How to Keep Your Skin Happy While Traveling: A Skincare Guide

Summer is here and it’s certainly in full swing! With all that summer energy buzzing, you may be headed out of town on a vacation. One of the most common concerns people have when traveling is how to address skin care. Vacation skin care is a real thing, especially if you’re someone who has struggled with breakouts, dryness, or any skin condition before.

Aside from that, while everyone loves a little R&R, no one wants their vacation to ruin the gorgeous, glowing skin they’ve worked so hard for. So how do you find the balance? How can you keep your skin happy while traveling? We’ve got the answers here.

Whether you’re taking a road trip, headed overseas, staying local or traveling far, the same questions apply when it comes to vacation skin care: what should I bring? What can I skip? Ultimately, what are the essentials for vacation skin care? We’ll cover it all and then some below.

Vacation Skin Care Essentials

Consider your vacation skin care essentials as the must-haves. They’re what you should bring no matter where you’re going –  the pool, the beach, the tropics, or even the slopes in the winter.

Why can’t you bring it all? You can, but that’s going to lead to some heavy luggage and potentially a lot of checked bags, depending on how much you’re traveling with and how intensive your skin care routine is. Instead, simplify and focus on the basics.

Cleansing Product

Whether it’s a cleansing polish, a cream cleanser, or makeup remover wipes, you’ll need something to get the day’s oil, dirt, and makeup off your face. If you have a travel-size version of your cleanser, great! If not, transfer a smaller amount into a TSA-approved size container. It’s best to use the same product you always use rather than taking this opportunity to try something new. Your skin will already be adapting to the change in climate and an adjusted sleep schedule; adding a new cleanser into the mix isn’t necessary right now.

Toner

A simple toner like Malie’s Hydrosol Facial Tonic from their BotanyBeauty line is great for keeping your pores clear and your skin healthy. Use a toner immediately after cleansing your face but before applying a serum or moisturizer. Toners help restore the natural pH balance of the skin and absorb other products better. You’ll want to focus on both of these elements as part of your vacation skin care routine, as changes in your location and daily activities will likely be pretty varied. You don’t need yet another thing to be out of the norm.

Moisturizer

This one is pretty clear-cut but a moisturizer is a must-have on any vacation. Whether you’re headed to a hot or a cold climate, your skin needs to stay moisturized for it to be healthy and to prevent dryness. Using a lightweight moisturizer is particularly important as a summer skin care tip, however, because time spent in the sun, on the sand, and in the water can be especially drying. Opt for a lightweight moisturizer and when you’re going out during the day, add on an SPF. For the moisturizer, once again it’s best to use the one you typically use at home. If you don’t have a travel-size moisturizer, dispense a little into a 3.4 oz/100 mL size jar.

Vacation Skin Care Add-Ons

These are the things you may not 100% need but they’d sure to be nice to have in the event you have a late night out or spend a little extra time in the sun. If you have a little extra room in your suitcase, pack the following:

Eye Cream

Great for rejuvenating tired eyes and protecting the delicate skin around the eyes from drying out, eye cream is a vital part of skin care. It’s okay to forgo it for a few days while you’re on vacation, but if you can spare a little room in your cosmetics bag, toss it in!

Illuminating Serum

As the in-between step after cleansing/toning and before moisturizing, serum should be a part of everyone’s morning and nighttime skincare routine. The active ingredients in a skin serum can help address certain skin concerns like wrinkles, dryness, and hyperpigmentation, all of which tend to get exacerbated by the summer sun. Serums are also beneficial for hydration and improving skin texture.

Tiare Sun & Shine Kit

Malie’s Tiare Sun & Shine Kit is another great little addition to include in your vacation skin care if you can spare the space. The great thing about this kit is that it doesn’t take up much room but it provides a whole lot of value. Inside this bundle you’ll find:

• An ultralight, quick-drying Tiare Towel. This is perfect for drying off after an ocean swim or for lounging by the pool. It can even be worn as a pretty sarong.
• Malie Organics’ signature Tiare Beauty Oil. Use this to nourish your skin and hair while it delivers the aroma of paradise.
• Malie’s Roll-On Tiare Perfume Oil. Nothing says summer quite like the sweet fragrance of the tropics.
• A water-resistant pouch to hold all your summer skincare essentials.

How to Beat Summer Skin Dryness

While the previous advice was more general, this information is key for summer skin dryness. People can go on vacation any time of the year but the summer is most common for those who have time off from school, work, and other yearly duties.

Beating summer skin dryness can be tricky. Even though you might spend a lot of time in the water, chlorine from the pool and salt from the ocean can dry out your skin, not to mention excess time in the sun. While taking care of your skin with topical products is key, so is paying attention to how you’re treating the rest of your body.

As a general suggestion, try to limit caffeine and alcohol and stay hydrated, as dehydration is a surefire way to dry out your skin and make you feel tired all around.

As for the sun, enjoy it but wear your SPF! Also consider wearing a hat for extra sun protection. Malie makes cute and trendy trucker hats in black and white. These hats are a great way to shield your face from the sun without sacrificing style. Plus, they’re super comfortable, with a breathable mesh back and an adjustable snap closure for the perfect fit.

General Summer Skin Care Tips

Vacationing in the summer is always fun, but sometimes a staycation can be just as rejuvenating. Staying local and soaking up the sun can be a fantastic way to revive your body, mind, and soul. Keep in mind, however, that you still need to practice safe summer skin care. No matter where you find yourself this summer, these summer skin care tips will keep your skin glowing and radiant.

Hydrate!

Hydration is the name of the game in the hot summer months. Get it through water, herbal tea and iced beverages, and hydrating foods like watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, and cucumbers. The last thing you want is to dehydrate yourself, as that won’t do any favors for your energy levels or your skin. Speaking of topicals, make sure you stay on top of your skin hydration with lightweight moisturizers and serums to keep skin plump, moisturized, and healthy.

Wear Moisturizer and SPF

One shouldn’t replace the other. If your moisturizer doesn’t contain SPF, make sure you apply a non-comedogenic sun screen on top of your moisturizer before heading out into the sun. Both should be part of your summer skin care essentials.

Exfoliate

A good rule of thumb regarding exfoliation is to do it 2-3 times a week to remove dead skin cells. If your skin is sensitive, do a little less. Use a gentle exfoliator that’s not too harsh on your skin and doesn’t cause irritation.

Keep it Simple at Night

Stick to a simple nighttime skincare routine. A cleanser, a toner, a serum, and a moisturizer should do the trick. You may want to add on a luxe eye cream but there’s no need to overdo it with the products. Contrary to the wintertime, when heavier skincare products might feel right, the summer is all about keeping things lightweight, easy, and breezy. Embody that attitude and you’ll be good as gold.

Try out these summer skin care tips while you’re vacationing and let us know how they work for you! When you need additional products, be sure to shop with Malie!