Essential Holiday Skincare

At this time of year many of us are planning holidays, our Clinical Director was recently asked by a journalist which products one should include in holiday packing, here is what she said:   'How can we look after our skin whilst flying?'  Travelling on long haul flights can wreak havoc with the skin.  Dehydration, lack of sleep, an airless, static environment combine to leave your complexion dull and dry looking. I usually prefer to fly makeup free or at least to remove makeup during the flight. For this purpose pack a good quality medical skin care cleanser, look for ingredients like azaleic acid, salicylic acid or lactobionic acid… if they are not available in travel sizes you can easily buy small bottles from your high street chemist and decant into those. Try to avoid the temptation to use skin wipes as these may add to the problems your skin is already suffering in this environment.

For the bolder amongst you -  a hydrating mask like the Hyalual Wow Mask can be a great in flight accessory, look for hyaluronic acid or succinic acid and leave in place for a good 30 - 40 minutes. If you are not brave enough this can be used once you reach your destination as a hydrating boost for your skin. A high quality vitamin C serum will provide some well needed antioxidant skin protection. Vitamin C is highly unstable so look for a well established medical brand and be aware that this is not suitable for decanting into a travel bootle as is likely to destabilise the Vitamin C and render it ineffective. If you cannot find a 100ml to take in flight then apply pre & post flight. Lastly my usual in flight skin regime includes a skin supplement. Look for Hyaluronic acid, you can buy powder form supplements (such as Collagen Shots) which just require the addition of water, meaning they won’t take up much space in your luggage and will not contravene any liquid restrictions.  

'What types of daily essential products should you pack for during the day on the beach or going on an excursion?'

SPF is the single most important cosmetic for any sunshine holiday. Look for SPF 30 or higher, preferably oil free. Remember frequent reapplication especially if swimming or sweating. SPF will not stop you getting a colour but it will offer some protection against pro ageing & pro cancer harmful UV rays.  If you already have some pigmentation or are keen to protect your face from ageing then also bear in mind that a physical barrier like a hat and staying in shade is going to add to your protection. Using a mineral makeup powder will add a player to your SPF and usually some antioxidants adding to your armoury against UV rays - reapply throughout the day as needed. For cooling down you may wish to pop a hydrating spray into your hand bag.  Instead of just water, look for skin nourishing ingredients such as hyaluronic acid & succinct acid, I like the Profi Deluxe spray. This product means that you are not just cooling down but also plumping & smoothing the skin.