Everybody knows that travel can be hard on your health – and that it can really show! When you’re traveling on business you want to make a good impression. When you’re traveling for pleasure you want to enjoy the confidence boost that looking good brings. What can you do to keep up your health and beauty routines and keep on looking and feeling your best?
Stay hydrated
The number one thing that causes problems for travelers is dehydration. it can be difficult to ensure that you keep getting enough healthy fluids when you’re not in your normal environment, and if you’re consuming more alcohol or caffeine than usual that will only make matters worse, as will traveling to hot or dry places. Aim to carry a water bottle with you at all times – you’re allowed a small one even on planes – and refill it when you get the chance. Moisturize your skin morning and night and you will feel fresher and more relaxed.
Freshen your face
Looking after the skin on your face is particularly important when you’re sleeping odd hours and flying. It helps to reduce the visible signs of fatigue. Simple moist wipes are a great way to clean yourself up and feel better, no matter where you are. Apply an aloe vera gel to make skin feel soft, fresh and fully hydrated, helping to soothe irritation. Thin cucumber slices placed on your eyelids for a few minutes while you sit back may seem old fashioned but are a very effective way to prevent the development of dark circles around the eyes, and it’s easy and cheap to get cucumber in most places.
Care for your hair
If you have an established hair care routine that’s working for you, you won’t want to disrupt it when you’re traveling. The increasingly popular Viabrance system needs to be used continually if it’s to help with hair regrowth and keep the rest of your hair looking thick and healthy, as explained on the official Viabrance Facebook page. Viabrance products are worth prioritizing when packing your suitcase because they provide for many different aspects of hair care, limiting the number of products you’ll need overall. Don’t forget to take a good brush, however – it’s essential to any serous hair care routine and you’ll need it to smarten yourself up quickly if you’re sleeping in odd places.
Get enough sleep – or the next best thing
Not getting enough sleep can have unpleasant effects on your health and your looks, so make it a priority when you’re planning. If you need to wake up after too little sleep, fruit juice will leave you less fatigued over time than caffeinated drinks. Take a good quality eye mask and ear plugs with you so that you can tune out on long journeys and remember that even if you can’t get to sleep, rest is still good for you. Some people find that listening to gentle music or ambient sound helps them rest more effectively.
Pack smart
There may be a lot of health and beauty products you want to take with you but when you’re traveling you can only carry so much, so be smart about it and decant products into smaller containers where practicable. Don’t fill containers completely if they’re going in the hold of a plane as pressure changes may cause problems if you do. Use travel sized products if you can get them and be aware of the way you can use fruits, vegetables and herbs that are easy to find as you travel as a stand-in solution. For instance, ordinary olive oil is a great treatment for dry, irritated skin – just massage it in and then gently wipe away any residue a few minutes later.
Carry healthy snacks
Living on junk food doesn’t do anybody’s health any good and you can’t keep chilled snacks when you’ve traveling so find healthy dry ones that you like and keep some with you wherever you go. Dried fruit, nuts, flapjacks, seaweed thins, cereal bars and seitan jerky are all practical options. If you can’t eat in your usual pattern, having multiple small meals is better for you than eating lots at once at unusual times.
Plan for your destination
Remember that the health and beauty products you will need will vary depending on your destination. if it’s going to be a lot drier than home, you’ll need a more powerful moisturizer. If it’s going to be hotter, you’re likely to sweat more, so you’ll need products that draw excess oil out of your skin even if you don’t normally use them. Planning in advance will help to ensure that you look your best wherever you are.
To read more on topics like this, check out the travel category.
