How To Prevent Breakouts While Traveling

I’ll say it, I’m the girl who will do in-flight facials, just ask any friends of mine who I’ve traveled abroad with. In my head it’s wicking away all those gross airplane toxins and keeping my skin clean, clear, and beautiful. I’m also the girl though, that listens to spa music and disturbs the person next to me with my aromatherapy, usually Lavender oils. Aside from my flying anxiety, I love feeling like I am clean and wholesome on the plane. Call me crazy but it actually keeps me sane. But to be honest, it probably does very minimal things for the integrity of my skin…it’s really just a mental thing.

Keeping your skin clear while traveling might just be the hardest thing to do right after trying to put toothpaste back in its tube. It’s an ongoing problem with me as I travel quite a bit and most of the time I can’t bring my full sized products with me that I use at home since I’m usually too cheap to pay for a checked bag 😉 On a serious note though, it’s a problem I know many people struggle with, especially me. While I don’t have super sensitive skin, I do have skin that is super susceptible to breakouts if anything in my routine changes or the air is different than what I am used to (ahem, traveling). The past few months I have been testing out different theories and ideas and I have found a few things that are 100% tried and true while traveling to help stay clear of those pesky breakouts. Now, it’s still so subjective to where I am and how long I am traveling for, but these few tips will always be helpful…even if you are just at home. That’s why I am so excited to be partnering with Neutrogena and Walmart to share my best tips for keeping my skin clear while traveling! Note: these tips do not require any crazy expensive products or routines.

Never Leave Without A Water Bottle In Hand

One of the best things for your skin is drinking lots of water. Sometimes I get so tired of hearing all the supermodels, with perfect skin from birth, saying this is their secret to flawless skin. To be honest though, I can’t say they are wrong, because it actually makes such a difference! I make a point to have a water bottle with me at all times to remind myself to stay hydrated!

Don’t Skimp On Sleep

I always make a point to sleep as much as I do at home, or even more, when traveling because lack of sleep can really do a number on your body and skin, especially if you are in a different city or country. I try and get my normal 8 hours every night on trips!

Always Take Your Makeup Off

THIS IS SO IMPORTANT. When traveling my Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes are my best friend. Y’all, I know most of you use these too-they have been a skincare staple since legit middle school. I can say they are one of my OG skincare products. Leaving makeup on overnight can cause bacteria to grow on your skin…not kidding, look it up! Talk about scary! That’s enough to give me nightmares. You can guarantee I always make sure to pack my makeup remover wipes with me and use them every night before going to bed to ensure all of my makeup, including waterproof mascara, gets off of my face. The best part is that I never have to worry about them on the plane because I can take them in my checked bag no problem, unlike some of my other products ;-( One of the best places to get them is in the skincare section at your local Walmart or you can restock (or try for the first time) here.

Keep Your Skincare Routine The Same

One of the biggest mistakes you can make while traveling is trying new products or not keeping your routine the same. This can be hard since I often only take a carry on and most of my products are not travel friendly. My favorite trick is to use sample containers (foundation sample containers from Nordstrom or Sephora, or little sample containers of skincare products) and fill them with my cleansers or moisturizers. They look tiny, but I have taken a small foundation sample filled with my cleanser for a two week trip and it lasted me the whole time.

Keep What You Eat In Check

So, I need to take my own advice with this one, and my friend from Touch Up Laser confirmed this. I see traveling as a time to treat myself so very rarely will I order a salad and water with lemon as a meal when out of town. However, if you make major diet changes while traveling, increasing sugars specifically, be prepared to maybe see some backlash from that from your skin. TBH, for me, I often claim that it is worth it, but if you are really trying to keep your skin clear, stay away from sugars and keep with your normal diet.

Don’t forget to pack (or buy) SPF

This honestly will save your skin years down the line. If you plan to go anywhere remotely sunny or with UV rays (that’s basically anywhere in the world) do not neglect the SPF. Not using SPF can be fatal for your skin! For your daily cleanser, check out SkinMedica AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser to get rid of all that sunscreen you wear throughout the day, read the description on their website.

 Do you have any tried and true tips while traveling to prevent breakouts? I would love to hear about them below in the comments!