Skin Care Tips For Travel
Packing for a trip and not sure what to stuff into your suitcase and what to leave behind? Between wardrobe, footwear, snacks and phone chargers, there’s a lot to make room for. Skin care should be on that list too, but there’s no need to bring your 10-step routine to the beach (or your campsite). Read on for some tips about what to include, how to pack and what to leave at home.
The Essentials | Beach Vacation | Weekend Getaway | Adventure Travel | Airplane Travel | In The Mix | More Travel Tips
The Essentials
First things first: There are some skin care items that belong in your “go bag” no matter what the destination. SPF is the number one don’t-leave-home-without-it product. Whether you’re relaxing with a cocktail on a lounge chair, hiking up a mountain or pounding the pavement in a new city, there is always a need for sun protection — yes, even on cloudy days. We recommend an SPF of 30 or higher — and a moisturizing option like the Lilikoi Daily Defense Moisturizer SPF 40 does double duty without taking up extra space in your makeup case. Plus it’s a perfect travel size at 2 oz (60ml) and will get through airport security with zero issues.
Need more SPF choices? The Radiant Protection SPF Fluid and the Rosehip & Lemongrass Lip Balm SPF 15 are other effective options for shielding the skin. The Radiant Protection SPF Fluid keeps your skin looking hydrated and nourished, boasting an SPF of 30. It also contains bakuchiol, a retinol alternative that targets fine lines and wrinkles as well as niacinamide, which retains hydration and smooths uneven skin texture. For your lips, the Rosehip & Lemongrass Lip Balm SPF 15 protects this area of sensitive skin. The balm not only defends your lips from UV rays but also hydrates and leaves them looking plump.
Another travel necessity is a great facial cleanser. It’s important to spend a couple of minutes before bed making sure you’ve removed all of that SPF you’ve been reapplying all day (right?), plus any of the environmental stressors (sand, dust, campfire smoke) that you’ve been exposed to on your adventures. Something like the Mangosteen Daily Resurfacing Cleanser will remove surface buildup from the day, leaving skin looking clear, smooth and radiant. If you’re looking to travel light and need a smaller option, the Lemon Grass Cleanser gently removes impurities from the skin, works for all skin types and comes in a carry-on-friendly 1.7 oz (50 ml) size.
Beach Vacation
Switching from the brisk chill of winter to the warm embrace of a sunny beach destination? It's essential to consider how your skin will adapt. The sudden shift from cold to warm climates can be a shock to your skin, leading to potential dryness as it acclimates to the change. Whether or not you're transitioning from a cold climate, a great pre-beach ritual is exfoliating your body to remove any flakiness and dryness. Time at the beach means you’ll probably be showing off a bit more skin than usual — so let’s make it glow. Exfoliating will help remove any dry or flaky skin that might be stuck on the surface, making shaving or waxing easier and freeing any ingrown hairs that might be hiding under those dead skin cells. Plus, if you’re a self-tanner, you’ll get the best results applying the product to fresh, exfoliated skin without any dry patches to suck up extra color. Really lean into that beach life with our Coconut Sugar Scrub. The natural sugar cane crystals and hydrating coconut oil will remind you of a pina colada. Pro Tip: Rather than packing your body scrub, use it in the days leading up to your trip to help you get ready. Lots of the leg work when it comes to a beach vacay happens before you get there!
When sunshine is on the agenda, the dynamic duo of Vitamin C and SPF help you juice up your routine and get you ready to glow from head to toe. The potent power of Vitamin C delivers antioxidants to help brighten the skin and improve the look of fine lines and wrinkles. Pack the Citrus & Kale Potent C+E Serum in its small-but-mighty 1 oz (30ml) bottle, and follow it up with a nice layer of SPF like the aforementioned Lilikoi Daily Defense Moisturizer SPF 40 or the Bright Skin Moisturizer SPF 40. And for your body, the Lilikoi Mineral Defense Sport Sunscreen SPF 30 comes in a tube that is easy to throw in your beach bag — and can be used on your face as well.
Product Picks
Weekend Getaway
Packing for a weekend getaway is an exercise in restraint. As much as you want to pack every last serum and lotion (just in case), it doesn’t make sense to bring your entire skin care collection. Less is more when it comes to a quick trip. So let’s focus on the important stuff.
Once you’ve packed your essentials, think about adding a couple of products to enhance your routine. The Pineapple Refining Tonique does double duty — it will exfoliate and make skin feel smooth, refreshed and clean. And a nice lightweight moisturizer, like the Mangosteen Gel Moisturizer, is full of antioxidants and minimizes the look of environmental stress and refines and improves the look of pores.
And remember, a couple of days’ worth of product is all you need. If you have samples, now is a great time to try them out (assuming you know they’re not going to cause you any sensitivity or breakouts). Pro Tip: Ask for samples when you’re at the spa and not only will you be packing light, you'll also be using your vacation time to explore products that could become your new favorites.
Adventure Travel
When you’re heading into nature on a camping or hiking trip, you don’t want to be weighed down by products you don’t need. That backpack only has so much space, and this is the time to be super selective about what is worth the extra weight. Think about small products or travel-size skin care that can easily be tossed into your pack and be realistic about what you need when it’s just you and nature.
Make sure your essentials make it — the only thing worse than a sunburn is sleeping in a tent with a sunburn. And the only thing worse than going to bed without washing your face is going to bed after a day in the wild without washing your face. SPF and cleanser are one and two on your list. We also recommend our Lilikoi Daily Defense Moisturizer SPF 40, a lightweight daily moisturizer designed to enhance your skin's appearance, particularly when exposed to blue light stress and pollution. It's enriched with cocoa seed extract and satsuma mandarin peel and offers SPF 40 all-mineral protection. This unique combination of ingredients not only hydrates the skin but also safeguards it from environmental stressors.
If there’s room for more, a lip balm and a Vitamin C serum are always a good idea, even in the wilderness. Our very own Digital Creative Team Lead, Christin Gilbert, embarked on a journey to the Sahara Desert, armed with our Citrus Lip Balm and Camellia Glow Solid Face Oil. Confronted with the Sahara's extremely dry climate, Christin found her skin cracking and flaking. "My skin and lips started to crack and felt parched due to the severe heat, constant wind and the utter lack of humidity," she says. "I applied Camellia Glow Solid Face Oil and Citrus Lip Balm to soothe the severe dryness. I found it helpful to stay hydrated and to reapply these products several times a day. They really helped in retaining moisture and speeding up the healing process."
Airplane Travel
Having tackled extreme weather, it's also crucial to consider your mode of travel. While road trips have their nuances, airborne journeys present a different set of needs. Road trips are one thing but if your adventure is more Planes, Trains and Automobiles than Thelma & Louise (minus that cliff scene at the end, obviously) — prepping for the travel part of the trip is important.
You've packed your SPF for the beach, but did you know that you should also be wearing it en route to your final destination? Since plane windows are made of plastic and glass, harmful UVA rays can penetrate — and those dangerous rays are even stronger at 30,000 feet. The air on an airplane is less humid than we’re used to, causing the skin on your face and body to feel super dry. Drink lots of water and moisturize your skin deeply. Apply a mask like the Strawberry Rhubarb Masque the night before your flight and slather on a nice layer of Facial Recovery Oil. Bonus points if you can fly without makeup and let that moisture sink in.
If you’re going further afield and on that plane for the long haul, don’t be afraid to pack a few essentials and do a mini “get ready with me” at your seat. A layer of serum and and overnight treatment like the Monoi Age Corrective Night Cream for Face & Neck will moisturize while softening the appearance of the skin on your neck and face thanks to argan oil, evening primrose oil, shea butter and jojoba oil. Defend your hands against dryness with the Mangosteen Replenishing Hand Cream. If it’s been a while and revenge travel is in your future, refresh your memory with these 5 Travel Beauty Tips for air travel.
Product Picks
Watch Lead Skin Care Trainer Natalie Pergar talk about her top travel essentials:
Other Travel Tips
Size Matters: While it works in a pinch, who wants to squeeze their regular-sized toiletries into mini bottles? Especially when you can pack an Eminence starter set? Just throw in one of these sleek travel bags pre-filled with cute little minis of your favorite skin products and you are good to go. Lucy, a customer who travels for work left us this website review: “I got the starter pack so that I could try ALL of the Age Corrective products and they are also travel size, which I need — my business keeps me on the road a lot and I need small sizes — these came in a cute little bag. I am also vegan and I love that these products are too!!”
Packing Hack: One of our favorite travel tips and tricks is to use the empty space inside your packed shoes. Stuff a couple of pairs of rolled up socks or perhaps a tube of shampoo — any small-sized items can be slipped into your shoes to maximize your total packing space.
Pack Light But Cover Up: Pool time aside, covering up in light clothing (linens and cotton) is a great way to add some extra protection when you’re out in the elements. Long sleeves and light, long pants may seem like too much on a hot day, but it’s nice to have the option to add layers if needed — especially when the sun goes down.
Bonus Tip: Wrap your shoes into an old hotel shower cap first to keep the inside of your luggage clean.
Are you getting ready for a trip? Visit your nearest Eminence Organics Spa Partner to get yourself prepped for the adventure.