Arrive Revived: How to Keep Skin Healthy While Traveling

Long hours to reach your destination, a new environment, different weather, changes in diet and sleep patterns—traveling can be rough on skin. But it doesn’t have to be. You can enjoy your trip and keep your skin healthy at the same time. As we head into peak travel season, here are our top tips for maintaining the perfect glow on the go.

Prep Skin for Air Travel

At thirty thousand feet, there’s almost zero moisture in the air, and you are in a thin-walled tube that is pulling air from the outside and circulating it the cabin. The low humidity can make your skin feel dry. A little pre-boarding prep can help combat the effects. Get a nourishing cleanse with a gentle formula like Vivant’s Cleansing Milk or Green Tea Antioxidant Cleanser, followed by Skin Nourishing Toner to help protect from environmental stressors, Spin Trap Antioxidant Serum and Day Treatment Lotion SPF 15 to guard against the increased UV at high altitudes.

Beware the “Hydrating” Mist

The problem with hydrating mists, is they often are not hydrating. Because they are water-based and sit on the surface, they will actually pull moisture out of the skin as they evaporate. Instead, carry Daily Repair Pads, single-use, textured pads with clarifying and hydrating ingredients. You can use them as an in-flight refresher to whisk away surface debris and oil, and infuse skin with ceramide-boosting niacinamide and healing zinc peptides. And drink plenty of water to stay hydrated inside and out.

Avoid the Mini Bottle

The effects of alcohol, not just tipsiness, but dehydration and puffiness, are magnified by the reduced oxygen at high altitude, so keep the cocktails to a minimum.

If You Can’t Sleep, Wink

The combination of jet lag and an unfamiliar environment can disrupt your sleep schedule leading to puffy eyes and dark circles. To brighten and de-puff eyes, use Wink Eye Rejuvenation Cream with its triple-performance formula of vitamin A, peptides, and caffeine. Small enough for your carry-on, so you can get an in-flight firming boost.

Revive Before You Arrive

In addition to the in-flight refreshers already mentioned—a swipe with a Daily Repair Pad, a dab of Wink for bright eyes, give your lips a plumping boost with MaxiLip Lip Plumper. You’ll get dramatic volume and definition, plus a rush of natural color from the circulation-revving formula, so you can arrived revived.

Stick to Your Regimen

Traveling means your daily routine is undoubtedly going to be thrown off, but two things shouldn’t change: your morning and evening skin care regimen. “Don't skimp on your regular skin care routine,” says Shaylyn Gilmer, an aesthetician at St. Louis’ Vanity skin clinic. “Packing the products you use daily will help keep your skin looking good.” And don’t even think of using hotel soap on your face. These are often over-drying and will strip skin’s natural lipids and disrupt the skin barrier.

Keep Stress in Check

Travel can be stressful even for the most seasoned sojourners. Stress kicks our adrenal hormones into action, which leads to excess oil production and inflammation. To avoid the skin aggravation that can result from elevated cortisol levels, organize your plans well. Pack light. And try to roll with whatever comes your way.