Everyone wants to be able to enjoy some time away from their usual routines. Unfortunately, if you have acne prone skin, it is hard to take a day off from skin care unless you want to risk a breakout. Holidays can be the absolute worst moment you’d want to deal with one, unless you don’t want to be included in your vacation photos. Not to mention the toll your skin dealing with a totally different climate and environment can take. In this article, we’re going to give you six essential travel tips for people with acne prone skin.
Keep It Simple
When you’re going on a trip, try to keep things as simple as possible. Only take the essentials to keep your skin clear and manage any condition you’re dealing with. Skip the extras, since that reduces how much you have to pack and frees up time each day.
Don’t take experimental skin peels and moisturisers that could cause an adverse reaction when you don’t have anything else around to treat it. Take as little makeup as you can tolerate, too. It would also be wise to consult a dermatologist before you leave like the pros at Cedars Dermatology who are partners of Cancer Research UK if you don’t know what the best minimal routine is. You could also get a prescription you could fill at your destination if that’s necessary. They’ll also give you a few tips about dealing with specific weather conditions as well.
Be Prepared to Travel
You may need to transfer your favourite products to travel-sized bottles so they’re easy to pack, and equally importantly, will be approved by the airport security. If possible, you could buy travel-sized packages of your favourite products. Also take soap and face wash that won’t aggravate your skin, if you can’t use the standard hotel amenities.
Plan for Your New Environment
If you’re going to be out in the sun, take organic sunscreen at a minimum. You may want to pack an SPF infused moisturiser and a gentle but strong cleanser that will clean the sweaty residue from your skin at the end of the day. Don’t over-wash your skin, since scrubbing away all oil will cause your skin to release more oil to compensate. One solution is to use skin cleansing wipes to blot away any excess oil.
If you’re going somewhere cold, pack a heavy-duty, oil-free moisturiser. You may want to take a hydrating spray or mask, too, if the air is both cold and dry at your destination. Be careful not to over-dry your skin.
Get Enough Sleep
One of the best things you can do for your health is to get enough sleep every night. Try to keep to your sleep schedule, since this makes it easier to stick to your skin treatment regimen as well. If your sleep schedule is disrupted, then take naps when you can to make sure you get adequate sleep. You need at least seven hours of sleep each night, while eight to nine hours is best. Your body, including your skin, regenerates at night, so this is essential for your long-term skin health.
Minimise the Opportunity for Bacteria to Affect You
Be aware of what is in contact with your skin, since every such contact is an opportunity for new bacteria to infect your skin. Don’t lean your face on strange windows, seat belt straps, pillows and so forth. You could take your own pillow or pack a blanket to lie on things you may put your face on. Another option is wiping surfaces that you touch. Also wash your hands and face often.
You should especially make sure that you keep your hands clean if you’re going to use public transport. Depending on where you’re going, heavily crowded trains and subways can become a great breeding ground for bacteria, so at least try to wash your hands as soon as you’ve done using any form of public transportation.
Stay Hydrated
Hydrating mists and moisturisers can rehydrate your skin, but the best way to stay hydrated is from the inside out. Drink a lot of water to stay hydrated. If you’re concerned about water quality, then you may need to pack water purification tablets or a water filter. If you don’t want to take frequent bathroom trips, then you could stay hydrated by eating fruits that have a high water concentration like watermelon, citrus fruits, or grapes, for instance.
You should also think twice about consuming dairy products where you’ll be going. Some countries have much less regulation on hormonal treatments for livestock, and hormones in milk might throw your hormonal balance out of whack and cause serious breakouts, so be careful.
If you take the time to plan in advance, you could travel safely and still have fun. Then you can truly enjoy your trip knowing that you’ll look great in the pictures and videos captured while on the road.
Image source RomarioIen/Shutterstock
*This is a collaborative post*
