Skin care when traveling – how to keep your glow

Skin care can be tricky when traveling. You want to arrive at your destination without looking like you aged 4 years and lost all your lustre. Which is how I felt every time the plane landed, before I figured out these easy tricks of the trade.

I am sharing these pointers to help you keep glowing skin even after a 23 hour flight plus a 3 hour commute to your apartment. Trust me, I have travelled this long more frequently than I care to, and these tips are tried and tested. They have stood the test of time. I can’t tell you how many times I have been received at the airport with, “you don’t look like you’ve been flying a whole day!”

These wonderful tips below are not magic, and I am assuming you already have a daily beauty regimen in place. You must have one if you want great-looking skin. Good skincare products do not work in a vacuum. Help them help you. Consistency is key! If you have no skin care regimen in place, it is never too late to start.

Okay, here we go.

1. Carry a brightness booster. 

Something with Vitamin C or Retinol. Make sure to use it the night before and on the day of. [ Just make it part of your regular beauty routine already ☺️] Buy a great serum and you won’t regret it! I have been using La Roche Posay’s Redermic R  for retinol, and Redermic C for Vitamin C, and they have not failed me. I have also used Ole Henriksen’s brightening range for Vitamin C. This one’s brightening effect was too strong for me though, and I had to stop it once I realised I was getting lighter than my usual complexion. I like to maintain my complexion.

 2. Mask the night before.

Preparation is everything. Air travel used to take such a toll on my skin, and now that I do it more frequently I’ve had to figure out what works for me! Prepping my skin for the ‘harsh’ day ahead is it for me. What’s your invigorating mask of choice? Use it! Simple has some pocket-friendly and very good products. They are kings of sensitive skin.

3. Lay on the moisturiser a little heavier.

Moisturising – this we need to shout from the rooftops so everyone can get it. Moisturised skin is supple skin is happy skin is bright skin.

I use La Roche Possay Effaclar K (+) for day time, it promises to be an anti-sebum for 8 hours, and find that it has worked for me.

For night time, I go with Olay Regenerist Night Recovery Cream, and some nights I slap it on like my life depends on it. I don’t go anywhere without the accompanying serum either.

 4. Hydrate during the flight. 

Very key! Air travel – and really any long duration travel by any other means – can be very dehydrating. The importance of rehydrating cannot be over emphasised. Dehydrated skin looks dull!

5. Take off your makeup for long haul flights. 

Or even medium duration ones. If you prefer to have it on during the flight (as I do) take it off during the layover, wash your face and reapply it. This will also give you a chance to reapply that brightness booster we mentioned. Goes without saying, some things belong in the carry-on.

If you don’t have time to go do a thorough wash, use a good brand of facial wipes. I like Clinique’s Micellar Cleansing Towelettes – I swear by these wipes I tell you! – as well as Simple’s Kind to Skin Micellar Cleansing Wipes  and Ole Henriksen’s The Clean Truth Cleansing Cloths which have Vitamin C and CoQ10 for brightening.

6. Say no to the ethanol.

I’m not much of a drinker, and even though I’ll say yes to the occasional glass of wine, on flights I try to stay away from alcohol. Not only does it dehydrate the body, but I want my mind to be at its sharpest when I do air travel. No, I’m not the one flying the aircraft but the number of times I’ve had to navigate a complication at the airport? No, I refuse to be even slightly intoxicated when my plane lands. Also, my skin thanks me. Double win!

7. That beauty sleep

Take a power nap during the flight, your body will thank you.

I’ll be sharing more tips on how to make travel more stress-free, or at least how to look like it’s stress free.

Let me know if you liked these tips and don’t forget to show some love! Let’s spread some sunshine and keep glowing! Please share this post to Pinterest and Facebook if you liked it!