Flawless look on the go!

Whether you travel in winter, you need more skin care cosmetics. Travelling light is an advantage, so you need items that are compact and portable. Get yourself a spacious shoulder bag and two small, plastic lined cases, for your toilet and makeup. Before setting out on your journey, take care of a few grooming needs. Have your manicure, pedicure and hairstyling done, so that all you need is “touching up” while you are away. In winter, it may be a good idea to deep condition your hair, before your journey, in order to protect it.

Sunscreen
During a winter vacation, or travelling to a cold country, may mean that you spend more time in the sun. So remember to take along a sunscreen and moisturiser. An anti-tan sunscreen would be good. Apply it 20 minutes before sun exposure. If you are out in the sun for more than 30 minutes, reapply the sunscreen. This means that you should carry it with you. Exposure to the sun, wind, or cold can really dry out the skin and can even cause irritation and sensitivity.

So, moisturiser, hand cream, lip balm and nourishing cream are important. The hands and lips can also suffer from dryness. Apply moisturising cream or hand cream on the hands two or three times and massage it into the skin. Also, take your cleanser, because you will need to remove all the dust and grime that has collected during the day, while you have been out of doors.

Cleanse at night and apply nourishing cream, massaging it on the face for a few minutes. Wipe off excess cream with moist cotton wool before bedtime. Moisturise your skin daily too, so that you replenish the moisture loss.

If there is excessive sun exposure, or sun burn, just apply cold milk using cotton wool. It helps to soothe sun damaged skin. Remember to take a scarf or hat along to protect your hair from over-exposure to the sun, as well as from wind and dust.

Hair
A short hairdo that you can just brush and arrange is best, but if you have long hair, take along a headband and hair clips, to keep your hair tidy.

For the hair, take along a mild herbal shampoo, conditioner or hair serum, a plastic shower cap, towels, a comb with large, wide teeth. First wash the hair with very little shampoo. Dilute it with a little water and then apply. Rinse thoroughly with water. For more convenience, you can take along a “Dry Shampoo”. It is convenient to use when one is in a hurry to cleanse the hair, or when you are travelling and have less time to wash the hair. Along with this, you can carry a leave-on conditioner or hair serum.

Skin
A “pick-me-up” face mask can leave your skin clean and glowing. It is a simple of way removing fatigue and refreshing the skin. You may not have time to mix ingredients, so take along a peel-off mask to add a touch of brightness to the skin. Ready-to-use peel-off masks are easily available.

If you are flying, there are more chances of the skin becoming dry and dehydrated. So, drink plenty of water during flights to maintain the water balance of your body. It also helps to keep the skin hydrated. You can have fruit juices, but avoid aerated drinks. Avoid alcohol and too much coffee during the flight, as these can also cause dehydration. Take your moisturiser along and use it during the flight. It helps to prevent moisture depletion and is actually a protection. Moisture is actually the skin’s basic need. This is more so during winter.