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Hey Owlets,
I’ve you’ve followed me on Instagram for a while, you will probably have heard me mention that my body confidence is very much linked to how clear my skin is. I know that it shouldn’t matter but it does, and if my skin isn’t clear then I feel self conscious all day. I find that my skin breaks out after I’ve been travelling anyway but I try to keep my skin clear as much as I possibly can in the run up to travel so I can feel great while I’m exploring a new city. With this in mind, I thought it might be helpful to discuss some of the things I use to get my skin ready for my next adventure. To keep things simple I’ll split them into categories so you can skip straight to what you need.
Spot Treatments -
While spot treatments don’t look after my skin as a whole I thought I’d talk about this first because they’re a life saver and one of the things that travel with me in my paired back travel skincare routine. I find my skin breaks out whenever I’m tired or stressed - so basically all the time!
First of all, I love Soap and Glory’s Doctor Spot or the Nivea Clean and Clear (it’s effectively the same thing). They’re both a translucent gel that you put on any spots (it even sort of works on under skin red spots, but it’s not as effective). Alone, the spot gel clears up the spot in 2-5 days depending on the type of spot. However, there is a way to make this even more effective.
I wrote an article a few years ago about my skincare heroes and I mentioned that I swear by Sudocream- nothing has changed. If you have any redness from past blemishes the Sudocream will clear it up almost overnight. The real magic happens when you put the spot gel underneath. If you layer the two products you’re able to get rid of any spots overnight, or a maximum of 3 days if it’s a really stubborn under-skin spot. It’s nothing short of a miracle for acne prone skin!
Moisturisers -
I’ll be honest, I’ve still not quite found the right product but I’m close. My skin usually cycles through the phases of too dry so I add moisturiser, then I get a breakout so I tone down my skincare and then my face gets too try and I start again. For years I’ve sworn by the Clarins Recharge night mask which gets my skin as close to happy as is reasonably possible. I also used the day cream for a while but I don’t find it’s enough for my skin so I use the Recharge morning and night. However, while I was on my last cruise I had an allergic reaction to a makeup removing wipe & I was given some Clinique Moisture Surge to try and I’m converted! I’m yet to buy the full size product but when I do I imagine it will become my new go-to.
Cleansers and Toners -
I’ll be honest, I’m a lazy skincare user so I usually just wash my face and head to bed. If I’m really honest the level of face-washing also depends on my energy levels. However, having found myself in a Caudalie spa in Bruges a few years ago the shop assistant helped fix my skin and recommended some products. I bought a travel size of the foaming cleanser and with clear skin for the first time since I was young just a week later I was absolutely sold - I’m now on my third full size bottle.
Toners aren’t part of my usual routine, but if I’m going through a difficult patch with my skin then they help me bring it back under control. Pixie gave me some of their Retinol collection to try and I became OBSESSED with their Retinol Tonic. I used the whole bottle and would highly recommend it. I haven’t repurchased it because they also sent me a huge bottle of Glow Tonic but if I’m honest Glow Tonic is a little underwhelming when you’ve been used to the magic that is their Retinol Tonic! I don’t have any other favourites in this category because the retinol tonic is the only one that’s worked for me.
Serums/Oils -
Again, lazy skin care user - sorry. I used to love the Caudalie Divine Oil but I don’t think it was actually good for my skin; the person in the Caudalie spa said it was too rich for me and I’ve not used it since!
Once again, I return to Pixi for my skincare on this one. If my skin feels a little dull and lethargic then I reach for the Overnight Retinol Oil and that fixes my skin by the next morning, but I’ve tried the Jasmine Oil Blend and despite rave reviews from everyone else I don’t feel like it does a lot.
Masks -
I promise, this wasn’t meant to be an ad for Pixi but they’re just so spot on with skincare. They’ve given me a few of their masks to try over the years and they ranged from “didn’t do much” to “it’s pretty good”, but they’ve all been gathering dust on my bathroom shelf since they sent me the Hydrating Milky Peel mask. I can’t quite explain to you the difference this mask makes, but I feel like telling you I went and bought a second tube would go some way. After washing the mask off my skin feels smooth, the bumps are gone and it’s so soft. The only draw back is that you can’t use it if you have an active breakout, so….
Enter Neutrogena. The clean and clear face mask is an absolute godsend when your skin just won’t settle down. It’s clay based so can be drying but I only use it on active breakout areas rather than my whole face, to try to minimise the increased dryness. I squeeze a little out to put on any spots then come back 10 minutes later to wash it off and the next day my spots are a lot less red and possibly even gone!
Eye Products-
You’ve probably noticed throughout this that the most expensive product I’ve used is around £20 and that’s because I truly believe you don’t need to break the bank for good skincare. HOWEVER, that went out of the window when I tried the Khiels eye cream. I was given a sample at a blog even when I first started The Owlet, and I’ve been hooked ever since. This is one of the few products that actually travels with me because even if you’ve had two hours sleep you put this on and you look like you’ve had a Sunday morning-sized lie in. The Khiels Multi-Corrective Eye-Opening Serum clocks in at an eye-watering (ironically) £41 for the smallest tube I’ve ever seen, but I hate to admit that it’s worth every penny.
The next thing I use will kind of surprise you as I realise I said I’m a lazy skincare user, but there’s a reason for it; I love a good lash serum. I’ve faded in and out of using lash serums for years because, if I’m honest, when I run out it’s never at the top of my list to re-purchase. Having said that, when I know I have another trip coming up that’s when I start the hunt for a new lash serum.
While I love dressing up and doing my makeup on cruise ship formal nights I HATE mascara - it feels crunchy, I’m really aware of it being on my lashes, it makes my eyes sore, it’s impossible to remove and if I have it on for more than a few hours it ends up on my cheeks. I’ve tried multiple mascaras and had the same problem and at this point I’ve given up.
Instead, I use a lash serum in the lead up to my travels so that my lashes hopefully still look long and healthy. I haven’t found a particular brand I love enough to recommend yet, but next on my list to try is the Borboleta lash serum. It promises thicker and fuller lashes in 4 weeks which is exactly what I need as a last minute traveller. Also the before and after photos look amazing.
Lip Products-
I’ve saved this category until last because, if I’m honest, it’s boring and there’s not much to tell. I love a good matte lipstick but my lips really don’t, so tinted Vaseline lip balm isn’t going to cut it (although I do use it if I want to look a little less ghostly on a no makeup day!).
I originally bought the Carmex lip balm a few years ago because my expensive one that I was given at an event had run out, and let me tell you I never looked back! Yes it’s boring and basic, but Carmex is the only thing that fixes my chapped lips in winter (or when I’ve worn lipstick several days in a row). It’s minty, it burns a little bit and then my lips are fixed even if they were painful and bleeding just a few minutes before. You can’t possibly get better than that!
If you hate the minty tingle then my second favourite would be the Nuxe Lip Moisturising Stick, but why would I spend £7 on that when a £1 tube of Carmex solves everything?!
Hopefully this has been somewhat helpful to you. I have really bad problem skin so I’ve gone through a lot of different products trying to find a way to balance my skin. I’m still not totally there but I feel like I’m getting closer to having a routine that really works for me. If you would like to see what I actually take travelling with me then let me know and I’ll create a part two.
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