While most travelers will tell you the best part of a trip is the beginning—the lead-up to takeoff and the official arrival—I find there’s something equally enjoyable and incredibly comforting about the end. The moment you come home, set your bags down, and begin the process of post-travel decompressing.
Because traveling, particularly in airplanes, zaps the moisture out of our skin and hair, this after-the-trip time is ideal for a little TLC in the form of hydrating hair products and skincare essentials. As someone who flies anywhere from three to four times a month and revels in a beauty routine, I’ve made a ritual of cleansing, exfoliating, and moisturizing each time I return home. Not only does it provide a much-needed moment of mindfulness, but it also keeps my skin and hair healthy and soft despite my frequent travel.
After two years of research and way too much money spent on drugstore favorites, high-end luxuries, and any new brand that swore it would change my life, I found a line-up that leaves my hair and skin feeling like I just left a salon and spa—rather than a dry airplane cabin. Below, the eight products I use for an extra boost of moisture and rejuvenation after every trip.
Hydrating skin products
Dr. Barbara Sturm enzyme cleanser
As someone with sensitive skin, I’m a stickler for washing my face every night and exfoliating a couple of times a week. If I’m attempting to keep my toiletry bag light, though, I’ll opt for just a gentle cleanser and leave this exfoliating cleanser at home. When that’s the case, my pores are more than ready for a thorough removal of any lingering dry skin, makeup, pollution, and other impurities I picked up during my travels. A powder that turns into a foam with lukewarm water, the enzyme cleanser leaves my face fresh and prepped for a rich moisturizer.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic cream moisturizer
A thick face moisturizer is a nighttime non-negotiable, especially in the winter or after a day of airports and airplanes. Made with hyaluronic acid, the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream is a treat for my skin after exfoliation. It’s on the pricier side, $64 for a 1-ounce jar, so I use it sparingly, applying only when my face is basically begging for hydration. Even if I’m jet-lagged and exhausted, I’ll wake up the next morning with glowing, plump skin
Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask
There’s a reason the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask is on every travel editor’s must-have list: It’s the ultimate cure for chapped lips. Don’t let the product name fool you, though, you don’t have to wait until bedtime to swipe on this mask. I use it in the morning, during the day, or whenever my lips are feeling dry. It’s thicker and stickier than a lip balm, and you only need a light layer to see results.
Aquaphor Healing Ointment
If you, like me, experience a bout of eczema every now and then, Aquaphor Healing Ointment can be a savior. After a particularly travel-heavy summer, I started to notice small patches of extra-dry skin on my face and body. Only after my dermatologist recommended Aquaphor did I begin to experience relief. Even if you don’t have eczema, Aquaphor works wonders on dry, cracked skin, hands, feet, and chapped lips.
Nécessaire The Body Exfoliator
My post-travel shower routine wouldn’t be complete without this eucalyptus body scrub. The combination of Bamboo Charcoal, AHA/Glycolic Acid, and BHA/Salicylic Acid has transformed the keratosis pilaris (also known as “chicken skin”) on my arms, and it helps prepare my skin for the next step of the hydration process: body lotion and oil.
Zents Age-Defying Probiotic hand and body lotion
I discovered Zents during a trip to Miraval Austin Resort & Spa, and since then, it’s been my go-to when I’m in the mood for something a bit more luxurious. The body lotion is made with probiotic peptides that work to make skin “appear more refined, smooth, and youthful,” and it comes in a variety of scents—including Earth, Water, and Sun. Water is my favorite, and whenever I use it, I’m immediately transported to the serenity and calmness of the Texas Hill Country wellness retreat.
Hydrating hair products
K18 hair mask
A full-body moisturizing routine also includes my hair—and if you keep up with viral beauty products, it should come as no surprise that the K18 Hair Mask is on this list. The most recent addition to my bathroom shelves, the leave-in treatment works to repair any damage from heat, bleach, and color or chemical services. I use it for general maintenance and to bring my highlighted hair back to life after days spent in and out of hotel rooms. While I have curly, color-treated hair, it’s designed to work on all hair types
Fulton & Roark Formula 5 oil
The last step of my moisturizing routine is a touch of Fulton & Roark’s Formula 5 oil. The multi-purpose product can be used on both skin and hair, and I like to apply the lightweight oil to areas where I need it most: my elbows, the ends of my hair, and my knuckles and cuticles. The brand’s fragrances are created to evoke “a distinct sense of atmosphere and occasion,” and the Kiawah scent allows me to reminisce on some of my favorite travel memories: summers spent exploring the South Carolina island’s beaches and bike trails.
