So you're jetting off on a holiday (lucky you!) and you're wondering about skin care for travel and how to keep your skin looking fab while you're away. I get this question all the time here at Agile Skincare, and honestly, it's one of the most common dilemmas we face as beauty lovers.
You've only ave a limited amount of carry on and baggage, especially if you're backpacking or moving between destinations, so you want to make every product count. Not only do you need the right items, but you need them in travel friendly sizes that won't get confiscated at security or take up half your suitcase. So read on to find out the best vacation skincare essentials and exactly how to pack your skincare for travel without the stress.
Let me start with the absolute MVP of travel skincare: hyaluronic acid. Whether you're heading to cooler climates or hot destinations, you're going to notice dry skin and that annoying lack of moisture. The combination of air conditioning, different climates, and airplane cabins just wreaks havoc on your skin's hydration levels.
Hyaluronic acid can be really great for restoring moisture after having a shower, and the best part? You can find these in travel sizes. For example, The Ordinary's hyaluronic acid comes in quite a small size that fits perfectly in your carry on or suitcase. It's lightweight, effective, and honestly one of those products I never travel without.
Next up, you absolutely need a travel moisturiser. Depending on what kind of holiday you're going on, whether it's ski, beach, or city exploring, your skin is going to need different levels of hydration. If you're in the sun all day or you've just stepped out of the shower, you want to hydrate your skin properly, particularly your legs which get super dry. You want a thick moisturiser, but you only want to look at travel size options to save space.
In terms of how to pack your moisturiser, these travel containers for skincare are super great. You can grab them on Amazon. They're small travel containers that you can decant your favorite products into, and they're the right amount of millilitres that meet the correct allowance for airlines. Seriously, invest in a good set of these and you'll use them for every trip. They are very cost effective and come in a pack of 4 so you can use multiple.
Here's one that people always forget until it's too late: aloe vera. It's one of those products you don't think about until you get sunburned and you're like, "Oh, I should have brought my aloe with me!"
You can buy travel sized aloe vera squeeze bottles. It's a gel that you pop on your skin, usually around 75 grams, so it's perfect for carry on as well and accepted in most countries. Look for the 99% pure aloe soothing gel, and there are loads of organic aloe travel products available too.
Before I move on to the next products, here's a pro tip from me: whenever I'm taking travel size skincare products, I always put them in a Ziploc bag just in case they try and explode on the plane. Cabin pressure can do weird things to bottles and tubes, and you don't want moisturiser all over your clothes or all your other toiletries. I've learnt this the hard way. You can see these in my video above all my items fit into the ziploc.
Let's talk razors, because whether you're a man, woman, or anything else, a travel size razor is essential. To be honest, most razors are quite small anyway, but keep in mind these usually have to go in your checked luggage most of the time.
It'll depend on the carrier and the country you're travelling to, so double check those rules. I recommend the Schick razors with the hydration strip on the end for women. These have a hydrating sponge so your legs don't get super dry and you don't need to carry additional shaving foam.
Speaking of which, travel size shaving foam is the next product worth mentioning, and this is great for men too. Here are some men's grooming essentials that are perfect for travel. The Gillette gel makes a really small sensitive skin aloe vera 70 gram gel for men that's ideal to pop in the travel bag.
You probably want a soap as well. You know, you might be staying in a hostel or a budget motel and they don't often provide proper body soap. They might have hand soap, but those can be quite harsh on the skin, especially if you have sensitive skin like I do.
I usually choose a gentle bar soap that I can grab on Amazon or at the local supermarket. They're quite cheap. I tend to put them in a soap box when I'm travelling so the soap doesn't leak out everywhere, or if I don't have a box, I'll just use the packaging it comes in.
We absolutely can't forget SPF, beauties. You want to get yourself a really great travel size sun cream. Specifically look for travel size suncream that you can pop in your handbag, or if you have checked luggage, you could buy a slightly bigger size.
You want to check the UVA and UVB rating because this ensures you're getting that SPF 50 plus protection. This is super important, especially if you're going on a sunny holiday, but even in the snow you can get sunburn. I usually stick to Neutrogena and they fit in the handbag and toiletry bag well.
They also sell these little SPF lip balms which are just handy to have. You can grab a packet of them to pop in your bag. It's a great travel sized lip balm that's perfect for planes when the air conditioning dries you out completely.
What about eye cream? It's a great one for the airplane as well. Eye creams are usually quite small. They're under that 100ml limit, so you can apply it while you're on the plane and throughout your holiday. I usually bring a vitamin C eye cream with me and apply it in the morning before I go out, especially if I'm in a sunny area, and then again at nighttime before bed. These are also perfect for slipping into your backpack.
And let's talk pimple stickers! If you're going out and meeting people and a breakout decides to make an appearance, these are really small to put in your carry on bag and you can just pop them on, even on the aeroplane. They're lifesavers for unexpected acne emergencies.
We can't go past a great cleanser, because if you're putting on sun cream and going out at night wearing foundation, you want to cleanse all those oils off your face properly. A travel sized cleanser or micellar water is perfect. Garnier makes a really great travel size cleanser and so does Bioderma.
These come in really small bottles. All you need is some cotton pads to use with them and just swipe away all the gunk. You don't need a big bottle or to carry around your huge bottle of regular cleanser.
Also, you can buy travel sized bottles if you've got a toner or cleanser for dry skin that you love but it's in a massive bottle. You can decant a bit of it into these travel sized bottles that come in either a squeeze bottle or pump format.
Next up is face masks. I know you usually don't have much time to do masks, especially when you're travelling and want to be out exploring. You can get these great single pack or multi pack sheet masks that are perfect for vacation skincare routines.
If you have time, do the full 15 to 20 minutes, but if you don't, you can still get these one minute masks. I try to put them on in the plane before landing or do them as often as possible when I'm on holiday, either before dinner or after dinner before heading back to the hotel.
Now let's talk about some nice to haves that aren't essential but can really elevate your skincare game while travelling. We already talked about hyaluronic acid and products from The Ordinary, but I think a nice addition would be an eczema cream or a cream for dried out cracked skin. Especially if you have sensitive skin, because if it's a hot day there might be mosquitoes and sometimes you get reactions. Having that sensitive relief cream really helps with hydration and irritation.
Another nice to have is a hydrating lip tint. You want nice looking pink lips with a bit of gloss, but choose one that's travel size and hydrating. This is perfect if you're going out at night and want to add a little something to your look without carrying a full makeup bag.
The key to maintaining healthy skin while travelling is consistency with a simplified routine. Focus on the essentials: hydration, sun protection, and gentle cleansing. Keep your products in travel sizes to make packing easier, and always use a Ziploc bag to prevent leaks. Don't forget to drink plenty of water and try to maintain your basic routine even when you're tired or busy exploring.
For long flights, prioritize hydration above everything else. Apply a hyaluronic acid serum before your flight, use a rich moisturizer during the flight, and don't forget eye cream to combat that horrible dry airplane air.
SPF lip balm is essential on the plane, and if you can, pop on a sheet mask during the flight to give your skin an extra boost. It's getting very popular so dont worry if your feeling nervous about how you look. Skip heavy makeup and let your skin breathe as much as possible.
Start your preparation the night before by doing a gentle exfoliation and applying a nourishing overnight mask. On the day of your flight, cleanse your face thoroughly and apply your products in layers: serum, eye cream, and a good moisturizer. Bring your essentials in your carry on so you can reapply throughout the flight. Consider bringing facial mist or setting spray to refresh your skin during the journey.
That's pretty much wrapping up our ultimate list for the best skin care for travel! Remember that tip about decanting your creams and gels into proper travel bottles. There are great options available on Amazon that'll make your life so much easier.
The key is to pack smart, focus on the essentials, and don't stress too much about having every single product from your home routine. Your skin is more resilient than you think, and with these basics, you'll be glowing throughout your entire trip.
Safe travels and don't forget to enjoy yourself! Your skin will thank you for the extra care, and you'll come back from your holiday looking refreshed and radiant. If you want more tips on skincare and beauty, make sure to check out our other guides at Agile Skincare. If you have any other tips or more items please drop them in my comment box.
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