The Best Travel Tips
How To Do The Most While Packing The Least
I’m one of those people who packs for a short trip like I’m either moving away or planning to change my outfit six times per day. It doesn’t matter if there’s laundry where I’m going, I’m packing enough socks and underwear to last a month. When it’s time to select shoes, I count the number of days I’m traveling and multiply that by three.
That said, the one area of packing that I’ve gotten down to a science is, you guessed it, my skincare. Admittedly, I do have and use more products than the average person, but the formidable combo of experience and laziness has allowed me to whittle the massive assortment down to just a couple essential products. If I’m checking a bag, I allow myself more leeway in regards to the volume of said products, but the abundance of travel sized options and Muji’s delightful assortment of PET bottles means I’m good to go either way.
ROCKY’S RECS: Muji PET Bottles
Here are my TOP TIPS for gliding through TSA without neglecting your skin:
First things first – you’ll need a cleanser. At home I’d recommend an oil followed by a gel, but we’re packing light here, and double cleansing with the same gel for a few days isn’t going to do any harm. If your trip is only a couple nights, this is a great time to use all those samples and sachets you’ve been hoarding. Otherwise, I’d opt for a 0.5 oz travel size or decant your favorite cleanser into a pump bottle or squeezy tube.
ROCKY’S REC: Environ Low Foam Cleansing Gel
Next you’ll need a toner. There’s a lot of advice out there about how you “dOn’T nEeD a ToNeR”, and while this is technically true, you’re receiving this email because I am your esthetician, and I’m trying to help you achieve the best skin possible. So, we’ll pack a toner. I really love a Hypochlorous Acid spray, ESPECIALLY for travel, as we tend to encounter weird water, weird food, weird sleep schedules and a host of other weird (but hopefully fun) situations that can result in stressed out, inflamed skin. Hypochlorous Acid is going to help counteract all of that. Bonus: it smells a bit like pool water, which drives home that *holiday* feeling.
ROCKY’S REC: The Light Salon Boost Cleanse & Recover Mist
Serums: this is where the whittling really happens. Maybe you’re a skin minimalist and you just have one or two serums to begin with, or maybe you’re a maximalist (hi) and feel terror at the idea of spending days/weeks away from your beloved products. In any case, I have a tip for you. The main thing you need to prioritize with travel skincare is hydration. Remember, this is temporary! You might have enough undergarments to clothe a small village but you will be returning home and getting back to your schedule soon enough. So pack your favorite hydrating serum, the one that you can use day and night and plays well with other products.
ROCKY’S REC: Environ C-Quence Serum
Next up: Eye Cream! Some people question its necessity, but let me tell you why eye cream deserves to be its own category. The eye area has the most fragile skin of the face, as well as specific concerns like dark circles and puffiness that you don’t have elsewhere. Also, I recently learned (via my fave toxicology Instagrammer @moskinlab) that eye creams go through more rigorous microbiology testing than other skincare products. So while you can technically use your face cream around your eyes, it won’t be as safe or effective as an eye cream. As far as travel packing goes, eye creams tend to come in 15 ml sizes, so go ahead and toss it in.
ROCKY’S REC: Auteur Definitive Eye Cream
Moisturizer is obviously a biggie here. For travel, I’d opt for a product in a pump bottle or tube, to limit the risk of contaminating the rest of your cream with dirty fingers or that spatula floating at the bottom of your toiletry bag. As far as consistency, you could go any direction here – that really depends on your destination and your skin. I lean towards non-irritating but also very impactful.
ROCKY’S RECS: Auteur Definitive Density Cream or
Environ 3D Synerge Filler Creme
Last but NOT LEAST, sunscreen!!! This one goes without saying, but fill up any and all empty space with those 3.4 oz tubes of sunscreen, hunny!!! Any SPF is the right SPF! Chemical or mineral, cream or spray, doesn’t matter, as long as you apply it generously and regularly! It makes no sense to spend time and money on your skin if you’re not protecting that investment!
ROCKY’S RECS: Le Prunier Plumscreen or
Ok actually sunscreen isn’t the final product. The truly final product, one I literally NEVER go on a trip without, is a small sample jar of Environ Sebu-Clear Masque. I’ve said it once, I’ll say it a thousand times – this is the BEST spot treatment on the planet. Even if you aren’t prone to breakouts, when you’re away from home and out of your routine is when that painful cystic monster will strike, and Sebu-Clear Masque will be your hero and banish it from your visage. Pimples will hate you for this one trick, I guarantee it.
ROCKY’S REC: Environ Sebu-Clear Masque
All this will fit into a medium sized silicone Stasher bag (my preferred toiletry case) with room to spare. Happy travels!
ROCKY’S REC: Stasher Bag
xx Raquel
