10 Travel Skincare Tips for Glowing Vacation Skin
Between lazy mornings, new discoveries, and lots of R&R, it’s no wonder you feel like your best self when you’re on vacation. It’s getting there that’s the challenge. The combination of tight luggage space, air travel and fluctuating climates can wreak havoc on your skin just when you’re feeling your best.
Ensure that your outside reflects the peace within with these 10 travel skincare tips for healthy, hydrated, glowing skin.
1. Exfoliate In Advance
Clear, calm, radiant vacation skin actually starts before you leave. Light exfoliation and extra moisture can help protect skin from travel-related dehydration, which can make skin appear dull, dry, and crepey.
Exfoliate your body with our Enzyme Sugar Body Scrub for proven, visible results for all skin types. It uses both enzymatic and physical exfoliators to slough off and dissolve dead skin cells to reveal smooth, radiant, hydrated skin. We recommend using it a few days before your vacation, or immediately before sunless tanning to ensure a smooth, even application.
When exfoliating your face, be extra careful to use a gentle product that won’t irritate your skin before travel. Our 10% Lactic Acid Resurfacing Serum dramatically smooths skin in just one week with gentle AHA lactic acid. This rapid retexturizing serum uses 10% vegan lactic acid to dissolve dead surface cells to reveal healthy, luminous skin while minimizing signs of aging and delivering a burst of hydration. While you’ll see a difference in just one overnight use, we recommend introducing this product 1-2 weeks before your trip for optimal results.
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2. Double Down on Moisture
Head off travel-related dehydration by drenching yourself in moisture from the inside out. Start drinking extra water a few days before you leave to ensure that you’re beginning your vacation feeling hydrated and healthy.
Further boost skin hydration by using a rich, protective moisturizer duo for face and eyes such as our Omega Repair Cream and Marine Algae Eye Cream. These two formulas work together to smooth, plump, hydrated, and deeply nourished skin by supporting the skin’s natural moisture barrier to prevent dehydration.
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3. Pack a Pared-Down Version of Your Routine
It’s hard enough to cram your suitcase with enough clothes to last you the trip. Bringing a complete, layered skincare routine with full-sized products is simply not in the cards. We recommend leaning on travel sizes and paring down your skincare in to four easy steps: cleanser, serum, moisturizer, and sunscreen.
4. Stick with What You Know
While it can be tempting to get an intense facial treatment or try new products while you’re on vacation, your travel skincare routine should only contain tried-and-true products that won’t strip or irritate your skin. If you’re really tempted by those hotel minis, toss them in your bag and try them when you get home.
5. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
Dry airplane cabin air, higher temperatures, and time spent in the sun can all combine to dehydrate your entire body. Drink extra water while you’re traveling to ensure that your skin stays smooth, plump, and hydrated. This is twice as true if you’re enjoying poolside cocktails. Chase each serving of alcohol with a glass of water to look (and feel) your best.
6. Make Sure Your Skincare Suits the Climate
Warmer climates can send oil production into overdrive, while cold and dry climates can dehydrate skin. Adjust your travel skincare kit accordingly by packing the right moisturizer.
If you have oily or combination skin and you’re heading to a warmer climate, our Probiotic Gel Moisturizer is the ideal lightweight hydrator to support your microbiome while weightlessly locking in moisture.
If you have normal to dry skin and are traveling to a cold or dry environment, reach for our Omega Repair Cream. Its healthy fats and ceramides help restore your skin barrier while delivering deep moisture and boosting radiance.
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7. Enjoy Alcohol and Caffeine in Moderation
Alcohol and caffeine can both contribute to dehydration, which can show up on your skin as fine lines, dryness, and a deflated look. Enjoy both in moderation and be sure to drink extra water afterwards.
8. Indulge in an In-Flight Skin Treatment
Dry, forced air and high altitudes can cause dehydration during long flights. Protect skin from signs of dehydration by indulging in rich, in-flight moisture with our Ectoin Overnight Rescue. Our richest night cream features water-binding ectoin to pull deep hydration into skin to instantly smooth dry and and rough patches. When mixed with our cult-favorite Vitamin C Rose Oil, it becomes a decadent moisturizing mask that boosts brightness and hydration.
Gently combine the two in your palm and press into skin for an invisible moisturizing treatment and be sure to top with sunscreen. You’ll arrive at your destination with plump, smooth, radiant skin.
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9. Use Sunscreen
SPF is dermatologists’ #1 clinically proven product for healthy, youthful skin. The dark spots, wrinkles, and dry, scaly skin that follow a vacation bronze far outweigh the temporary fun of being tan. Not to mention that you could end up with skin cancer.
Skip the sun and opt for a faux glow topped with daily SPF for a safe and healthy tanned look.
10. Protect Sensitive Skin from Saltwater + Chlorine
If you have sensitive skin, then chances are you’re already familiar with the irritation that can follow a dip in the pool or ocean. You know what we’re talking about: the red, painful areas at the corners of the eyes, the irritation around the mouth, and maybe even an eczema flare-up.
Protect your skin by sealing in your skincare routine with a few drops of our 100% Squalane Oil. Our pure, vegan squalane mimics the body’s natural moisture to support the skin’s natural moisture barrier while locking in deep hydration. It also creates a weightless oil barrier that can help protect skin from irritants and moisture loss.
Apply only a small amount, concentrating on areas where you often become irritated and allow the product to sink in for at least 60 seconds to ensure it’s completely absorbed. Top with your favorite mineral sunscreen.
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97 reviews
RRP: $28.00Current price: $16.80
40% Off
1710 reviews
$65.00
1242 reviews
$56.00
3477 reviews
$54.00
1065 reviews
$68.00
2259 reviews
$74.00
1560 reviews
$34.00
As a lifestyle writer and journalist, I love sharing my passion for ocean conservation and obsession with clean beauty. I’ve tried almost every trend and ingredient, and Biossance’s science-backed formulas are the only ones that consistently calm my reactive skin and make it smoother, clearer, and healthier. I’m so excited to be on this journey of skincare innovation with Biossance, and to share it with you!
