Holiday travels expose your skin to new climates, new bacteria and countless other challenges. Whether you’re venturing into snow-covered terrain or making your way to a sunny, sandy beach, strategic skincare is of the utmost importance. With the 10 tips that follow, you can maintain healthy, glowing skin in every environment.
1. Stick to What You Know
Even if you’re staying home, the holiday season can take a serious toll on your skin. It’s a time of indulgence with extra sugar, caffeine and cocktails, paired with less movement and even less sleep. Your skin feels that shift just as much as your body does. Making sudden changes to your skincare routine before or during a trip only adds more stress to the mix.
Pack your trusted essentials, including your facial brush, exfoliating tools and night cream, and keep things simple. You might need to tweak your lineup slightly to handle a new climate that’s hotter, colder or more humid, but the best thing you can do is stay consistent. Familiar products mean fewer surprises and happier skin.
2. Use Salicylic Acid for Acne Prevention and Light Exfoliation
One thing that you should definitely add to your toiletry bag is a salicylic acid cleanser. This beta-hydroxy acid penetrates the pores deeply. It breaks down and lifts out trapped debris to fight blackheads, whiteheads and other blemishes.
As an additional benefit, salicylic acid has a light exfoliating effect. It sloughs off dead skin cells to reveal the new, healthy cells beneath them. Using a salicylic acid cleanser while traveling will keep your complexion clear, bright and vibrant.
3. Step Up Your Moisturizing Game
Airplane cabins have extremely low humidity. In most cases, cabin humidity is just 20% or less. Long flights can lead to dry lips, dry hair and noticeably dry skin. Worse still, it could take your skin a few days to recover from the stress of a multi-hour flight.
To combat in-flight drying, moisturize before boarding your plane, while flying and just after disembarking. For best results, invest in a quality moisturizer for dry skin.
4. Eat for Skin Health
‘Tis the season for indulging your sweet tooth and imbibing with family and friends. But what you eat from day to day during the holidays will have an impact on your skin. Try to temper indulgence with fresh fruits, colorful salads and roasted or raw nuts and seeds. Foods rich in vitamins A, C, E, zinc, and polyphenols are all great choices.
5. Stay Hydrated
Thirst is the first sign of dehydration. Unfortunately, not everyone enjoys drinking the recommended eight glasses of water a day. When you eat lots of fresh, water-dense foods, staying hydrated is much easier. If you’re loading up on cucumbers, tomatoes and other healthy fare, your skin will thank you for it.
But, whether spending your holiday in a cold, dry climate or a hot, humid one, it’s best to keep your water bottle with you. Sipping at water all day is far better than trying to gulp large quantities down when you’re already in the first stages of dehydration.
6. Maintain a Youthful Glow With Hyaluronic Acid
Don’t let dry air or increased sun exposure steal your glow. Instead, incorporate products with hyaluronic acid (HA) in your skincare routine. When you experience the substantial and near-instant benefits of quality HA-based skin creams, you’ll use them year-round.
Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring acid in the tissues, joints and skin. As a natural humectant, it attracts and retains water molecules. With HA-based skincare, this action gives skin a smoother, plumper appearance. Many of the top HA-based products also hydrate the skin from its foundation out. For best results, don’t stop at HA-based moisturizers. Look for an HA-based under-eye serum, too!
7. Get Your Blood Pumping
Exercise boosts blood circulation and optimizes oxygen and nutrient delivery to your skin. Book a hotel or resort with a nearby or in-house workout facility. Plan for post-meal walks or go swimming. Find activities that work well with your itinerary and your environment. Although eating, socializing and playing board games with loved ones are all common holiday activities, don’t let your holiday travels become too sedentary.
8. Use Sunscreen
Sunscreen isn’t just a summertime must. Your skin needs sun protection every day. If you’re leery of chemical-laden products, look for a natural mineral-based sunscreen with a suitably high SPF. When traveling to a tropical or subtropical location and swimming, go for a waterproof product, and reapply your sunscreen throughout the day. That way, your holiday beach adventures will leave you with memories, not sun damage.
9. Take It Easy on Your Skin
When planning a big trip, you may be tempted to give yourself a deep chemical peel or go harder than normal when exfoliating. However, aggressive treatments will place your skin under unnecessary stress right before it has to contend with dry in-flight air and the ravages of holiday excess. Look for gentle, nourishing treatments that support gradual, healthy improvements rather than dramatic exfoliation.
10. Go to Bed
The notion of beauty sleep isn’t a false one. Your skin, along with every other part of your body, needs ample time to rejuvenate and repair itself. Try to get at least eight hours of sleep each night. One of the most refreshing and indulgent parts of taking a vacation is getting plenty of deep, guilt-free sleep.
Gear Up for Your Holiday Travels
Holiday travels don’t have to take a visible toll on your skin. With these 10 tips, you can stave off breakouts and keep your skin supple, hydrated and looking its best.