Traveling can be harsh on the skin. When you’re on the road, you expose yourself to more sun and more elements that are potentially harmful to the skin. It’s especially true during summer, when the heat and humidity rise to the roof. The skin reacts to weather changes. The cold months usually leave the skin drier than usual. The summer months, on the other hand, often pushes the skin to produce more oil. Not to mention that the hot atmosphere makes us all sweaty. The sweat and oil can clog the pores. If you have acne-prone skin like me, you might find yourself dealing with another pimple breakout in the middle of summer.

If you’re hitting the beach or the road this summer, here are some tips to help you fight, if not avoid, the ever-annoying pimple breakouts!

1. Avoid overwashing your face.

When we feel all sticky and sweaty, we have a tendency to wash our face often. Sometimes, too often. Ideally, you should wash your face once or twice daily but during summer, we tend to overdo it. Overwashing can irritate the existing pimples and can dry the skin too much. When the skin is too dry, your body produces more oil to compensate, which fuels the never-ending cycle of getting oilier and washing again and again. The result, breakouts.

Wash your face twice daily but make it count by making sure you use the right products.

2. Choose non-comedogenic products.

Speaking of right products, you should pick the sunscreen that suits your skin type. Sunscreen (sunblock) is very important especially during summer when the sun is a b*tchass on the skin. The problem is, certain types of sunscreen can irritate the skin. If you have sensitive or acne-prone skin, make sure that your sunblock is noncomedogenic. Non-comedogenic products don’t clog the pores, which is how pimples start.

And oh, mind other non-skin care product choices, too. For example, a styling gel might look harmless but when you apply it and you get all sweaty under the sun, the sweat from your head can drip down to your face and the gel ingredients can also irritate your skin.

3. Continue your anti-acne skin regimen.

Most people I know leave their grooming products at home when they are traveling. That’s fine. Leave your styling gel, your hair wax, your perfume. But don’t leave behind your anti-acne products. You should continue your skin-care routine even when you’re on the road. They don’t take up much space anyway. Just put them in a small container if they’re too big and you’re flying.

For example, one of the best anti-acne products out there is Proactiv. (Yep, that’s what I use!) A Proactiv kit comes with 4 products already — the Renewing Cleanser and the Revitalizing Toner, which gets rid of impurities and dead skin cells; and the Repairing Lotion, which attacks the pimple-causing germs underneath the skin. It’s a simple 3-step routine that shouldn’t be a problem even if you’re traveling. It doesn’t take a long time, either. This way, you get to continue cleansing and repairing your skin at the end of every day, making your skin feel fresher and lighter the next day. Pro-activ products come in easy-to-pack plastic containers that it won’t take too much space in your baggage. It is available in all Watsons and SM Department Store branches nationwide. You can also book online at http://my.proactiv.com.ph.

Anyway, the point is, whatever your skin-care routine is, you should be able to keep it up when traveling. Otherwise, if you leave your anti-acne essentials at home, you’ll be defenseless should a breakout happen.

4. Don’t touch your face.

When traveling, we let our hands explore and touch many things. We pick up a souvenir product.  We eat with our hands. We We hold on to rocks, railings, what have you. Not to mention, we keep on touching bills and coins. These are things that are unavoidable. Do it, go ahead. But don’t touch your face. The dirt can irritate the skin and cause pimples. Throw in some sweat and sebum and you have the perfect recipe for a breakout! And wash your hands often, too.

5. Wear light, comfortable clothes.

What do clothes have to do with pimples? Well, for starters, what you wear should always be comfortable, traveling or not. If you’re prone to acne, you might be interested to know that there’s a type of acne that may develop when the skin rubs with your clothing. Called acne mechanica, it is caused by the pressure or friction on the skin when it rubs with other objects such as your clothes. You can avoid this by wearing light cotton.

6. Drink lots of water.

Water is essential for all the organs in the body to function properly and that includes the skin. Water washes away toxins and other impurities in the body, which can reflect on your skin. Besides, you should always have a bottle of water ready anyway even if you’re not battling acne. You don’t want to get dehydrated while traveling.

7. Take a shower before going to bed.

After a day of exploring and swimming and doing all things summery, don’t you hit the sack without taking a bath!

Take a shower before going to bed. If I didn’t highlight it enough, let me say it again, sweat can irritate pimples. Wash your body after a long day in the sun. Use body products with salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, or sulfur — the active ingredients that can fight pimples and reduce breakouts. (These are also the active ingredients of Proactiv products, by the way.)

That’s about it. You might also want to go easy on the moisturizer and avoid wearing makeup.

Caring for the skin shouldn’t stop when you’re traveling, especially if you have acne-prone skin. If anything, you should be more protective of your skin. Summer is the most fun of all the seasons but the last thing you want is a breakout ruining the experience for you.

Posted: 2013 • 3 • 21