Beat Jet Lag: A Guide to Travel Beauty

April 11, 2016

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The last thing you want to worry about when you arrive to your vacation destination is the state of your skin and it’s no secret that a long day of travel can take a toll. We asked celebrity facialist and Salon owner Joanna Vargas (her clients include Julianne Moore, Naomi Watts and Helena Christensen) to share her tips for keeping your skin glowing despite jet lag. Now all you have to think about is what to pack!

How should you prep your skin before
you board a flight?

Pre-flight it's always good to be exfoliated. That way the products you apply during the trip penetrate better. I would never do a retinol pre-flight because it will dry you out even more. Also I never get on board with makeup on. I leave my skin bare for the trip so I can apply skincare throughout the flight. I apply makeup as we land if I have somewhere to go immediately stepping off the plane.

Joanna Vargas, photo by Skye Parrot

What beauty products are in your carry-on?

I always pack cleansing wipes for my face to kick off my on-board treatment. I follow with collagen under eye patches and a stem cell sheet mask on top for 15 minutes. Then I remove the mask and spend two minutes penetrating the serum into the skin. Next I apply my Daily Serum, Rejuvenating Serum, Daily Hydrating Cream and Revitalizing Eye Cream [available soon]. I do this whole routine every time I get on a plane to LA midway through so my skin feels bright and restored.

I also tend to bring Dr. Lipman's Recharge for a mid-flight boost – all the greens help keep me hydrate and replenished more than just plain water.

What products should you use once you land
to beat jet lag?

When you arrive at destination, exfoliate to get dead skin cells off the skin. It helps you to look refreshed for a business meeting or to go out. My Exfoliating Mask contains Lactic Acid and Volcanic Ash to draw out impurities, dirt and oil from your pores, as well as Galactoarabinan, which is derived from the larch tree and causes mega cell turnover and skin lightening. It's also an anti-inflammatory, so it's great for even the most sensitive skin.
A good cleanser and a serum are the two must-have essential products you can’t leave home without. Nothing throws your skin off like substituting your cleanser with a bar of soap. Facial cleansers are made for the delicate skin on the face, the formulas are pH balanced. My Vitamin C Face Wash is great as an exfoliating cleanser that even removes make up.

Another great thing to do while traveling after you land is to have a big salad with lots of avocado. Avocado hydrates from the inside out and the salad will help oxygenate your skin so it functions properly while you’re away. I want every woman to know that greens – eating them, taking them in vitamin form or in a product will 100% transform your skin in a matter of days.

If I have a client who doesn’t eat salad or drink green juices, I tell them to go to whole foods and buy liquid chlorophyll. It tastes like mint, it oxygenates the skin and works from the inside out to keep the skin healthy and glowing. You will see a huge difference in your skin in a matter of days!