Skincare And Packing Tips From The Expert Traveler

Traveling is one of the greatest joys in life.

And by doing something you enjoy, you perform the ultimate act of self-care and contribute to your well-being. Travel has been proven to have major psychological benefits:

• Time away can increase your energy and productivity.
  
  
• It helps your brain function better and increases your creativity, which in turn helps you think more deeply and move swiftly between different ideas.
  
  
• It helps you to become a better version of yourself. As Mark Twain once said: “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.”
  
  
• According to this study, travel can make you 7% happier.

Alas, figuring out the details of the upcoming trip can be rather stressful. When you are tense, your body releases stress hormones like cortisol, which can exert negative effects on overall skin wellness, and exacerbate some skin conditions. The last thing anybody wants is acne or rosacea to flare up a day before departure. So how can you make light work of preparing for the trip?

Naturally, the best way to do something as efficiently and stress-free as possible is to ask an expert. We are fortunate enough to have our very own expert traveler - AKT Therapy founder Janushka Auermann. As a private chef and flight attendant, Janus traveled to Mexico, Cannes, Paris, London, St. Tropez, LA, Miami, Sardinia, Capri, and many more destinations. With a record like this, she knows a thing or two about streamlining the experience and minimizing travel-related stress factors. So let’s dive into it and learn how the pro does it.

Pack smart, not hard.

What you pack is, of course, determined by your destination. But in the spirit of the upcoming spring and summer seasons, let's talk about packing for a tropical vacation.

The main idea is to maintain your regular skincare routine with as few products as possible. Versatility is the name of the game.

Here is how Janus keeps her item list small but mighty:

Beauty products

• Rad Face Oil is a great lightweight moisturizer and can be used as a cleanser with enzymatic exfoliating effects. What’s more, you can apply it to the hair ends to combat frizz.
  
  
• After Sun Botanical Toner will help your skin to stay hydrated in the extreme dryness of the aircraft cabin, and keep you refreshed in the tropical heat.
  
  
• Elemental Sun Balm protects you from UV rays and keeps your complexion looking flawless.
  
  
• Bronzer, RMS Eye Polish in Utopia, and color palette will get the most out of your looks and cut down on luggage.

TIP: before you even start packing, check the luggage requirements with your travel security authorities (CATSA, TSA, etc.)

Garments

Meditation, mindfulness, and other wellness practices help to maintain stronger mental health. For Janus, this means including hiking and yoga in most vacations. She packs multi-use interchangeable pieces that work well with each other.

• Short yoga shorts and sports bra, white runners, black sandals. Oversized white linen shirt doubles as a cover-up and pairs with black leggings. And of course, a sexy slip dress that won’t wrinkle in your luggage!

A simple color palette helps to maximize the number of outfits for the clothes you’re bringing. Anything can be worn with anything else.

• Janus’s swimwear line of choice is classic, sexy, and edgy Dos Gardenias. Their designs are created with earth-conscious materials and sold separately so you can create silhouettes to best complement your body type.

Must-have accessories

• Janus always travels with her large cashmere scarf. She uses it as a trow, an evening wrap, a headscarf to sleep on the plane, etc.
  
  
• Eco-friendly Cellulose Acetate hair clip is indispensable in hot weather and when you want to transition your look from day to night.
  
  
• Hair towel doubles as a yoga towel
  
  
• Favorite perfume

Have a game plan.

As you are on vacation, your goal, we are sure, is to have a good time and maximize your experience. The last thing you want is to waste precious time on googling places to visit and figuring out what to do. So spend a little time planning and prioritizing what you want to experience. It will give your adventure a structure, help things go smoothly while keeping it interesting. Janus’s go-to formula is to source a great coffee shop, yoga studio, and a museum or some local attraction. This simple strategy makes her feel grounded in a new place and expands her exposure to a selection of people and local areas.

If you tend to follow the call of your wanderlust and often end up on multi-destination trips, we have a tip for you. To avoid the pressure of deadlines and give herself more flexibility, Janus never books return flights. Instead, she leaves her flights open, and shops around for the best deals later.

Any time can be self-care time.

Sometimes circumstances throw a wrench in your plans. Bad traffic, missed flights, and layovers. We’ve all been there. Rather than stewing in frustration, Janus uses times like these to decompress. She recommends renting an airport pod and grabbing a nap. Sleeping is a way for your body to rejuvenate itself, rebuild its collagen, and repair damage from UV exposure, reducing wrinkles and age spots.

Not in the habit of taking naps? No problem. Nowadays, many airports have yoga or silent rooms. Meditation lowers the level of cortisol and minimizes the body's inflammatory response to stress. It can improve your skin barrier, smooth out your complexion, and reduce breakouts. Every 30 minutes of meditation is the equivalent of nearly 3 hours of sleep. Meditation sessions can help you to adjust your internal clock and reboot circadian rhythms.
Try these simple tips on your next trip, and let us know what you think. Bon voyage!