When it comes to summer travel, flying the friendly skies can be a bit unfriendly to your skincare routine. Figuring out how to pack all of your peptides and serums and creams without them getting pilfered by TSA agents or exploding all over the espadrilles in your suitcase is a challenge. Add to it factors like dehydration, shifts in climate, unforeseen breakouts and extended sun exposure and you’re well on your way to having PTSD: Post Travel Skincare Distress. Nonetheless, you want to look and feel like the first-class version of yourself on your trip, which begs the question: how best to have a skincare plan of action that will have you runway ready and what to bring to stay that way.
Tulane Dermatology’s Department Chair, Erin Boh MD, PhD. FAAD suggests streamlining rather than complicating. “It’s best to keep it simple,” she says, reminding that you don’t have to travel with your entire skincare arsenal. “You don’t need to bring all of your regimen. The whole point of travel is to relax. Going to the beach for a week won’t give you 5000 wrinkles. Keep with a basic regimen for short term then get back to your elaborate plan when you get back home.”
For getting down to the basics, Boh recommends three key items: a cleanser, moisturizer and sun protection. “Flexibility in care is important as long as you make sure your skincare regimen fits the climate you’re traveling to, and you know your skin type (aka dry, oily, combination).”
Boh suggests finding ways to double up on multi-functional products, suggesting that you don’t necessarily need your morning and night cleansers and creams. “As long as you have an SPF in your face cream you can really consolidate on your other products.”
Sophie Evans, aesthetician at Audubon Facial Plastic Surgery & Medspa, agrees that of anything you should pack in your suitcase, products with SPF sunscreen are going to be your most essential.
“Sunscreen is absolutely the most important skincare item for summer travel,” says Evans. “Look for sunscreens labeled ‘physical’ (also called mineral) or ‘broad spectrum’ to ensure you’re protected against both UVA and UVB rays. A tinted formula is often preferred because it can offer added protection against visible light, which is especially helpful for preventing pigmentation.”
She notes that proper skincare also needs to be adjusted per your destination, making choices depending on whether you are traveling to a tropical climate or a more arid locale.
“Always choose an SPF of 30 or higher, and consider adjusting the texture or finish based on the climate you’re visiting — lighter, matte formulas for humid areas and richer, moisturizing options for drier climates.”
Beauty Baggage Claim
You do your best to pack light, but there are certain items that may be worth the luggage space. Brennan Rosonet, spa director at The Windsor Court Spa, recommends making room for these three skincare tools for their multitude of benefits while on the go.
To depuff and tone: 111SKIN Cryotherapy Sculpting Globes
To address blemishes and breakouts: The LYMA Laser
To melt away stress and soothe aches: Lanshin Massager with Far-Infrared (FIR) heat energy by Acera
Frequent Style Miles
Pre-Travel Treatments
Before boarding, consider investing in a local treatment to prep your skin for the journey ahead.
HydraFacial: A service that deeply hydrates, brightens and protects your skin with powerful antioxidants, peptides and hyaluronic acid. You’ll see immediate results in tone, texture, firmness and pore size. Earthsavers, 5501 Magazine St., 504-899-8555; 3301 Veterans Blvd., 504-835-0225, earthsaversonline.com.
The Crystal: Refresh and hydrate with a gentle cleanse and exfoliation, followed by a custom mask and LED light therapy, plus an oxygen infusion with vitamins and serums blasted onto the skin as balancing crystals lay atop your body to ground you. Glasskin, 4025 Magazine St., 504-581-8356, getglasskin.com.
BallancerPro: Tightens, smooths and improves skin tone while decreasing inflammation and activating the lymphatic system to help effectively push out toxins and increase circulation. Vibrant Market, 3811 Magazine St., 504-206-4419, thevibrantmarket.com.
Ultimate Sapphire Facial: This gem features Diamond tip microdermabrasion, ionized LED, and lymphatic drainage to slim and depuff the face, microcurrent to lift and tone the facial muscles, BioSonix Ultrasound for skin tightening and an oxygen infusion to refresh. Windsor Court Spa, thewindsorcourt.com/amenities/the-windsor-court-spa.
Oxygen & Mineral Infusion Facial: Therapeutic grade oxygen is combined with 87 vitamins, minerals enzymes and amino acids to moisturize and revitalize every cell of the skin, giving you a youthful glow. The Skin Edit, 4530 Magazine St., 504-439-8757, vagaro.com/theskinedit.
In-Flight Beauty Essentials
Until there is an option to book a sky-high facial, establishing an in-flight beauty regimen can also help you get a leg up on not having that jetlag slag. We caught up with local beauty brand owner and style consultant, Ashley Sievert (ashleysievert.com) to find out how this avid traveler keeps her skin looking tip top a mile in the clouds. Whether it’s gearing up for her annual girls’ trip to the Beverly Hills Hotel or planning for a repeat visit to Italy, these are her wheels up musts.
Silk Eye Mask from Blissy: “I always try to sleep on flights and love the silk sleep mask in champagne.”
Jet Lag Mask from Summer Fridays: “Keeps my skin hydrated before, during and after I land.”
Ashley Sievert Coconut Hydrating Mist: “This is great for a little refresh before landing especially if you are going somewhere tropical.”
The Lip Balm from Nécessaire: “I always have chapstick or balm with me and this multi-ceramide lip balm is great for hydrating.”
Aesop Ginger Flight Therapy: “I can be a nervous flyer at times and this pulse point therapy roll on calms and soothes.
It is not ideal to fly with a face full of makeup as flying is extremely dehydrating to the skin,” says Michelle Bryant, skin therapist at The Skin Edit. “And if your skin is dehydrated, it’s not able to defend against environmental assaults – impurities are revealed, lines will become more visible, you can have puffy eyes and chapped lips. Instead travel with minimal makeup and consider a lash lift and tint. Lash lifts are a safer alternative to lash extensions which can damage the hair follicle over time, and creates a beautiful, natural appearance by locking a curl place, and opening the eye. You’ll look refreshed and awake when you land.”
Post-Travel Treatments
When you’re back home and settled with a suitcase of souvenirs and a skincare routine that needs a reboot, rejuvenate and recover with these healing services.
Osea Brightening Facial
This restorative seaweed facial naturally brightens your complexion, gently resurfaces and removes dry, damaged skin leaving you nourished and deeply hydrated. Earthsavers, 5501 Magazine St., 504-899-8555; 3301 Veterans Blvd., 504-835-0225, earthsaversonline.com.
Opti-Firm Eye Treatment
Using natural extracts of Ginkgo Biloba, Gotu Kola and firming Aosa Seaweed, this professional eye treatment combats signs of sleep deprivation, aging and environmental damage. About Face, 701 Metairie Rd., 504-304-1556, aboutfaceco.com.
Mississippi Mud Detox Treatment
Indulge in pure luxury on a state-of-the-art Vichy table to experience the enveloping richness of botanical mud infused with minerals and essential oils, followed by purifying sea salt scrub. Ritz Carlton Spa, 921 Canal St., 504-670-2929, ritzcarlton.com.
Regal Roses Retreat
Enjoy a full body exfoliation followed by the application of a silky pink French clay wrap enriched with rosehip CO₂ extract and adaptogens to nourish and balance, followed by a full-body massage. Windsor Court Spa, thewindsorcourt.com/amenities/the-windsor-court-spa.
Laser Glow Facial
This relaxing, repairing and replenishing treatment is perfect for all skin types and conditions including rosacea, acne and hyperpigmentation. It begins with a deep cleansing of the skin, followed by a no down time laser and finished with a hydrating mask to leave the skin glowing, soft and hydrated. The Skin Bar, 505 Metairie Rd., 504-345-2333, theskinbarneworleans.com.
Globetrot Trending
Off to a luxurious White Lotus-esque adventure with your skin savvy girlfriends?
Impress them with a few travel-friendly products, hand-selected by Morrisa Jenkins,
Founder of Freedom Apothecary, that are brimming with unique ingredients.
Desert Fruit Quandong
“High in Vitamin C and helps with inflamed skin.” Find it in: Quandong Green Booster Serum from Ere Perez.
Blue Cypress
“Great for sun exposure, windburn or post airplane dryness. It’s also anti-inflammatory and supports healing irritated and sensitive skin.” Find it in: Australian Blue Cypress Face Nectar from Ere Perez.
Tulsi + Ashwagandha
“A powerful duo for calming the nervous system during travel stress, overstimulation and time changes along with immune support, it is anti-inflammatory for the skin.” Find it in: Tulsi & Ashwagandha Adaptogen Body Oil from Apoterra.
The Skincare Diet
As much as a salty package of peanuts and a mini bottle (or two) of airplane pinot grigio can make for mile-high fun, they do not a healthy complexion make. Spyre’s in-house nutrition consultant, Chef Amelie Kindler, considers food as medicine for the body and reminds that nourishment and skincare go hand in hand, especially
when it comes to prepping for your summer vacation schedule.
“Travel, as wonderful as it is, can be intense and stressful on the body,” said Kindler. “It’s common knowledge that it can send a blast to our immune system which can be further tested through change in routine, new environmental factors and disrupted sleep.”
When preparing for travel, Kindler, who stocks the Well Café with travel-friendly foods filled with immune and skin supportive nutrients, recommends a wide variety of organic fruits and vegetables in all colors of the rainbow to ensure your body is receiving what it needs to glow from the inside out.
“Foods rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin D, zinc and protein are useful for immune support. Adding in a soup or drink with turmeric, ginger, and citrus would be an excellent daily addition.”
