Skin Saving Tips for the Holidays
For many of us, trips abroad mean abandoning our day to day routines and being a little more ‘care-free’. No school drop offs and picks ups, no daily dashes to the supermarket, and often, no inclination to wear makeup or use our regular skincare!
I advise all my patients to come in for a treatment and review of their skincare approximately a week before they go away. This allows me to do a ‘pre-holiday’ treatment (usually a hydrating or rejuvenating combined facial treatment) to prepare their skin. I also tweak their products. We all want to travel with as few bottles as possible, so I suggest multi-purpose products, often in travel-sizes that can be used while away for a few weeks. Holidays are also a great time to do an ‘intensive treatment’. This usually involves using concentrated serums which I prescribe, morning and night for 14-30 days. They are easy to use, can be used on their own independently of your usual skincare regime, and really improve the tone and texture of skin.
When you’re away, these are the most important things to remember to keep your skin in good condition:
Don’t for get to cleanse! I know it’s tempting not to bother, particularly if you haven’t been wearing makeup, but you’ll be surprised at how much dirt/sweat/suncream has accumulated on your face. If you’ve been out and about, I would suggest a double cleanse to stop your pores getting clogged up.
Hydrate your skin from the inside and out. Drink plenty of water, particularly if you are out in the sun, and use a hydrating serum or cream (try the Skin W1 Collagen Stimulating Serum which is packed full of antioxidants, hyaluronic acid and collagen stimulating actives)
Protect your skin from the sun with SPF 30 or above (I recommend SPF 50 to all my patients. Epionce SPF50 is the bestseller in my clinic, but I also love zinc based sunscreens for beach/intense sun days). Wear a hat to protect your face from the sun, and try to avoid going outside when the sun is at its strongest (usually between 11am-2pm).
Watch what you eat and drink limit alcohol, coffee, fizzy drinks and processed food. Try to eat as much fresh food as possible, particularly fruit and veg.
Consider a holiday supplement I recommend the Advanced Nutrition Programme Well Away Supplement which comes in a 7 day blister pack, designed for travel. It’s easy and convenient and contains all the nutrients you need. A probiotic can also be a good idea when travelling.
Nourish your hair by taking some treatment masks with you (a great one to try is the GloEssentials Reparative Keratin Leave-In Treatment). Holidays are a good time to do those intensive conditioning treatments you never get round to doing at home!
If you keep all of this in mind, you will hopefully come back with glowing skin and healthy hair. If it doesn’t quite work out that way, and your skin needs an overhaul post holiday, book in post holiday review and we will get you back on track!
