If you’re anything like me, then you occasionally like to take a break from home, work and the daily grind. Maybe you like to soak up the sun on a gorgeous beach or take a hike through the mountains. No matter your destination, you’ll face decisions about what to pack-what kind of clothing and how many layers, how many different pairs of shoes, underwear and socks, toiletries, and of course skincare. Several factors arise when it comes to skincare and travel.

The first factor is where you’re traveling to and what the climate is like. During this time of the year, many people venture out to warmer climates to escape winter. I just visited Costa Rica, and I can tell you that the climate was vastly different than in Wisconsin! Winters in Wisconsin tend to be dry, cold and lacking in sunlight. Costa Rica was very hot, very humid and very sunny. During Wisconsin winters I rely on layering treatment products and applying a thick moisturizer to hydrate my skin as much as possible. Due to the humidity in Costa Rica, I had to temporarily switch to a moisturizer that’s more lightweight so my skin didn’t break out with the extra moisture and sweating. The most important product to pack if you’re visiting a place like Costa Rica is sunscreen. The sun was so much more intense and it didn’t take much to start feeling the effects of over exposure. I reapplied my sunscreen once every 30 minutes to avoid sunburn. My favorite sunscreen products are Dermalogica’s Sport Protection SPF 50 and Jane Iredale’s Powder Me SPF 30. Sport Protection SPF is odorless and non greasy and it contains broad spectrum SPF to protect from all UV rays. Powder Me SPF is easy to apply, great for reapplication and contains physical sunblock ingredients which work instantly.

The second factor to take into consideration is the size of products you plan on packing for your trip. Dermalogica makes most daily products in travel sizes which are permitted to pass through TSA. When I travel, I pack travel sizes of Precleanse, Special Cleansing Gel, Daily Microfoliant, Antioxidant Hydramist, Skin Smoothing Cream, and Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF0. That might sound like a lot of products, but they take up barely any space in travel sizes!

Another factor to consider is that air travel, different water, sun exposure and fatigue can dehydrate the skin. Drink plenty of water during your trip and especially on travel day and consider packing products to treat the skin for dehydration. A product I like to recommend my clients bring is Dermalogica’s Barrier Repair. Barrier Repair is an anhydrous moisturizer meant to treat dry, barrier compromised, sensitive and flaking skin. It protects the skin and locks in moisture to prevent the skin from getting dry.

Sometimes when people travel, various factors can cause breakouts such as sunscreen, sweat, different water, altered diet and alcohol consumption. If breakouts are a concern for you, I suggest packing Dermalogica’s Post Breakout Fix to target any pesky pimples that may pop up.

Book a facial after your trip to address dead skin buildup, clogged pores, breakouts and dehydration. A facial can press the reset button on any fluctuations that your skin might have experienced during your trip.

Happy travels skincare lovers!