As the world begins to open up again, for many of us, the thought of travelling is exciting, but it can bring apprehension after almost two years. While travelling can be one of the most rewarding experiences in our lifetime, getting to and from our destination can sometimes be exhausting. Not only do we usually arrive sleep-deprived, but our skin also takes a toll as we are exposed to more bacteria, dry air and a lack of essentials to take care of our skin like we normally would. 

So, here are a few tips on how to prep your skin, what products to pack and how to adjust your skincare routine for travel!

THE NIGHT BEFORE TRAVELLING:

Prep your skin - At night, our skin is more active, which means it will lose moisture faster. Due to overnight moisture loss, your skin is at its driest in the morning, which can cause damage to your skin barrier. Prepping your skin for extra hydration before traveling is imperative to avoid extra dryness and dehydrated skin. 

The night before, start by using a clay mask to gently exfoliate, decongest your skin and unclog pores. Then apply a facial oil with hydrating and nourishing ingredients. Like our Restore Facial Oil that is rich in linolenic and essential fatty acids to encourage new cell generation. Further supporting collagen production and deeply hydrating the skin, reducing the effects of overnight moisture loss. Right before bed, drink a glass or two of water and rest up!

ON THE WAY TO YOUR DESTINATION:

Carry your travel-sized skincare products with you and stick to your routine as best as you can - Once you have your trip planned, figure out your travel time and when you might usually/want to refresh your skin. If you can, travel without makeup on. With this in mind, pack your skincare products into travel-sized containers (another great use for empty Nourish bottles and jars, as they’re travel-size + TSA friendly). 

Water, water, water! - While this tip may seem obvious, sometimes it's easy to forget when you have so many other things on your mind. When you travel by air, you should be consuming more water to keep your body hydrated. Not only will this help you feel your best, but it will also keep your skin feeling its best too. My top water-related tip is to bring your own empty reusable water bottle through security so you can refill your bottle on the other side. Most airports that I have been to have water bottle refill stations soon after you pass through security. If you are stuck, ask one of the cafes or restaurants near the gates to fill your bottle before you board.

On the plane, layer on moisture-locking ingredients - Keep your lips and skin supple by applying a facial oil with moisture-locking ingredients like squalane and jojoba to provide deep hydration without leaving you greasy. Full of antioxidants, vitamins and essential fatty acids, our Hydrate Facial Oil will keep your skin protected against nasty environmental damage, like recycled air, pollutants and other harmful free radicals when traveling. Pro travel tip: to allow your facial oil to penetrate deeper into your skin, spritz your face with a mist or essence before and after applying your oils for an extra boost of deep hydration. It can also help wake you up if you’re feeling groggy! 

Tired of dry air? Two words, portable humidifier! - This gadget could save you if you are staying somewhere with a dry climate. While most flights do not allow personal humidifiers to be used on the plane, this compact device can still come in handy on your bedside when you arrive. Just make sure the device is empty before security, and you should be good to go. 

WHEN YOU ARRIVE TO YOUR DESTINATION:

Traveling isn't the time to experiment with new products — stick to your tried and true! Remember, when you arrive at your destination, wash your face with a proper cleanser as soon as you can to fully clean your skin (we love balms and oils, as these won't strip and damage your skin). Also, be sure to bring your favourite moisturizer or oil like Restore or Hydrate to apply to your cleansed face. Pop it in your carry-on with ease, and use as needed.

If you’re only able to bring your essentials, we recommend keeping it simple with a 4 step routine:

1. Cleanse - This is the most important step for healthy skin, traveling or not! Make sure you cleanse every night to remove makeup, dirt, sweat and impurities.

2. Mask - Help draw out any excess dirt, oil or build up with a clay mask. This will make it easier to maintain healthy, glowing skin. Purify will help to calm skin and the antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties help to treat acne and kill acne-causing bacteria (which our skin is more prone to when traveling!) Detox helps to balance, gently exfoliate and soothe skin.

3. Treat - Bring a serum with you that targets your skins needs and keep your skin looking and feeling its best. Our Resurface Retinol Alternative Serum can be used AM & PM to brighten, firm and repair & protect the skin barrier against environmental damages by increasing ceramide production, in turn helping to also retain moisture.

4. Hydrate - Healthy skin means hydrated skin! Make sure to pack your favourite hydrating oil to keep your skin glowing and youthful. 

Keep your hands clean and avoid touching your face if they aren't freshly washed - Even though touching your face can be a habit, while you travel, more germs and bacteria are present that could cause you to break out (or get sick). Wash your hands regularly or use hand sanitizer, two things we should all be very familiar with after 2020. If you are applying skincare products, your hands should be clean, because otherwise, what's the point?!

I hope these tips have given you skincare lovers some peace of mind when you take your first trip.

We want to know, have you found any revolutionary travel skincare tips recently? Comment down below or let us know in the comments of our latest Insta post!