Many people suffer from acne when they are travelling in a different country because they are still trying to get used to a new environment. This is very normal, so there is nothing to worry about. If you are one of these individuals, I have some solutions for you:
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How to deal with acne when you are on vacation:
Acne starts when the sebum produced by the oil glands in the skin becomes clogged in the pores. This situation causes inflammation and triggers bacteria on your skin to get out of control. Usually, it’s exacerbated by various factors.
Don’t panic if this happens to you. Now here’s my advice:
Step 1: Cleanse with a salicylic acid cleanser (no stronger than a 2% concentration). You can find this type of cleanser in local stores when you visit Ukraine. Salicylic acid is a wonderful anti-inflammatory. Make sure there aren’t any other ingredients in your cleanser (avoid glycolic acid, please).
Step 2: Use a separate glycolic acid lotion or cream with a concentration of 9% – this is also available in drugstores when you visit Ukraine. Use this lotion or cream after washing your face with salicylic acid, and leave it on for several minutes. Rinse off with water.
Step 3: Follow with benzoyl peroxide which kills the bacteria safely. If you don’t know where you can find this product in Ukraine, you can ask friendly staff members of hotels in Ukraine. They will try their best to help you. This product shrinks your blood vessels and opens up the pores so that it can penetrate into them to kill the bacteria. You can keep this product in the fridge if your hotel room has a fridge. You may cool your skin by running an ice cube over it first, and then apply the benzoyl peroxide where it is necessary and the use a cold pack for 8 minutes.
If you actually follow this routine, your acne should disappear within a few days. Nevertheless, please stop using this regimen if your skin gets irritated. You can continue to ice your face and try washing with a mild cleanser such as Cetaphil.
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The importance of protecting your skin:
No matter you are a man or a woman, your skin is the biggest organ of your body. That’s why it is extremely important to protect your skin well, especially when you travel internationally – when you are on the plane, the air is very dry, so you would be well-advised to nourish your skin in the right way.
After a double cleanse, take 20 seconds to wipe your skin with a toner or splash with cold water (Some celebrities even dip their faces into a bowl of ice). This action will close all the pores you have just cleaned with your cleanser. At the same time, it can reduce redness and tighten the skin. Next, massage a facial serum into your skin carefully. Leave for several minutes until it’s sunk in completely, and then go for your moisturizer. If this is your skin-care routine in the morning, you may need to add a product which contains SPF in it, even if it’s a cloudy day.
Those who are looking for anti-aging products should look for a mix of peptides plus vitamins A, C and E – products that contain these ingredients can keep your skin from wrinkling by protecting it from harmful pollutants and speeding up internal repair.
That being said, those who have sensitive skin need to be careful: if the irritation or redness is caused by skin sensitivity or irritation, you may use products that include anti-inflammatory ingredients, e.g. green tea and resveratrol. Also, remember to wear sunscreen because the sun makes redness worse. I personally prefer an oil-free sunscreen with both SPF and PA in it because I am not a fan of any tan (SPF prevents the skin from getting hurt; PA prevents the skin from getting darker).
Apart from that, I always use an eye gel or eye serum rather than a thick eye cream because I can’t absorb so much in the eye area. According to my experience, eye treatments containing hyaluronic acid can plump and hydrate the eye area. No matter your age, Elizabeth Arden Anti-aging and Intensive Repair Eye Serum is a good option. And it’s available when you travel in Europe.
“Never ignore your hands. You can have as many face-lifts as you like, but people can always tell your age from your hands. Hence, you might want to apply a hydrating hand cream in the day and a retinol-based serum on your hands at night. According to beauty experts in Ukraine, retinol is a wonderful ingredient which tackles everything from wrinkles to discoloration. But if your skin is very sensitive, you should look for ferulic acid instead.”
