Carole Nelson BrownLast week, I shared my travel tips for packing with carry on only. Now I will share some of my tips on taking care of your skin, your hair. It’s all about protecting yourself from extensive sun damage.
It’s really important to take extra care of your skin and hair when you are travelling to a beach destination. Sun, salt water, chlorine all take a toll but there are products as well as behaviours that can minimize that. Sunscreen is great. Sunscreen and a wide brimmed hat is better.
Before you go:
Self tanner – subtle using self tanning moisturizer like Jurgens Natural Glow to build up a bit of colour or get out the buff glove and slap on a fake tan. Of course you can also get a spray tan but that is for the bravest among us.
I had a good experience with Tan On The Run who sent a tech to my house to spray tan my sister and I before a trip to Mexico. The technician comes with a pop up tent and sprays you in the comfort of your own home. It didn’t cost much more than going to a tanning spot and I didn’t have to wander around looking like an oompah loompah in a g-string in public.
Boscia Fruit Acid Smoothing Foot Peel with plant-based alcohol about 2 weeks before your trip. It will restore you feet to their tenderest of baby foot status and it’s a hell of a lot of fun if, like me, you enjoy a good skin peel. Yeah, I could just get a pedicure but this is way more fun!
Hair
I love A Walk In The Sun Hair Oil and UV/Heat protection spray – I take that as well the shampoo/conditioner/restore cream. I wrote about the whole line here if you want to know more.
On ocean swimming days, I use the hair oil first, then I spray with the UV/Heat spray and then I braid it. When I am not actually swimming I wear a hat to protect my hair and my face. For non beach days I just use the spray. The shampoo/conditioner/masque combo help keep my hair soft and managable and help me keep my colour treated hair in tip top shape.
For the Face and Body
Look for water safe products if you are going to enjoy a coral reef or other fragile water eco system. Canadian brand Stoic Beauty fits the bill perfectly. This Morning Mist gives your skin a light exfoliating before you apply your moisturizer and SPF. I am going to grab on of their Body Butters for my trip too.
Splurge on your face if you have sensitive skin and try something like EltaMD UV Clear Broad Spectrum SPF 46 and go cheaper on your body. Sun Bum OG SPF 30 face stick is vegan and reef friendly and what I use. I also use Sun Bum sunscreen for the body but I have skin like a tank. Just try to find something that your skin likes, that has the level of SPF you need and is reef friendly, if possible.
If you need a bit of skin coverage, you might want to consider a tint with SPF like Smashbox Halo Healthy Glow with SPF25. It’s kind of shimmery too so, again, really plays up a sun kissed vibe.
Always remember that unless you are travelling to a remote area, you can also buy products when you get to your destination. Maybe take the essentials but then you can buy a big bottle of body cream locally. I discovered my favourite brand of hand cream in Lisbon this way and I still use my Benamore products to this day.
If you have oily skin, grab a pack of blotting papers like these Green Tea Boscia linens
Useful Stuff
travel size containers for your liquids, creams and pastes if you don’t have travel sizes of your fave products. I use these Morfone containers and haven’t had any problems yet.
Think banana Clips, elastics, a scarf and some hair pins. Instead of washing your hair every day after swimming, throw that hair up in a banana clip, make a messy bun with your stray, curly, salty strands spilling out. Wrap a pretty scarf around your head. You are the beach so stop blow drying and washing the bejesus out of your poor hair. Go with it.
Wear sunglasses. For the first time in my life, I have multiple options because I bought a pair of Pair glasses after seeing them non stop on Instagram. They are the bomb. I now have a great pair of glasses with progressive lenses and an array of toppers that turn them into sunglasses.
If, like me, you have an expensive prescription, consider buying a pair of these and avoid paying hundreds of dollars for prescription sunglasses. I paid about $500 CND for these glasses with progressive lenses and four toppers. I have since bought more toppers because I am in love with them. Basically, I now have about 6 pairs of coloured glasses and three pairs of prescription sunglasses.These have been life changing for me.
Finally, take a hat. Buy a hat when you get there. Wear that hat during daylight hours unless you are actually swimming. Take a long sleeve, linen shirt to throw on over your sundresses, tank tops and bathing suit. You will get more than enough sun. I take at least two long sleeve linen shirts with me and they are worn constantly.
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