A LITTLE GUIDE: Travel Size Moisturiser

When you travel, your skin takes a beating. Whether it’s the dry air in the airplane cabin, the blistering sun on the slopes, the salty sea breeze at the beach, or just the wear and tear of a stroll through a busy city, your skin tends to need heightened care when you’re on the go. Therefore, it’s vital that you pack a good travel size moisturiser that you can stow away in your carry-on, toss in your backpack or keep in the pocket of your parka.

Below, we will show you what to look for when selecting the best travel size moisturiser for you.

Why You Need a Travel Size Moisturiser

Your skin needs all the attention it can get while on holiday since traveling in cramped quarters with little moisture or increased contact with chemicals, such as toxic airplane turbine engine oils and exhaust fumes, as well exposure to cold temperatures, harsh winds or sunlight conditions can leave your skin feeling stressed, exhausted and damaged. A quality moisturiser can significantly reduce the effects of travel on your skin, ensuring you look your best in all your social media pics.

Moisturiser Matters Regardless of Your Destination

Most flight attendants will tell you that airplanes can take a toll on your skin. Dry, recycled and recirculated cabin air can leave your skin feeling parched and make you look even more exhausted than you really are after a long flight. The same goes for the slopes or the beach. Freezing temperatures, harsh winds, and intense sunshine can leave skin dry, drab and blistered in no time at all. Virgin Australia flight attendant Lauren Gaynor, who flies the long-haul Sydney-Los Angeles route, swears by hyaluronic and amino acids to keep skin hydrated and nourished. She wears a serum which she locks in with a rich moisturiser.

Skincare Routine on a Long-Haul Flight

According to Dr Justine Hextall, dermatologist at The Harley Medical Group

“Flying is the perfect storm for causing skin problems. The oxygen circulation to our skin is reduced and the stress hormone cortisol levels are high – reducing skin barrier function and causing skin inflammation, redness and breakouts.”

Experts recommend either not wearing makeup or removing makeup before take-off, and then applying a highly-concentrated moisturizer containing Hydrating ingredients such as glycerin, hyaluronic acid, urea and vitamin B5, which will leave skin smooth, moisturised and balanced.

Keeping Your Skin in Shape on the Go

It’s not just flying, skiing or sunbathing that can wreak havoc on your skin. Whether you're jetting off to Paris, London or New York, cities that are congested with traffic and people have more contamination, which can result in breakouts. A great travel size moisturiser that you can keep in your pocket, purse or backpack can keep your skin hydrated and create a protective barrier against pollution, staving off blemishes, blackheads and brittle skin.

Choosing the Best Travel Size Moisturiser for Your Skin Type

When buying a travel size moisturiser, we can be overwhelmed at the options that are available. Between face creams, body and facial moisturisers, and lotions or ointments for dry, sensitive, light, or dark skin, as well as moisturisers that include anti-aging ingredients and sunscreens, the choices are endless. If you have dry skin, you will want a thicker moisturiser that locks moisture in. Creams, which tend to be thinner, are good for normal skin, while lotions, which are the lightest since water is the main ingredient, are better for oily skin.

Don’t Check Your Moisturiser at the Gate

Given travel restrictions, we tend to avoid bringing too many toiletries in our carry-on. A great travel size moisturiser is a must though since it will keep moisture locked in, leaving your skin looking supple and fresh. It’s important that once you board a long-haul flight that you remove your makeup and apply a moisturiser because cabin pressure and lower moisture levels can result in dehydration and dull-looking skin. It’s also important to remember to choose a moisturiser with a higher SPF when traveling to sunnier destinations.

Skip the Bargain Bin Moisturisers

You don’t have to break the bank when buying a travel size moisturiser, but not all moisturisers are created equal. Bargain bin moisturisers often contain harsh ingredients like alcohol or heavy oils, which are counterproductive to keeping skin hydrated and fresh. Also, if you have sensitive skin, you should avoid moisturisers with fragrance, parabens, and essential oils since these can irritate your skin, resulting in breakouts. A good rule of thumb is to choose a moisturiser that is right for your skin type and includes natural ingredients or plant extracts that won’t harm your skin.

Ingredients to Look for in a Travel Size Moisturiser

The following are some of the key ingredients we should look for in a moisturiser:

1. Glycerine creates a vacuum that absorbs water from the atmosphere into your skin.
2. Ceramides, which are fats that are naturally found in skin, seal in water so skin cells don’t dry out.
3. Synthetic urea acts as a moisturiser and an exfoliant at the same time since it melts away dead cells, allowing other moisturising ingredients to penetrate better.
4. Hyaluronic acid is a molecule that swells when it absorbs water, helping to alleviate fine lines and crinkly skin.
5. Lactic acid, which exfoliates and hydrates, preventing ashiness by locking moisture in.
6. Petrolatum helps create a film that traps moisture, treating chapped and rough skin.

Best Travel Size Moisturisers

Caroline Jacobs, the founder of THE FIND, specializes in researching and discovering the best new beauty brands, all available in easy to carry travel sizes. Consequently, THE FIND features some of the best travel size moisturisers on the market, including the Triple Rose Renewing Moisturiser by Aromatherapy Associates, which combines essential oils from three unique roses from Morocco, Turkey and Bulgaria that strengthen, hydrate and rejuvenate skin. Face by HealGel combines multi-active ingredients, such as triple phase hyaluronic acid complex, to deliver immediate firmness and elasticity. And the Flash & V-Cense - Pollution Proof Kit by REN features a five of the brand’s best-sellers to purify, firm and protect from environmental pollution all day and night long.

Don’t Forget These Other Travel Size Beauty Essentials

When packing, make sure you don’t forget these other travel size beauty essentials for complete skincare. Restoring Night Serum by Skin Laundry helps brighten dark spots, skin tone and texture while tightening and boosting collagen after an active day of holiday fun. Also, Codage features an array of treatments for travellers, such as Après Ski, an ultra-regenerating and nourishing skincare routine, Beach Time, a regenerative and protective skincare routine, and On The Road Again, a combination of products that fight the effects of jet lag, changes in temperature, air conditioning, and pollution. All products are available in comfortable travel sizes at THE FIND.

Taking a break from work doesn’t mean taking a break from your skin care routine. If anything, travel is the time to step up your self-care regimen. By choosing the best travel size moisturiser you can find, you’ll keep your skin rested, hydrated and protected from the elements and harmful environmental pollutants. So, give your skin the holiday it deserves by treating it to the premium skincare treatments and products available at THE FIND.