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The winter season is a magical time to take a vacation – fluffy white snow covers the cityscape and mountains making for a picturesque background for any travel shot. It’s a beautiful season to see, but to feel. Winter is the time when our skin suffers the most.
Winter Skin Care Tips for Travelers
Cracking, itching and flaky dry skin is a common problem during this season. If you’re on the go, you’re facing a snowy challenge.
Before the frost starts nipping at your face, take note of these few reminders that will help your skin survive the draft while you’re traveling:
Drink water, lots of it!
There’s one constant secret in maintaining beautiful skin: hydrate your skin from the inside out and drink lots of water. It doesn’t matter where you are in the world. Whether you’re walking in the wintry landscapes of Amsterdam or in the suburbs of Tokyo, always carry a bottle of H2O with you when on the go. You can also opt to drink hot herbal tea; this is a nice way to warm yourself while helping your skin achieve a healthy glow.
Wear your sunblock.
Even in winter, you ask? Yes! While the warm atmosphere is beaten off by the plummeting temperature, the sun is still there. On overcast days, the UV rays are still capable of causing damage to your skin. Before you go out of your hotel room, make sure you have slathered enough sunscreen.
Exfoliate
Winter air is known for being harsh and dry, and with that, our skin tends to flake. To ward off the lifeless look on your skin, remember to exfoliate! Dead surface skin cells don’t reflect light; removing them makes you look brighter and glowing. Do your regular exfoliating routine in regular intervals, once a week. One tip: do NOT over-exfoliate as this can also dry out your skin.
Get moisturized
During summer, you may use lighter moisturizers because your skin gets oily and sweaty but during winter, it’s time to get that tub of heavy skin! Switch your regular moisturizer for something appropriate for the weather, or you can use natural oils that can help your skin glow. Opt out baby oils and bio oils—you don’t want the mineral contents in them clogging your pores. Apply some face moisturizer with skin softener like those with Aloe and Jojoba to fill your skin with all the good, natural stuff during your winter travel.
Eat Healthy
Even though you’re on the road doesn’t mean that you should eat anything that comes your way. Pick a healthier diet to nourish your skin and body all throughout the cold season. If you’re a fish lover, you’ll definitely enjoy the nutrients coming from Omega-rich foods. Nuts are also best to snack on; unlike junk food, they fill in your stomach with more proteins and vitamins. Also, take in food with Vitamin C. Not only does this help you in dodging colds during winter; Vitamin C also assists in collagen and elastin stimulation which is helpful for cell renewal.
Avoid chapped lips
Your lips tend to dry out even more due to the cold temperature plus the atmosphere due to heaters. Find a potent lip balm to keep your lips moisturized. Keep your lips kissable during the winter season!
Don’t forget your hands and feet
Compared to other parts of the body, the skin on your hands is thinner and has fewer oil glands. This part, which is usually exposed, is prone to cracking and itching. Preserve the beauty of your hands by wearing double slips: a thin cotton glove and a woolen glove atop it. For your feet, keep them supple with lotions containing petroleum jelly or glycerin. Exfoliate when needed.
Hot Long Baths? Skip them
It feels good to thaw out in a hot shower after a cold day out but did you know that the intense heat of a long hot bath can break down the lipid barriers in your skin? This leads to moisture loss. As you go from one place to another, opt for shorter showers with warm (not hot) water.
These tips are perfect for those who are trying to ward off the winter’s spell off their skin but how about those who are going against the flow by visiting the tropics?
If you’re off to the sunnier side of the world during this season, we’ve also got a few reminders for you:
- Ditch the heavy lotion. Instead, go for a lighter moisturizer but bring in your power-packed sunscreen with you. Anything with an SPF that goes up to 50 is alright; this already covers 98% of the sunscreen. A number more than that can be harmful to your skin.
- Pack light. You may be leaving with your woolen knits due to your place’s drooping climate, but the country you’re about to go requires light clothes for beach and resort wear. Allow your skin to breathe and feel the kiss of the tropical air.
- Keep hydrated, drink water. You’ll be sweating a lot under the hot sun and you want to keep your body hydrated after the long day. Keep a bottle with you and refresh yourself with a regular sip of your H20.
Wherever you are going this winter season, make sure to follow these tips to keep your skin healthy and glowing.
What are your winter skin care tips?
For more travel beauty tips, please read:
- The All Weather Guide to Travel Beauty Products
- Beautylicious Beach Essentials for a Winter Escape
- 5 Ultra-light Travel Beauty Essentials
I’ve always thought winter travel was underrated. You can just throw on a jacket and drink hot cocoa all day long, and somehow that’s a bad thing to lots of people. Sure, beaches are fun, but snow-covered cathedrals are pretty darn awesome too.