10 skin care tips for sensitive skin on holiday to keep your skin flawless
Increased stress, flying, a break in your normal skincare routine and everything else that comes with travelling, can trigger sensitive skin flare ups. Protecting and preserving sensitive skin on holiday is a battle, but with a clear skin care plan and by sticking to certain skincare rules and routines, you can easily keep your skin under control.
Protecting and preserving sensitive skin on holiday is a battle, but with a clear skin care plan and by sticking to certain skincare rules and routines, you can easily keep your skin under control. Following these 10 Skin Saving rules to keep your sensitive skin flawless for your summer holiday.
1. Test run any new skin care products before your holiday
Sensitive skin does not like sudden changes, especially when it comes to skincare products. But, it’s almost impossible to avoid using some new products when you go on holiday. The key is to get your skin used to the new products gradually for up to a week before you leave, by applying a small amount of the new product each day to see how your skin reacts. Try to avoid any unusual skincare activity in the run up to your holiday such as pre-holiday facials, exfoliating and waxing in new areas. If you want to carry out any new skincare or beauty regimes, do them at least once, preferably twice before the final week before your holiday. If you do not frequently use fake tan, avoid using it in the run up to your holiday as reactions to fake tan for people with sensitive skin are very common.
Try to de-sensitise your skin as much as possible in the run up to your holiday by wearing less makeup than normal, try to wear your hair back from your face at night (preferably in a plait), gently cleanse twice a day and switch to a perfume free moisturiser.
Try Skin Shop’s KALME De-sensitising Undercoat for ultra sensitive skin, which can reduce the skin’s sensitivity by up to 70% and can be worn as a stand alone moisturiser and under cosmetics and sun creams.
2. Sensitive Skin Saver - Rule 2: Dress for your skin
On the day of travel and for the first few days of your holiday, dress for your skin and not for fashion. Long periods of sitting in cars, buses, planes and trains can cause a build up of heat and sweat in intimate areas, as well as more general areas, like the face. Rushing around airports and struggling with baggage can also cause chafing due to sweat and heat build up. This can trigger a number of sensitive skin conditions including eczema flare ups, rosacea flare ups, Candida attacks and cold sore breakouts.
Wear cotton underwear as cotton does not easily chafe. Wear breathable and slightly loose clothing and try to under dress rather than be too wrapped up. Sensitive skin is less reactive when cooler; heat tends to increase the risk of flare ups. Jeans, nylon or Lycra leggings, Lycra or acrylic tops, acrylic tracksuits, tight skirts or shorts and thongs can all add to the risk of a skin flare up while travelling. Shower off in cool water without using any soaps or shower gels as soon as you can when you get to your final destination. In addition, try to stick to the same dress code for at least the first day of your holiday while your skin is still adjusting to the new temperature.
3. Sensitive Skin Saver - Rule 3: Hotel skin & hair care products
Simply avoid these products at all costs, even if they do smell nice. People with sensitive skin conditions have a weakened skin barrier, so harsh chemicals in highly perfumed products can get under your skin, as opposed to being washed off. Avoiding hotel products can be inconvenient (especially if you’ve forgotten something while packing), but they are the single most likely thing to set off your skin and possibly ruin your holiday from day one. Try to stay away from the soaps that are provided, especially if you suffer from eczema or psoriasis on your hands, the chemicals in these soaps can be way too harsh on sensitive skin.
We recommend taking travel size supplies of your usual skin and hair care or if you can, head to a supermarket on arrival and stock up on products that you know work with your skin.
4. Sensitive Skin Saver - Rule 4: Protect your skin from foreign bacteria
Put all your skincare and cosmetic products immediately into the mini bar fridge on arrival. This may sound strange, but it is an excellent tip for protecting your skincare products from foreign bacteria. Different places harbour different bacteria and can quickly get into your cosmetics and skincare products, especially if they are warm from travelling. Bacterial skin reactions and flare ups are very common on holiday and even a small amount of foreign bacteria can trigger a chain reaction in sensitive skin. Use a daily natural, anti-bacterial product on your face and on any other vulnerable areas of skin, both on the flight or travelling to your holiday destination and for the entire duration of your stay. But be aware of using harsh anti-bacterial agents that may dry the skin and cause further reductions in strength of your natural skin barrier.
Try Skin Shop’s Silver Serum, a natural anti-bacterial skin serum for very sensitive skin that kills the bad bacteria, but preserves the good skin bacteria that helps keep skin healthy and strong.
5.Sensitive Skin Saver - Rule 5: Shower skin regularly
Even if your skin does not react to chlorine from the pool the first few times, chances are, it might eventually. You should shower off your skin and hair in cool clean water immediately after contact with chlorine from pools or hot tubs etc. Preferably, then moisturise with your normal cream immediately after showering, if at all possible. In addition, if you are swimming in the sea, try not to let salt dry on the skin as this can have a very dehydrating and abrasive effect on sensitive skin. A good tip is to take a bottle of tap water and a flannel or cloth with you to rinse or wipe down your skin after going in the sea.
6. Sensitive Skin Saver - Rule 6: Know your weak spots
Even if you only have breakouts or flare ups a few times a year, it’s highly likely that one of those times will be on your summer holiday. So, know what your skin’s weak spots are, and try and prepare them in advance of your holiday. The most common skin conditions that may be dormant for several months but can be triggered by a summer holiday are cold sores, Candida and eczema. Start using protective and preventive treatments on affected areas of skin for 3-4 days before your holiday.
For cold sores, try using Skin Shop’s Liquorice Balm twice daily on lips, proven by the Herpes Virus Association to help prevent both the frequency and severity of cold sore outbreaks.
For Candida, which is even more likely if women are having their periods prior or during the holiday, perform an anti-Candida douche for four days prior to your holiday.
A simple anti-candida douche recipe:
To 200ml of tepid water, add one teaspoon of acidophilus powder or contents of two capsules (available from pharmacies) and 30ml of apple cider vinegar (to improve the pH balance of the vagina) into an empty and clean squeezable sauce bottle and squirt the contents into the vagina as a vaginal rinse. For men, put the same recipe into a glass and dangle the penis into it and soak for 10 minutes. As an additional precaution take an acidophilus supplement for 2-weeks prior to your holiday and avoid using tampons on the run up or during your holiday.
7. Sensitive Skin Saver - Rule 7: Detox your skin
Most people detox AFTER their holiday over indulgences but for sensitive skin, detoxing BEFORE you holiday is far more preferable for keeping skin stronger during the holiday.
[quote] One week free from alcohol and a reduction in carbohydrates and excessive sugar can give skin a protective boost before a holiday.[/quote]
Also most people try and drink more water while on holiday due to dehydration but in fact real hydration takes longer than a few days to work. It’s highly beneficial to skin prone to dryness to begin increased water intake for 3-4 days before your holiday begins.
8. Sensitive Skin Saver - Rule 8: Don’t wash or rinse flushed or red skin with cold water
Most people detox AFTER their holiday, but for sensitive skin, detoxing BEFORE your holiday is far more preferable for keeping skin stronger during the holiday. One week free from alcohol, a reduction in carbohydrates and excessive sugar can give skin a protective boost before a holiday. Also, most people try and drink more water while on holiday due to dehydration, but in fact real hydration takes longer than a few days to work. It’s highly beneficial to skin prone to dryness to begin increased water intake for 3-4 days before your holiday begins.
If you suffer from rosacea or very flushed or prickly skin in the heat, try to avoid the temptation of frequently splashing your face with cold water. The sudden temperature changes from hot to cold can actually make rosacea even worse. A very helpful investment is a paper fan, gently fanning flushed skin is the most effective way to gradually bring down redness along with your usual rosacea skin care routine. Avoid washing or cleansing your skin with water when you carry out your morning or night time skincare routine. Foreign water can be full of chlorine and other chemicals that can exacerbate rosacea and sensitive skin, making skin drier.
Instead, practice water-free cleansing to remove dirt and sun creams, which will clean skin while keeping the temperature consistent and keep skin hydrated. Try KALME Water-Free Cleanser that is free from chemicals and perfumes.
9. Sensitive Skin Saver - Rule 9: Be SPF savvy
Sun creams are a necessary evil on holiday as they are needed to protect skin from UV damage, but are often very irritating for sensitive skin. Only choose sun creams that are suitable for sensitive skin, but be aware that many sun creams can become more ‘reactive’ when in direct sunlight or when the surface of the skin heats up. Try a small period of exposing the cream to the sun with a patch test on a sensitive area of your skin before covering your whole face or body in it. The inside of the wrist or back of the neck are good places. Expose your wrist or neck to the sun for 5-10 minutes and check there is no burning or itching.
Look for zinc in sunscreen
Sun creams are also greasier than normal face creams and pores can be blocked quickly leading to acne breakouts. Zinc, which is a natural sun block, can actually be beneficial for acne, so try and seek our sun creams that contain natural zinc oxide blocks if your skin is prone to acne.
Try Skin Shop’s Silver Serum under a zinc based sunblock for skin prone to acne. You can quickly build up an intolerance to sun creams with a sudden increase in use, leading to allergic reactions and flare ups. So the less time you have the sunscreen on the better, so avoid applying cosmetics in the morning that contain SPF factors. Only apply the sunscreen just before you are going into the sun, and try to remove all cosmetics with a cleanser before applying it. As soon a sun exposure is over, remove sun cream with a water-free and perfume-free cleanser and clean, organic cotton pads.
10. Sensitive Skin Saver - Rule 10: Be aware of two irritating ingredients in your holiday skincare proudcts
Skincare experts have highlighted two ingredients in common skincare and haircare brands that can trigger severe allergic skin reactions. Symptoms, which can be immediate or build up gradually over time, include; skin and scalp burning, redness, itching, swelling, blistering, flaking and blotching. People with eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis and rosacea are particularly at risk of an allergic reaction to these two ingredients. The two preservatives, permitted for use in skincare in 2005, are called Methylisothiazolinone (MI) and Methylchloroisothiazolinone/Methylisothiazolinone (MCI/MI).
MI or MCI are present in major skincare brands including; Nivea, Dove, St Ives, Clarins, L’Oreal, Piz Buin Sun Creams and many more. So, check the labels of any of your holiday skin care products you are purchasing and avoid any with either of these two ingredients in them.
Follow our tips and have a stress-free holiday
Refer to our website for more information regarding sensitive skin conditions. Skin Shop wishes you a great holiday.
