With the change of season it’s important to make swaps in your beauty bag, not just your closet. From winter winds, the freezing temperatures, low humidity and dry indoor heat, everything from your skin to hair is screaming for a little extra TLC. Throw airplane travel into the mix and it’s easy to feel as dry as the Sahara. Whether you’re heading south, to the slopes or a quick weekend getaway, remember to pack these beauty essentials in your carry-on so you can look and feel your best the entire trip.
1. Moisturizing Lip Balm
Dry, cracked lips. Need we say more? Keep you lips looking and feeling smooth with a nourishing lip balm. If you do end up getting some dry flakes, our fast fix is using a good ‘ol toothbrush to slough off the dead skin for a quick exfoliation. Just be sure to keep applying your lip balm on the regular.
Our favourites: Fresh Sugar Advanced Therapy Lip Treatment, $25, sephora.ca; Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Balm in Quenched, $4.49, ulta.com
2. Heavy Duty Hand Cream
It’s pretty much impossible to escape dry hands in the winter and when you’re washing your hands constantly (to keep germs at bay), it only adds to the dryness. Our favourite hand creams are ones that are very moisturizing, but aren’t greasy.
Our favourites: Kiehl’s Ultimate Strength Hand Salve, $18, kiehls.ca; L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream 30ml, $12, loccitane.com
3. Hydrating Face Mask
After a flight, do yourself a favour and take 15 minutes in your hotel to re-hydrate with a super moisturizing sheet mask. Ideal after any travel, it’s even more important to add to your routine in the winter. On a ski trip? Throw an extra one in a do a second mask after Day 2 of hitting the slopes. Your skin will thank you.
Our favourites: Tony Moly I’m Real Coconut Face Mask Sheet, $9, sephora.ca; Life Brand Hydrating Face Mask, $1.99, available at Shoppers Drug Mart
4. Nourishing Face Serum
In the summer most people can get away with just a serum or just a moisturizer. Come winter, the rules change. Add an extra layer of hydration by putting a serum under your daily moisturizer. Oily or combination skin suffers shouldn’t fear it either. Often breakouts are caused by not enough moisture in the first place.
Our favourites: Skin Essence Organics Nourish Moisturizer Serum, $32, well.ca; F. Miller Face Oil, $74, cureapothecary.com
5. SPF for Your Face
It’s so easy to forget to slather on the SPF when it’s grey and cloudy out. But surprise! The sun is still there to cause damage (ahem, wrinkles). You need it more when you’re on the hills too because at the high altitudes the atmosphere is thinner and filters less UV light, increasing your risk of sunburn. Plus the sun’s reflection on the snow means you’re getting hit from another direction.
Our favourites: La Roche-Posay Anthelios Ultra-fluid Lotion SPF 60 50ml, $28, available at drug stores nationwide; Consonant The Perfect Sunscreen SPF30 50ml, $45, consonantskincare.com
6. Dry Shampoo
Even more in the winter your hair doesn’t like to washed every day. Skip the suds every other day and freshen up with a dry shampoo. Less time in the shower also means more time at your destination. Bonus!
Our favourites: Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk Natural Tint, $20, sephora.ca; Batiste Travel Size Dry Shampoo, $3.99, ulta.com
7. Vitamin C
The winter and getting sick go hand-in-hand like hot cocoa and marshmallows. One trick to help avoid getting sick and sluggish during travel is by adding a blast of Vitamin C to our water. Not only does it encourage us to drink more H20, the extra vitamins are good for our immunity.
Our favourites: Emergen C in Raspberry, $10.67 for 30 packets, walmart.ca; Eboost in Pink Lemonade, $29.99 for 20 packets, eboost.ca
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