7 Skincare mistakes to avoid when travelling

When travelling, your skin is exposed to new conditions and new stresses. Here are the biggest skincare mistakes that cause breakouts and add extra stress when you’re on the road.

Skincare is a critical part of your daily routine, even when you’re on the go. But the thing about travel is it disrupts ‘normality’ and makes it difficult to know what to bring, how to adjust to different weather, what’s essential, and what’s not!

At the  end of the day, all you want is for your skin to look and feel its best whether you’re travelling for business or pleasure. That’s why we’ve compiled some of the most common skincare mistakes people make when travelling so can be sure to avoid them.

Bringing products that could leak in your bag

As you’re packing for your trip, think about what products you’ll be bringing. If you have a favourite cream or foundation that’s hard to decant, consider buying a small travel-sized version of it. This will keep them from spilling all over your cosmetics bag and your stuff.

Skipping sunscreen (and reapplication)

This mistake is more common than you might think, whether it’s because we’re in a rush or don’t want to feel greasy. But the truth is that sunscreen is probably one of the most important products you can use on your skin every day. It helps prevent sunburns and sun damage, which can lead to premature ageing and even skin cancer later in life.

Sunscreen should be applied at least 20 minutes before going outside (it takes this long for it to fully absorb into your skin), and reapplied every two hours when out in direct sunlight—or more often if you’re sweating or swimming.

Not packing the right hydration products

If you are travelling to a more humid climate, remember that skin is able to retain more of its own moisture in humidity. Layering up lighter hydration is better than using a thick occlusive cream that either slides off or clogs pores! Here’s a great layering routine for holiday hydration:

• Balance Facial Mist (use after cleansing and throughout the day). A clean formulation that hydrates and calms skin.
• Pure Hyaluronic Serum (an absolute must to lock-in moisture and keep skin smooth and plump looking)
• Hydrate Lightweight Moisturiser (powered by squalane so that it’s very penetrative and hydrates deep into the dermis)

Being lazy about cleansing at night (especially when you’re not wearing makeup)

It shouldn’t be a surprise that the first rule of skincare is to remove makeup before bed. It’s easy to forget  (or neglect) when you’re traveling, especially if you’re not wearing makeup. On a basic level, cleansing helps keep your pores clear and unclogged, which prevents breakouts. It also removes dead skin cells so your face looks brighter and feels softer. 

Even if you don’t wear makeup on holidays, cleansing is critical. Otherwise, other serums and actives in your routine won’t work and you’ll end up with dull skin and clogged pores.

Not drinking enough water for your flight

Flying does the skin no favours because planes have low humidity, dry cabins, and recycled air that can dehydrate the dermis, increase oil production, and exacerbate acne in all skin types.

We advise travelling makeup free with a hydrating in-air skincare kit on the ready. But apart from that, drinking lots of water before, during, and after your flight is critical to maintaining skin hydration.

• Drink water during a flight to avoid skin dehydration
• Drink water to avoid jet lag
• Drink water to avoid a headache
• Drink water to avoid a sore throat

Using makeup wipes instead of a cleanser and cloth

Many people like the convenience of using makeup wipes to remove their makeup, especially when travelling. The problem with this is that makeup wipes aren’t a substitute for a cleanser and cloth, so you’ll be sacrificing a crucial step in your  skincare routine.

Makeup wipes only remove what they can see—they leave behind tiny particles of dirt, sand, and spf in pores and hair follicles.  A great double cleansing routine with cloth will remove every trace of grime so  that your skin is set up for success while you’re away. And don’t forget, most single use makeup wipes are not environmentally friendly – another reason to ditch them and pack your  cleansers and cloth instead.

Forgetting to bring SPF (even if it’s cloudy or your destination is generally colder weather)

Sunscreen is a lifesaver when you’re travelling (and when you’re not) — not only will it protect your skin from the sun, but it also prevents wrinkles and keeps your complexion healthy. Even if it’s cloudy or your destination is generally colder weather, it’s important to bring SPF with you wherever you go.

Even if there’s no sun in the sky, UV rays still penetrate clouds and reflection off water surfaces can lead to skin damage.

Are you ready to travel with hydrated and glowing skin?