By Dr. Chau Phan, Pharmacist and owner of Humaniti Beauty
In this day of chasing the fountain of youth to fight the effects of aging, you might forget that you can do a lot to keep your skin healthy and beautiful. Remember this during the holidays as you travel to celebrate with friends and family.
General skincare tips for all travelers
No matter how you plan to get to Grandma’s house, protect the health of your skin by:
- Staying hydrated – The skin is made up of approximately 64 percent water. As with any other organ, skin cells function best when properly hydrated. Those tempted to drink coffee to stay awake and aware during their travels should know that caffeine is a diuretic, pushing out of the body via excretion the water they’re drinking. And keep alcohol consumption to a minimum to avoid dehydration. If you do drink alcohol, remember to replenish your body with water or natural electrolytes such as coconut water.
- Keeping your hands off your face – Many surfaces you touch and hands you shake contain bacteria that can cause irritation and itch, as well as flare-ups of acne, not to mention the spread of fungal and other disease. Carry anti-bacterial wipes to cleanse your hands before applying cream or makeup. Be sure to include hand cream in your travel bag; those wipes and the soap in public restrooms suck out moisture.
- Minimizing the use of heavy makeup – On the day you travel, if you can do without it, avoid applying foundation. Wear moisturizer and use lip balm instead of lipstick. Before you arrive at your destination, apply a moisturizer with a bit of tint in it to help you look fresh. Also, don’t add makeup on top of makeup throughout the day. Instead, spray a light mist of mineral water and use a little moisturizer.
- Getting plenty of sleep – This is difficult even at the least busy times, but sleep is an excellent restorative for overall body health. And napping passengers will help their skin revive by applying cream to their face and wearing a mask while they sleep.
- Reducing stress – When you are feeling upset with what is going on, use mindfulness techniques to bring your attention into the present moment. Breathe a few times into your diaphragm through your nose and exhale fully out through your mouth. This will calm your breathing and heart rate and allow you to focus on the task at hand. Give yourself a little “time out” by taking a walk or at least leaving the room. Remember that negative stress over a prolonged period upsets the balance of good bacteria in your gut and can result in acne and other skin disorder flare-ups.
- Exercising – During the holidays, we tend to abandon our regular exercise routine. Although your gym may not be around the corner from your parents’ house, sidewalks probably abound. After the big holiday meal, why not take a walk with a relative you haven’t seen for a while? You can catch up on what’s going on with her or him while your body pumps needed nutrients to your skin. An added benefit is that exercise reduces stress. (And, remember to wear a hat, protective clothing and sunscreen.)
Here are some things you might not have considered to safeguard your skin as you travel…
…by Land…
When you travel by car, train or bus, you might think your skin is protected from harmful UV rays by the vehicle’s windows. You would be wrong. At their worst, UV rays can cause skin cancer, but at the very least they dry your skin, creating wrinkles. So, remember to wear sunscreen of SPF 30 or more to protect the collagen and elastin that give the glow of youth to your body’s largest organ. And if you’re the driver, don’t forget the back of your neck (if your vehicle has a sun roof) and the arm you might extend out the side window. Remember: Even on the grey days of winter, the sun is behind those clouds!
…or by Air
The air circulated on a plane comes from outside the plane and has less water in it at the high altitudes at which you are flying. Moisturizing heavily the night before flying minimizes the drying effects of cabin pressure. Also, because of the high turnover of people on any one plane on any one day, remember that those surfaces (the tray table, the arm rests, the door handle to the bathroom) are rife with bacteria. Sanitize those hands, apply hand cream and keep them away from your face. Finally, when you travel by plane you are exposed to higher radiation levels than usual (at the security check area and from the sun through the windows of the plane at the altitudes at which you are flying). This means you should use creams high in antioxidants such as vitamins C and E.
You can have beautiful skin all year
The truth is, we all have more control over how our skin looks than we might have been led to believe. My message to you is this: Focus on maintaining your overall health by being the master of what goes into and onto your body and how you live in it throughout the day. All my skincare recommendations in this article are do-able, even during the hectic holidays, and when you follow them, your beauty will show through.
Several of the products I offer on the humanitibeauty.com site may be just what you need to follow my recommendations in this article. If you would like more information about Humaniti Beauty’s products or about me, you can contact me at info@humanitibeauty.com or call me at 510.200.9984.
Sources for this article:
Bouchez, Colette. “18 Travel Beauty Tips – to Go”. Website of WebMD LLC. https://www.webmd.com/beauty/features/18-travel-beauty-tips-to-go#2.
Dovito, Tina. “11 Things Traveling on a Plane Does to Your Body”. Website of Reader’s Digest.
https://www.rd.com/advice/travel/traveling-plane-affects-body/.
Jaret, Peter. “Exercise for Healthy Skin”. Website of WebMD LLC.
https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and treatments/acne/features/exercise#1.
Perlman, Howard (Ed.). “The water in you”. Website of the U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey. Last updated: 23-Jul-2018. https://water.usgs.gov/edu/propertyyou.html.