The Best Dry Skin Care Products for Travel
For me, there are few things as irritating as getting off an airplane with my skin feeling dry as hell and looking like a rough kitchen sponge. No, thank you! As someone who has dealt with dry/combo skin for most of my life, I have tried just about every moisturizer, serum, and remedy under the sun to make sure that my skin stays supple and fresh year round (gotta maintain that JLO glow, right?!). But sometimes, the harsh conditions of traveling just can’t help but get in the way.
After years of trials and testing during my travels, I’ve assembled a steady defense of skin care warriors that help me combat even the driest of conditions. These are some of my favorite moisturizers, serums, masks, treatments, sun care, cleansers, and tools to use during travel. Everything listed below is a product that I swear by and have in my travel kit throughout the year to keep my skin at bay from any harsh environment.
Moisturizers + Serums
Drunk Elephant Lala Retro
Another great savior in the winter months. Drunk Elephant has a lot of great, clean products and this is one of the best for dry skin that needs a pick-me-up. Mix this with their Protini Polypeptide Moisturizer to get an extra boost.
First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream
This is like holy grail status for anything you need. Eczema? Check. Dry hands? Check. Great moisturizer? Check. I always have a tube of this in my travel kit because of how versatile it is.
Olehenriksen
C-Rush Gel Crème
If my face is feeling a little dull, this is my go-to moisturizer to give it that hint of brightness that it’s missing. It feels so smooth on the skin and layers really nicely under makeup. They also have a travel size that comes with the eye cream that I love!
Sunday Riley Juno Oil
This is my holy grail moisturizing oil whenever I need year-round nourishment. It is nice and thick, but not too thick that it leaves you feeling like you’ve been standing over a fryer. I also mix a few drops of this in with my foundation if I really need a boost.
Farmacy Honey Grail Oil
Another super thick face oil that will leave your skin hydrated all day long. This one is especially helpful for those long haul flights that make your skin feel like the Sahara Desert.
Youth To The People Superberry Hydrate + Glow Oil
This oil is my go-to whenever I need moisture and glow. It is also packed with antioxidants that nourish the skin throughout the day.
Biossance Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Oil
I’ve been using this oil for years and keep coming back to it throughout the year. I love it because it replenishes my skin and complexion in the winter, but also provides a fresh base when I want to go makeup free in the summer. It is a great year-round oil to keep in your rotation!
Masks + Treatments
Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask
I’m not going to lie… I was very skeptical about this mask before purchasing it. I thought it was just going to be an over-hyped social media trend. Rest assured, it is not. It is actually an incredible mask that can double as a thick moisturizer on your driest days. I’m officially a super fan and swear by it!
YTTP Superberry Hydrate + Glow Dream Mask
This overnight mask packs just as much punch as its counterpart face oil. I love to use this as my final layer of skin care whenever I need a boost of moisture from traveling. Love the Vitamin C and antioxidants it contains as well!
Ren Evercalm Overnight Recovery Balm
This is the best absolute overnight moisturizer to use if you’re dealing with irritation, redness, or dry skin. It is gentle enough for my sensitive skin and has brought me back to life on the harshest winter nights.
Belif Aqua Bomb Sleeping Mask
This is my go-to for repairing my skin during/after any long haul flight. This hydrating overnight mask seriously delivers a straight-up dewy, moisturized complexion that makes me feel like I just spent a day in a tropical climate. Highly recommend this to my fellow dry skin people!
Aquaphor Healing Ointment
This is another catch-all product that is always in my travel kit. I use this on my lips, hands, eczema flare ups, and anywhere else that needs a little soothing touch. This is one of my favorite all purpose treatments for travel!
Tea Tree Oil
If you haven’t gotten the memo yet, Tea Tree Oil is the best natural product to use for blemishes. I’ve been using this holy grail oil since my teenage years and no blemish can stand a chance against it. I do recommend layering it with a moisturizer or oil if your skin is really dry at the time of application. It is fairly inexpensive and you can pick it up anywhere.
Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask
Along with Aquaphor, this is one of my favorite lip moisturizing treatments to use year-round. It plumps, moisturizes, and leaves your lips feeling supple and juicy after every application.
Drunk Elephant Rise + Glow Duo
As someone who deals with hyperpigmentation because of my Latin/olive complexion, using a Vitamin C treatment has really helped to combat any signs of that condition. I love this duo because it gives you the Vitamin C serum along with a hydrating serum so you can get that ultimate moisture barrier. Plus it’s travel size!
SUn care + Cleansers + Tools
Murad City Skin SPF 50++++
As a city dweller, this mineral sunscreen is my top pick for protecting my skin against all types of environmental harshness that I experience on a daily basis. I love this one too because it goes on really smooth underneath my makeup and seems to give me a fresh glow.
Volition Luminizing SPF 50
I love this sunscreen because it provides a subtle glow while protecting my skin. It also layers nicely under makeup and still feels very moisturizing.
It Cosmetics CC+ Cream SPF 50+
This product is like a skin care-meets-makeup gift from the Goddesses above. It is incredible for anyone with dry skin because it offers a dewy, full coverage kind of look, while also giving you the SPF benefits of a powerful sunscreen. You will always find this in my travel kit.
Farmacy Green Clean Balm
This is by far my favorite makeup remover of all time. It takes some getting used to if you’ve never used a balm or oil to remove your makeup, but it’s extremely simple to use. I love this for my dry skin because it doesn’t strip away my natural oils, but it also takes away every last bit of mascara and foundation I have on.
YTTP Superfood Cleanser
If you couldn’t tell by now, I tend to gravitate towards clean brands that pack a punch with their products. This is an excellent gentle cleanser that serves as my second cleanse after I remove my makeup. It also helps to keep your skin’s pH balanced.
Fancii Portable Humidifier
Yes, you read that right: a portable humidifier. This little device is amazing to travel with whenever you’re visiting colder climates or you want to add some moisture back into the air of your dry hotel room. It is super compact and easy to use. I recommend using a Smartwater bottle with it to keep the nozzle in place.
Clarisonic Mia Cleansing Brush
This cleansing brush is a game changer for year-round skin care benefits. I love that the device offers two different cleansing modes so you can switch to whatever your skin needs—especially if it is feeling a little more dry and you don’t want to strip it of its natural oils.
Shiseido Facial Cotton
This product is kind of a splurge for what it is; but I promise once you use it, you won’t want to go back to your old drugstore cotton wipes ever again. These cotton pads are soft on the skin and absorb more liquid that normal pads, which is great to help your products go a long way. I like to cut mine in half so I get double the use of one package.
What are some of your favorite skin care products for traveling? Comment below with more ideas or tips to inspire others!
Disclaimer: Some links listed are affiliate links, which comes at absolutely no cost to you. As an affiliate partner to such websites, including Amazon Associates, I earn from qualifying purchases. All opinions are my own.
