5 Beauty and Wellness Hacks for Travel

Late nights partying, not taking care of your skin, forgetting important steps in your beauty routine: you go on vacation to recharge but often come back looking like you’ve been drug through a hedge backwards. Pictures show you with melting makeup and your clothes don’t fit when you get home. If you want to look your best while you’re away and actually look and feel recharged when you get back, here are five hacks that will keep your wellness and beauty routine intact while you’re away from home.

1. Plan For Your Internal Health

You likely take a handful of supplements and have a regular workout plan when you’re home, but vacation can throw off your whole routine. Keep up the benefits of your supplements with premade packets like the HealthPaks from USANA Health Sciences. Whether you’re home or away, your entire supplement regimen is right at your fingertips, making it easier to stay on track, and they’re easy to pack.

Don’t let your workout regimen suffer while you’re away. Experts suggest that you aim to get at least 50% of your regular workout while you’re on vacation. If your idea of a vacation is a day-long hike through the woods, it’s not a problem, but if you’re more likely to be found in a hammock with a tropical drink, plan your workouts before you leave. Find out what your hotel has for workouts. If you’re someplace without a gym facility use resistance bands and calisthenic workout apps to help guide you in your hotel room. Never overlook the sightseeing value of finding a walking trail close to you. Walking on the beach is a great workout for your legs, rear and torso too. 

2. Get Enough Sleep

The easiest way to schedule your workout and the best way to look and feel refreshed is to schedule your sleep and stick to the schedule. Even if you’re running off to Vegas for the weekend, set yourself a realistic schedule. 

Remember that you may not be aware of the time so set an alarm. Vegas, especially, makes its money by ensuring that you have no idea how long you’ve been gambling. Setting an alarm will keep you from over-imbibing, spending too much money and missing that morning workout you promised yourself. When you sleep regularly you’re also less likely to overindulge in junk food and snacks. Studies have found that people who get four hours of sleep or less per night eat almost a quarter more calories than their well-rested counterparts.

3. Pack Beauty Multitaskers

Wherever possible, simplify your routine. You’ll save space and you’re more likely to use what you have. If you wear makeup, try a multistick that can give you an easy monochromatic look for eyes, cheeks and lips. It’s also less to carry with you for touch ups. That may be a little too simple depending on your tastes. If you’re a full glam girl, use a glowy blush instead of a blush and a highlighter. You might also try using a bronzer that will double as a blush.

Remember that just because a product isn’t marketed as “multi-use” doesn’t mean you can’t use it that way. Lipstick can easily double as blush or eyeshadow. Use a brown eyeshadow to do your brows instead of bringing a separate pencil or pomade. Really consider how much makeup you’ll be using anyway. Days on the beach don’t lend themselves to full glam looks and if you’re traveling to Europe you’ll stand out less as a tourist if you stick to classic basics. 

Invest in a body wash/shampoo combo that you can then move to a travel container. If you use a moisturiser separate from your SPF, buy one that combines both. Consider packing compact hair removal products too, especially if you’re headed somewhere warm where they might come in handy.

4. Use Travel Size

You don’t have to buy travel-size products to use travel-sized packaging. Pop some foundation (stick or liquid), into a contact lens case. Use a travel-size perfume or buy a refillable atomizer so you can take some of your favorite. Decide if you can get along with the hotel-provided amenities and can completely leave your shampoo and conditioner at home. When you pack smaller sizes, you can bring your beauty essentials through airport security without a problem and know that they’ll never get lost in Boston while you’re in New York.

5. Leave the Styling Appliances at Home

Besides shoes, there’s nothing so bulky to pack as styling appliances. Blow dryers are awkward. You can’t pack a curling iron until it’s cool and the new ones have 800 attachments. Instead, rely on the blow dryer provided by the hotel or simply allow your hair to air dry. Wrap damp hair around a headband at night and you’ll wake up with the waves you thought only heat could give you. You’ll come back with healthier hair even after a week at the beach.

So relax. Your vacation will be the recharge you need when you remember to plan and practice self-care no matter where you are.