Or, if you live in a tropical climate and you’re traveling for a weeklong ski trip, the cold and dryness in the air might be a shock for your skin.
2. Atypical schedule. Bing on the road and traveling by train, car, or airplane means your schedule inevitably changes while you’re traveling. When this occurs, it can be easy to let proper skincare go by the wayside.
3. Temptation to use different or more convenient products. Most hotels have bars of soap and other personal hygiene products you might be tempted to use, but don’t. These products are often lower-quality, and even if they’re not, they’re likely not suitable for your skin type. These products do not fall into the vacation skincare essentials category!
What are the top vacation skincare essentials?
Here are seven vacation skincare essentials to consider and take with you on your next solo, family, or friend’s trip!
1. Use facial wipes.
A high-quality pack of facial wipes can be the perfect option for keeping your skin clean and fresh while traveling. Pre-moistened facial wipes made from micellar water can easily be carried in a zip lock bag or a pack packed away in a carry-on for easy access. They take up very little room in your luggage, as well! Be sure to select an option that matches your skin concerns and type.
2. Be sure to cleanse well.
Take your favorite travel size cleanser with you. Since going to bed without cleansing your skin is always a “no-no,” whether you’re traveling or not, using a high-quality cleanser before bed will ensue you rid your face of impurities, dirt, oil, and pollution. This product is more important to have with you than your facial serums and specialty products.
3. Moisturize and hydrate.
The second most important products behind your cleanser are your moisturizer and hydrator to maintain your skin’s health. Hydrated skin means plumper skin and moisturized skin equates to protected and softer skin. Also, using a high quality moisturizer and hydrator helps prevent skin issues linked to dryness, which is especially important if you’re traveling to a drier climate than you’re used to.
Pro Tip: Apply hydrator and moisturizer and hydrate your skin prior to boarding a plane, since the inside air of an airplane is especially dry.
Wait, you meant there’s a difference between a hydrator and a moisturizer? Yes, there is. A
moisturizer is a great option to give your skin a protective outer barrier, though holistic, deep hydration comes from a hydrator like HA, or hyaluronic acid, which helps to plump and add volume to the skin.
Aesthetician Mindy Goecke recommends SkinMedica’s HA5, which has 5 different strands of Hyaluronic acid that helps to bind the water to the skin. “It also has the same technology in it that the Juvederm fillers have in them, Goecke shares, “My favorite thing about it is you get an instantaneous plumpness, but over time, it retrains those lazy cells of ours to become more hydrophilic (water loving) on their own over time.”
4. Drink plenty of water.
Consuming enough water helps keep our skin looking healthy and glowing. If you’re drinking alcohol on your vacation, then it’s even mor important to consume sufficient water to counter the drying effects of alcohol. Maybe even have a detox tea the day after consuming alcohol to boost hydration and cleanse your system.
DermaTouch RN’s Aesthetician, Krys Givens suggests, “Enjoy warm water with lemon or an herbal detox tea to help with detoxification efforts…”
5. Protect the skin with SPF.
Daily sunscreen with adequate SPF is a must no matter where you are, so don’t forget to apply your vacation sunscreen regularly as needed… especially if your destination includes lots of fun in the sun.
But what level of vacation SPF should you use? According to Goecke, an SPF of 30 will suffice.
“One thing that people get fixated on is the SPF level. All you really need is an SPF of 30, and then reapply every one to two hours depending on how light your skin is. The difference of protection between an SPF 30 and SPF 100 is only one to two percent.”
6. Get plenty of rest.
Sleep has a significant impact on our overall health and wellbeing, including our skin.
Nurse Practitioner and Professional Injector Donna Lucarini shares, “Adults should get 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. Sleep hygiene is so important because it allows for your body to rest and restores your entire mind-body system, which includes your skin.”
Adequate sleep helps reduce signs of aging, like lines and wrinkles, hydrates your skin, lowers the risk of acne, and leads to a brighter and healthier complexion, to name just a few of its benefits.
It can even help to reduce undereye bags. Lucarini states, “It can also help to reduce swelling if drink plenty of water and use an extra pillow to elevate your head while you sleep.”
7. Use sheet masks
Sheet masks are a great option to give your skin an added boost in the middle of your travels. Plus, they’re easy to pack and take up very little room!
Select masks for the type of climate you’ll be in, as well as your skin care concerns and type. If possible, try them out before your vacation to ensure you don’t have an adverse effect to them and end up with a rash or break out on your trip.
Consider a skin care consultation before you go
If you’re wondering what options would be best your skin type and the location to which you’re traveling, consider booking a skin care consultation at your local MedSpa. Their team of skin care specialists can guide you to vacation beauty tips and the perfect vacation skincare essentials to keep your skin looking its best while you’re away from home.
Mindy Goecke, Aesthetician
Mindy is a Houston-based Aesthetician with over a decade of experience helping patients utilize the best skin care products and treatments to meet their skin care goals and needs. She is continually striving to provide the best care to her patients and educate them on skin care and treatments. She is continually learning, seeking and applying the best state-of-the-art treatments and latest trends, so she can apply what she learns to support clients in achieving their desired results for the short- and long-term. Learn more about Mindy and the team of professionals she works with…
Krys Givens, Aesthetician
Krys Givens is a Houston-based Aesthetician with a long-standing passion for the beauty and wellness industry. As a lifelong learner who remains current on the best skin care products and treatments for her clients, she is driven by the desire to support patients in achieving their most confident and best self through proven aesthetic and cosmetic applications. Learn more about Krys and the team of professionals she works with.
Donna Lucarini, MSN, APRN, FNP-C
Donna Lucarini is a Houston-based Nurse Practitioner and Advanced Practice Nurse at DermaTouch RN with a B.S. in Nursing from UT Health Science Center Houston, a Master’s from Chamberlain College of Nursing, and a B.S. in Psychology from Sam Houston State University.
Donna finds her work in women’s health most enjoyable, whether it be in preventative medicine or cosmetic care, with a compassionate perspective to help her patients look and feel their best. Donna works with both male and female patients to provide bioidentical hormone replacement therapy and injectable cosmetic treatments, like dermal fillers and Botox. Learn more about Donna and the team of professionals she works with.
DermaTouch RN offers minimally invasive and non-invasive treatments for men and women in Houston, San Antonio, Spring and Cypress, as well as the surrounding areas of Texas. We are the largest aesthetic practice in the Houston area, and all of our medical spa treatments are performed by a team of nurse practitioners, registered nurses, and aestheticians who receive continuing education to remain abreast of emerging treatments that benefit our patients. We invite you to learn more about our office before your consultation.
