You’re going on vacation. Finally! The SPF is obvious, as are the shorts, sundresses and bathing suits. But, you wonder, how are you going to maintain your high level of glam without hauling your entire bathroom across the country (or world)?
If you’re anything like me, you want to be prepared for, well, anything. And, since warm weather and plane travel is notorious for wreaking havoc on our skin, the last thing we want is to welcome an outbreak all because we finally board an airplane for a much-deserved vacation. Allow me to be your guinea pig, for lack of a chic-er term. Click through to curate the most thorough-meets-glam collection of travel size products, possibly ever (I’m pretty satisfied with it, tbh) and learn how to protect your skin on a plane.
Adorable, Travel-Size Products Perfect for Your Next Vacay
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Adorable, Travel-Size Products Perfect for Your Next Vacay #1
By Sara Spruch-Feiner
You’re going on vacation. Finally! The SPF is obvious, as are the shorts, sundresses and bathing suits. But, you wonder, how are you going to maintain your high level of glam without hauling your entire bathroom across the country (or world)?
If you’re anything like me, you want to be prepared for, well, anything. And, since warm weather and plane travel is notorious for wreaking havoc on our skin, the last thing we want is to welcome an outbreak all because we finally board an airplane for a much-deserved vacation. Allow me to be your guinea pig, for lack of a chic-er term. Click through to curate the most thorough-meets-glam collection of travel size products, possibly ever (I’m pretty satisfied with it, tbh) and learn how to protect your skin on a plane.
Oh, and P.S. -- before you can think about packing, you need a “beauty suitcase.” Sonia Kashuk’s Face Print Roll Up Valet, $19.99, made it super easy for me to organize by category as I prepared for my upcoming trip.
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Your Skin -- On A Plane
“The recycled air on airplanes is incredibly drying,” explains Dr. Elizabeth Tanzi. It’s key to stay super-hydrated. So drink water before boarding as well as throughout your flight.
“The air on airplanes is extremely dry causing the moisture deep within the layers of the skin to get depleted quickly,” celebrity esthetician Renée Rouleau explains. This is especially true for those with dry skin (“meaning those that produce very little or no oil, as a long airplane trip can make the skin even drier,” she notes). Those with oily skin, on the other hand, can find that airplanes both dehydrate the skin, as well as increase oil.
"When the skin recognizes it is being dehydrated, it will increase oil production to combat this dryness as a means of trying to protect itself,” Rouleau explains.
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Make The Plane Your Spa
While these suggestions might seem labor-intensive, the fact is you’re stuck on an airplane. It’s superdry and you both should and might as well pamper yourself a bit.
1. Grab some oil blotting papers (Sephora Collection Bamboo Charcoal Blotting Papers, $8) for the flight -- especially long international trips! “Since oil is a breeding ground for bacteria, the increased oil may exacerbate breakouts -- blotting papers help reduce oil and acne-causing bacteria,” Rouleau explains.
2. Airplane cabins are low-humidity, so it’s important to keep your skin hydrated whilst in flight! Dr. Elizabeth Tanzi recommends SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel, $78.00, which contains hyaluronic acid to help retain moisture in the skin
3. When you’re in an airplane, you’re closer to the sun -- surprise! That means UV damage is at its greatest? The windows on an airplane don’t filter out damaging UV rays, so even though you don’t feel like you’re in direct sunlight, you’re still exposed to the harmful rays. And we all know, UV rays equal aging skin and wrinkles. Rouleau suggests wearing a minimum of SPF 30 on the face, neck and sides of the neck.
Be sure to pick a special formula made for your face. My favorites are Coola’s Classic Face SPF 30, $32 (which smells like cucumber), and for a splurge, Eve Lom’s Daily Protection Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Sunscreen, $90.
4. Apply a skin oil every hour of flight to prevent moisture loss. “Applying a few drops of a well-formulated skin oil to the face every hour of flight will keep moisture in the skin where it belongs," Rouleau explains.
Try her Pro Remedy Oil, $72.50, which is specifically targeted to repair skin from air travel. “When you land,” she assures, “you skin will look radiant.”
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Do This Upon Arrival
Once you’ve arrived at your destination, wherever it may be, cleanse your skin and use a mild facial scrub. This will remove dry skin cells caused by flying, says Rouleau.
Try pouring some of Rouleau’s AHA/BHA Deep Pore Cleanser, $36.50 (plus your chosen moisturizer, etc. etc.) into a travel-friendly container.
I ordered the Sephora Collection Carry On Airless Travel Set, $15. Vermont’s natural skincare goddess, Tata Harper, also has her own “best of” minis kit, which covers the bases both simply and thoroughly with its miniature Refreshing Cleanser, Boosted Contouring Serum, Reparative Moisturizer, sheer lip treatment and (IMO, best of all) -- Resurfacing Mask for a bit of pampering on-the-go.
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Hair in a Hurry
I like to keep it simple when it comes to hair while traveling (who am I kidding -- I always like to keep it simple), while also having a few tricks up my sleeve for a nice dinner out or any other occasion that may arrive.
Thanks to the existence of these pro-level miniatures, it’s not too hard to stay prepared! I packed anti-frizz shampoo plus conditioner in the form of Davines Love Curl Shampoo Travel Size, $10.50 and Davines Love Curl Conditioner Travel Size, $12.00.
I kept styling products to an appropriate, and tailored, minimum. My picks are: Davines This Is A Sea Salt Spray Travel Size, $15.00, Oribe’s Imperméable Anti-Humidity Spray (Purse Size), $22.00, and R + Co’s Mannequin Styling Paste (Travel Size), $16.00.That way, I can transition easily from easygoing to beachy waves to sleek and chic for dinner in a pinch.
Finally, for busy days of sightseeing, make sure you’re stocked on the hair-tie front. With Kitsch’s collections, you’ll be sure to find one for every mood, outfit or whim you have. (I’m partial to the Zen Hair
Ties, $8.99, which features goes-with-everything neutrals). -
Makeup Minis
If you don’t yet know of Stowaway, allow me to introduce you. Give yourself a break from any serious makeup routines you may have and let Stowaway determine it for you. (Fine...you’re allowed a highlighter and brow pencil too, I guess, but that’s it!).
When you get a look at these (they’re way tinier than my close-up images may suggest) you won’t be able to resist them. These photos encompass almost the whole line (minus the mascara, which I will definitely be picking up before my next trip).
Check out the Stowaway Radiant Complexion Beauty Balm, $22.00, Stowaway Creaseless Concealer, $16.00, Stowaway Cheek & Lip Rouge, $16.00, Stowaway Creme Lipstick, $15.00, and Stowaway Effortless Eyeliner, $10.00.
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But If You Need Your Regular Kit...
Then at least save some weight and space in brushes. Sonia Kashuk’s Double Duty Brush Set, $23.79 is kind of genius. The set, which comes with a sleek little carrying case, contains a blusher/contour brush, foundation/concealer brush, large eye/angled eyeshadow brush and an eyebrow comb/crease shadow brush. Talk about double-whammies.
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Serious About Sun Protection
We already discussed SPF, but here we are again because it’s just that important. If figuring out what you need feels burdensome, try Coola’s 4 Piece Organic Suncare Travel Set, $39.00, which basically has your whole body covered (yes, your lips need SPF too!). However, (and if you’re going on a long trip, it’s a must) you might need more. The more SPF the better.
Safe travels and bon voyage to you, your skin, your face, your hair.
