Packing skin care products for travel has never been easier…at least for me. When TSA first instituted the 3 fluid ounce rule where all products had to fit into a tiny ziplock bag, people scrambled to find appropriate sizes of their current skin care products. Skin care fanatics the world over were pissed! No one wanted to go buy tiny bottles to measure out 3 ounce portions. Fast forward to present day and the growth in the number of products now available in travel sizes and the increased access to these products through beauty box subscriptions such as Glossybox, COCOTIQUE and Birchbox and sites like 3floz.com, make it simple to pack a tiny bag of skin care products without the use of a funnel. The trouble now is narrowing the selection down to only the essentials. Before I start packing, I assess the condition of my skin and make adjustments based on the weather conditions at my travel destination. I have an upcoming trip to the Sunshine State and my oily skin will need help to be on its best behavior in the heat and humidity. Here’s what I’m packing…
Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant is a rice-based powder formula that activates with water to release Papain, Salicylic Acid and Rice Enzymes to gentle cleanse and exfoliate the skin. It is the perfect cleanser for travel (and one of my faves of all time) because it’s in powder form.
Cleanse by Lauren Napier contains aloe and cucumber and is rich in vitamins B and C. The wipes are individually packaged making them perfect to slip into a bag, a pocket or your bra (I’m not judging.) Cleanse by Lauren Napier works great to remove even waterproof makeup but they are gentle enough for eyes. On days when I have only a light application of makeup, one wipe can do the trick. I use two one days when I wear heavier makeup and no matter what, I always follow up with a toner and moisturizer.
There is a lot of debate about the necessity of a toner. While that debate rages on I’m gonna go ahead and use my toner twice per day and ignore all the noise. A long time favorite, to which I was recently reacquainted, is the Clinique Clarifying Toner. The first time I used this toner was in Florida, so, it’s only fitting it is one of my favorite warm weather toners. It helps to control excess oil to minimize breakouts and leaves skin feeling clean, cool and refreshed.
I’m headed into a very humid climate which means my skin can act a fool without notice. I’m preparing for any pesky pimples with Mario Badescu’s Complexion Perfection Kit, it contains the Special Healing Powder, Drying Cream and the Drying lotion. If something pops up that cannot be kept under control with this trio of products…all hope is lost and I should leave Florida immediately and never return.
When it’s hot and humid I often skip the moisturizer and use a serum and a sunscreen. My winning combo for the last few weeks has been Clarins Double Serum and Dermalogica Oil Free Matte SPF 30. Clarins Double Serum contains 20 pure plant extracts and potent, high-tech molecules in a dual chamber bottle. It firms and evens skin tone and provides a great moisture boost without feeling heavy. Clarins Double Serum is great for use day and night. Dermalogica Oil Free Matte SPF 30 is a broad spectrum lightweight sunscreen that helps to prevent shine on oily, breakout-prone skin like mine. Win!
Eye Cream is a must once you hit 25 and I have been north of that for several years, so, I can’t finish packing my skin care travel bag without a proper eye cream or two. For day time I’ve been using Skinceuticals Physical Eye UV Defense Sunscreen with SPF 50. In addition to providing UV protection, this lightweight neutral tinted eye cream also brightens the eye area and works well under concealer or alone. For night I use BlissLabs Active 99.0 Multi Action Eye Cream. It is lightweight cream formulated to easily absorbs into the delicate eye area to help “reduce puffiness and diminish the appearance of puffiness, dark circles, fine lines and wrinkles.”
While I have not yet narrowed down the bathing suits I will take on this trip, my skin care travel essentials are packed and ready to go!
What are Your Summer Skin Care Travel Essentials?
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This post was written by Christene Carr. Find her on Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest and her personal blog
