Are you an avid travel enthusiast who travels often? If so, you may be thinking about many things, from finding the destination to how long it will take you to get there. However, most of us fail to consider how travel affects our skin health.
Your routine and the weather you experience will change while traveling. Both impacts can adversely affect your skin, causing it to dry out. Our team has compiled this helpful guide to provide all you need to know about how travel affects skin health, plus handy tips for protecting your skin during travel.
How Travel Affects Skin Health
Dryness and Dehydration
Traveling to humid or arid destinations can adversely affect your skin's hydration. This is especially true when you are excessively exposed to the sun. Additionally, hotel rooms and airplane cabins with air conditioning can typically strip the natural moisture from your skin, leaving it feeling flaky and dry and even possibly aggravating existing skin conditions.
That’s why you must maintain water levels by increasing your fluid intake, using hydrating face serums or masks, and using moisturizing creams in your daily skincare routine. It is also crucial to avoid excessive caffeine and alcohol consumption, as these can also contribute to skin dehydration.
Harmful Environmental Pollutants
Visiting heavily polluted areas or bustling sites can often expose skin to harmful environmental pollutants. These air pollutants can contribute to clogged pores, collagen breakdown, and skin irritation, which could lead to premature skin aging.
You can combat these adverse effects by using an antioxidant-rich cream or serum to neutralize free radicals, cleansing your face thoroughly each night, and making sure your skin is protected and well moisturized. You should also consider adding gentle exfoliation into your skincare routine to eliminate impurities and shed dead skin.
Read more: Fruit Stem Cells: How Nature’s Candy Is The Best Thing in Skincare
Sun Damage and Sunburn
Suppose your travel plans include swimming in a lake, lounging on the beach, spending a lot of time outdoors, or visiting a tropical location. In that case, you must be aware that any UV overexposure can result in long-term skin damage and possible sunburns.
If you spend prolonged time outdoors during your travels, exposed to the sun's harmful UV rays without the necessary protection, you could increase your risk of skin cancer, premature skin aging, and sunburn.
This is why you should always wear protective clothing, remember to apply and reapply a broad-spectrum sunscreen lotion with an SPF rating of 30 or higher and seek shelter during the sun's peak hours.
5 Skincare Tips For Frequent Travelers
While traveling, paying attention to and looking after your skin is vital. These are our five skincare tips to remember for frequent travelers:
Use A Sheet Mask
Treating your skin to some TLC is always a good idea while traveling. Keeping skin hydrated after a long day at the beach or a long flight can help retain moisture and prevent breakouts. An excellent way to keep your skin hydrated is to use facial mists sprayed periodically throughout your travels to keep your skin healthy and moisturized.
Read more: Minimal Effort, Maximum Results: The Advantages of a Simple Skincare Routine
Use Light Makeup
Exposure to outdoor elements and makeup can be challenging for the skin, causing it to react badly. Makeup can become cakey after touring the town or traveling, clogging pores and leaving skin looking not so radiant. As such, you should use lighter makeup to give your skin a more radiant and natural appearance.
Prepare for Breakouts
Despite keeping your skin free of irritants and following all the necessary skincare tips, your skin could still have breakouts. Different pH balances and water, stress, and outdoor elements can affect the skin's reaction, and breakouts are often unavoidable while traveling.
Wear SPF and Stick to Your Original Products
When traveling, it is crucial to wear a sunscreen lotion with an SPF rating of at least 30 or higher daily and maintain your usual skincare routine. Using unfamiliar products in an unfamiliar climate could harm your skin, leading to breakouts, rashes, and other adverse skin reactions.
Read more: 7 essentials for your travel skincare routine
The Wrap-up on the Effects of Travel on Skin and How To Protect It on the Go
Now you know the effect of travel on the skin and how to protect it on the go. As you plan your trip, plan your skincare simultaneously–including a few extras for those "just-in-case" moments (breakouts and dry skin). You should also remember to pack products like Vieves Leaves to maintain your skin health while you travel.
It is also in your best interest to stay hydrated, get enough sleep, and check stress levels. By following these tips for protecting your skin on the go, your skin will have a strong chance of remaining healthy.
