The experience of traveling remains exciting for most people yet their skin often reacts negatively to these experiences. The combination of environmental changes and extended flights and stress and insufficient rest and higher sun exposure leads to dryness and breakouts and skin irritation and dullness. Your ability to maintain healthy skin during travel becomes possible when you understand how different environments affect your complexion.
Prime Med Spa in Portland provides clients with personalized travel-friendly skincare plans which protect and hydrate and repair their skin throughout their entire journey.
How Travel Impacts Your Skin
- The dry environment inside airplane cabins leads to skin dehydration.
The air inside airplanes maintains humidity levels at 10–20% which extracts moisture from your skin to produce:
- Flaking
- Tightness
- Dullness
Your body produces more oil as a response to skin dryness.
- The skin experiences shock when people move between different environmental conditions.
Your skin will experience different reactions when you move from Portland’s rainy climate to desert or tropical environments which include:
- Breakouts
- Redness
- Excess oil
- Dry patches
Your skin requires time to adapt to new environmental conditions.
- Travelers face higher risks of sun damage because they spend more time outside.
Travelers who spend more time outdoors face risks of UV damage which causes hyperpigmentation and leads to premature aging and sunburn.
- Poor Sleep Affects Skin Health
The combination of jet lag and irregular sleep patterns weakens collagen repair while raising cortisol levels which results in:
- Puffiness
- Under-eye darkness
- Breakouts
- Dull complexion
- Stress & Changing Routines
Your regular skincare practice becomes disrupted when you travel to new locations. The combination of different water sources and hotel products and stress factors can lead to skin irritation and acne development.
How to Prep Your Skin Before Traveling
- Get a Hydrating Facial
A professional treatment at the beginning of your trip will provide your skin with essential protection. Prime Med Spa offers three popular pre-travel treatments which include:
The HydraFacial treatment delivers deep hydration to the skin.
The Oxygen Facial treatment creates a radiant complexion.
Dermaplaning provides a smooth skin surface which makes it ideal for makeup application.
The treatments create an effective moisture barrier which protects your skin from airplane dryness and harsh outside conditions.
- Strengthen Your Skin Barrier
Start your pre-travel preparation one week before departure by:
- Use more moisturizer throughout the day.
- Use hyaluronic acid as part of your skincare routine.
Avoid using harsh exfoliating products.
Use products containing ceramides to build up your skin barrier.
A well-protected skin barrier will reduce your chances of experiencing travel-related skin irritation.
- Pack Travel-Sized Essentials
Your travel skincare kit needs to contain the following items:
- Gentle cleanser
- Hydrating serum
- Rich moisturizer
- Lip balm
- Sunscreen
Sheet masks serve as quick solutions to provide moisture to your skin.
Select products that match your skin type because this is not the right time to test new products.
Skincare Tips During Your Trip
- Stay Hydrated
Regular water consumption combined with limited caffeine and alcohol intake will help you maintain proper skin hydration.
- Reapply Sunscreen
Sun protection requires you to apply SPF 30+ before leaving the house and to reapply sunscreen every two hours when spending time outdoors.
- Avoid Over-Exfoliating
Your skin faces additional stress during travel so you should limit your exfoliation to once or twice throughout your entire trip.
- Use a Hydrating Mist
A facial mist provides instant skin refreshment while helping to combat dryness that occurs from flying and dry environments.
- Keep a Simple Routine
Your skin care routine should remain basic during travel because complex regimens are not suitable for this time. Your daily skincare routine should include:
- Cleanse
- Hydrate
- Moisturize
- Protect
- Post-Travel Skin Recovery
Your skin requires additional care after you return home from your trip. Prime Med Spa provides three treatment options for skin recovery after travel which include:
The HydraFacial treatment provides deep skin cleansing and complete hydration restoration.
LED Light Therapy works to reduce skin inflammation.
A Chemical Peel treatment can be used to treat dull skin that results from travel stress.
These treatments enable your skin to recover its natural appearance at a faster rate.
Final Thoughts
Traveling brings many benefits yet it creates negative effects on your skin health. The right skincare routine combined with travel knowledge enables you to preserve your skin health regardless of your location.
The team at Prime Med Spa in Portland provides individualized travel skincare preparation services to their clients. Our team will create a customized skincare plan that suits your skin type and travel destination.