When we’re travelling and adjusting to different climates and timezones, our skin can go into a frenzy. There are so many triggers many of which are unavoidable while travelling such as recirculated air on airplanes, changes to our diet and often a lack of sleep and added stress. Below are some of my tips to support our skin when travelling and to help in maintaining a balanced complexion when we reach our destination.
Go back to basics
The key is to keep things simple yet consistent, maintaining a version of your usual regime with an extra focus on hydration in flight and gentle exfoliation and active serums once you’ve reached your destination. Pare it back to basics when travelling, following the simple structure of cleanse, exfoliate, treat, moisturise, SPF. This easy approach ensures you’ll stick to a daily routine without fail. It’s important to maintain these basic skincare steps, providing the skin with the support and nourishment it needs in a new environment.
Prepare for your in-flight routine
Between the high altitudes, dry air in the cabin, lack of movement and disruption to our circadian rhythm, long haul flights can wreak all sorts of havoc on the skin. First and foremost, ensure that you stay properly hydrated by upping your intake of water and fluids. Dry skin is a common concern when flying, and excessive dryness can lead to breakouts so it’s important to cleanse and moisturise to keep the skin healthy. I never wear makeup on flights and instead like to apply an eye cream and hydrating moisturiser, topping it up every hour or so. A hydrating mask mid-flight is a great way to infuse the skin with an extra dose of nourishment. I’ve also been known to pack a gua sha in my carry-on to give myself a lymphatic drainage massage, I find it really helps to de-puff the complexion and relax any tension. Antioxidants are essential, they help fight blemishes and protect the skin against the environmental stressors at play on a plan, apply an antioxidant serum and swap your caffeinated drinks for green tea which has antioxidant properties. I’m never without a silk eye mask when travelling, it’s much nicer than the ones the planes offer and helps me to sleep.
Don’t rely on sachets or samples
A common yet understandable mistake when travelling is taking a handful of those sachets or samples you’ve been saving in your bathroom vanity. Travelling is not a good time to experiment with new products. It’s a much better idea to decant the products you usually use into travel-sized bottles or take miniature-sized versions so that your skin has one less thing to adjust to.
Think about your destination
If you’re travelling from one season to another for example an Australian winter to a European summer, your dense night creams will probably end up clogging the pores rather than smoothing the skin. Curate your toiletries bag based on your destination’s climate and season, opting for lightweight textures for warmer climates and thicker formulations when going into winter.
Make yourself at home
Hotel stays can be challenging for the skin as central heating and air conditioning tends to be very drying. I love using facial mists, hydrating serums and antioxidant-rich oils to help temper these effects and keep the skin supple. Taking your own pillowcase can make a difference to your skin throughout your trip, especially for those with acne-prone skin, it’s often cleaner than those supplied. Just ensure you don’t pack it in with anything that can transfer dirt or bacteria like shoes and wash it regularly.
