If you’re preparing for your next trip, consider these three useful tips to avoid travel-induced acne flare-ups.
Whether or not you’re a frequent flyer, chances are you’ve noticed that travel tends to aggravate your acne. Between dehydration, loss of sleep, and the stress of getting from point A to point B, journeying away from the comforts and amenities of home can take a toll not only on your mood, but also on your complexion. So what can you do to keep your skin clean and clear no matter your destination?
1) Beware of Bacteria
You may already know that bacteria is one of the most common causes of acne. What you might not have thought about, however, is just how much bacteria you come into contact with when you travel. Consider your seat on the airplane, for example. While planes do undergo a perfunctory cleaning after every flight, the fact of the matter is that an enormous amount of bacteria is inevitably left behind.
So what is an acne-prone traveler to do? For one, consider buying antibacterial wipes (Refinery29 recommends Wet Ones) to wipe down your headrest and any other surface your face might come into contact with during your journey. Additionally, be sure to hydrate! While those with oily skin might enjoy the drying effects of long flights, the fact is that over-drying your skin inevitably leads to more problematic bouts of acne.
2) Stick to Your Regime
When you’re at home, chances are you have a skincare routine that you follow religiously. Why would you treat your skin any differently when you travel? Remain vigilant about your washing regime whether you’re in the air or at your destination — after all, toting the perfect face wash in your carry-on will only prove effective if you use it consistently.
While picking which products to bring along is half the battle, you should also make sure to pack travel-sized containers for cleansing on the go. Taking a red-eye flight might be exhausting, but you’ll come out the other side feeling (and looking!) better if you take five minutes to perform some in-flight skin care. If you’re unsure how to pack for the plane, take a look at this list of flight attendant beauty tips.
3) Pay Attention to the Climate
Although it’s important to stick to your skincare routine, that routine should take the climate of your final destination into account. If your usual products perform best in a dryer environment but you’re headed for Miami Beach, for instance, you might want to tighten things up with a benzoyl peroxide wash. And be sure to do a bit of extra research — temperature and climate are two very different things!
If you’re unsure how to tweak your regime to match the weather conditions of your travel destination, be sure to check out this evergreen skin guide to keep your complexion acne-free wherever your travels take you.
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