Many of you on Instagram expressed that you’d be interested in a skincare travel essentials post, so here it is! I’ve been in Phuket for the last week with my family and it has been the most amazing time. We are staying at Iniala Resort, which is an all-inclusive villa-based resort that is seriously the vacation home of my dreams. More on that in a later post Today I’m going to round up my skincare travel essentials for you guys.
Daytime:
- My mornings are pretty darn simple. I start with the Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day serum, a new solution I’ve been testing out that contains L-ascorbic and ferric acids, vitamin E, and antioxidants. Since I’m outdoors all day, I need all the antioxidant help I can get to reduce environmental stressors on my skin!
- Then I put on my favorite La Roche-Posay Anthelios Ultra-Light Tinted Mineral Sunscreen in SPF 50 (this is also my daily sunscreen at home in NYC). This gives both sun protection and light coverage in place of foundation
- In Phuket I’ve been popping a pill of Heliocare daily. Heliocare is a once-a-day oral supplement that contains Polypodium leucotomos fern extract. It works to protect the skin through its antioxidant properties, driven mainly by caffeic acid and ferulic acid. In a human study published in 2017, researchers found a decrease in UVB-induced changes in 17 of 22 subjects post-Heliocare administration; histology findings demonstrated such a decrease under the skin in all 22 subjects. Since I’ve been doing a lot of water sports this week I’ve been taking one Heliocare capsule per day.
- I use the fresh sugar tinted lip treatment in rose with SPF 15 while I’m out and about for a rosy sheer tint on my lips
- Don’t forget to reapply sunscreen throughout the day, every 2 hours! This goes without saying but I’m always rocking sunnies and a large hat whenever I’m outdoors (unless I’m in the pool or ocean!)
Nighttime:
- I haven’t been wearing much makeup here since I’m constantly in the water, but if I am wearing makeup I remove all traces with a Neutrogena makeup remover wipe (more on removing makeup the right way here).
- I wash my face with the CeraVe hydrating cleanser nightly and then a few times a week I’ll switch to the Cetaphil extra gentle facial scrub (not pictured) for a bit of exfoliation.
- On the plane and right after the long plane ride, nothing works better for instant hydration than a treatment with the SkinCeuticals HA Intensifier followed by the SkinCeuticals triple lipid restore. My skin always is dry and irritated after plane rides so this SkinCeuticals combination does wonders. While I’ve been in Thailand, where it’s very humid, I opt for a lighter moisturizer; lately I’ve been loving the Drunk Elephant lala retro whipped cream. This contains antioxidants like green tea and several types of African oils to gently hydrate the skin.
- My friend Mitalee gifted me the nuxe Reve de Miel lip balm, which is an ultra nourishing shea butter based lip treatment. I put it on at night before I go to sleep and wake up the next morning with soft non-chapped lips!
That’s what I’m using right now! Everything is travel-sized and easy to pack. Leave your skincare travel essentials below!
Jenn says
When we traveled to Scotland for our honeymoon, I made sure my husband packed a bottle of the CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser so he could wash off the sunscreen we wore at the end of the day. Well, when we went through security on our way home, he forgot to take his toiletries out of his bag, and he got flagged for extra security. When the security agent went to open the CeraVe to inspect it, it was apparently slightly pressurized and ended up squirting out at the agent when he popped the top! So definitely be aware that this packaging isn’t terribly robust to pressure changes.
Joyce says
Oh wow, I haven’t had that happen before! Thanks for sharing
Dr. Kumar Sukhdeo says
You’re underdosing your Heliocare; and it wears off within 2-3 hours of taking.
Joyce says
Hi Kumar, the heliocare bottle says to take one capsule daily as a dietary supplement, but you’re right in the sense that studies testing its efficacy and safety were dosed at 240 mg twice daily. I couldn’t find data on how long it stays in the system or have effects; would love to see that information
sophie deng says
Hi Dr. Joyce, I heard people saying that Vitamin D supplement is needed when taking Heliocare antioxidant formula. is that true?
Joyce says
Hi Sophie, the Heliocare pills help to lessen UV induced damage in the skin. Studies show it has an approximate spf of 3, which is way lower than sunscreen. I generally tell people that vitamin D can be obtained through diet and moderate sunshine, since most people are not using enough sunscreen or applying as often enough to completely block out 100% of UVB radiation. As one of my attendings put it, you only need a small amount of sun to make all the vitamin D you need. Bottom line: just because you use sunscreen or heliocare, it doesn’t mean you automatically need vitamin D supplements. But if your doctor checks you and finds you’re severely deficient, then taking supplements is way safer than relying on UVB alone. Check this link for more: https://www.skincancer.org/healthy-lifestyle/vitamin-d/make-vitamin-d-not-uv-a-priority
Andrea says
The article is dated, from 2008.
Layla says
Hi Dr. Joyce, I have just started my skin care routine, as I didn’t have one before, and was wondering when using an SPF on your face and neck, what to start with, SPF or moisturizer?
Joyce says
Moisturizer on the bottom, sunscreen on top!
Karen says
HI!
I am headed to Bali and normally use Skinceuticals CE Ferulic in the mornings. I keep the bottle in my refrigerator and am hesitant to bring it since it’s about 24 hrs of travel and the product is so expensive I worry about reducing its efficacy. Do you think the Drunk Elephant serum would hold up better or it’s probably fine to take the Skinceuticals bottle with me?
Joyce says
Hello, great question! Refrigeration helps slow degradation of all Vitamin C products; the best thing to do when traveling may be to put a small amount into a separate tube for use while on vacation. If you’d rather take the bottle then I’d take the more affordable bottle and leave the CE Ferulic at home in the fridge!
Sofia Marcos says
Hi Dr. Joyce. What are your thoughts on Cerave moisturizing cream. Have you tried it yet? do you think it’s a good night cream? Thanks.
Joyce says
Hi Sofia, I am a fan of Cerave!
sofia marcos says
Hi Dr. what are your thoughts on Cerave moisturizing cream? And what is the best body lotion for eczema.
Joyce says
Hi Sofia, I like CeraVe moisturizing cream a lot and I buy it for my husband who suffered from eczema as a child and still has dry skin. For really dry eczema prone skin I like thick creams that come out of a jar as opposed to a pump bottle.
Gail says
Can you please recommend a non-invasive procedure which will tighten my sagging neck and jowl area?