A Beauty Editor’s Easy Travel Routine for Skin
Created with Fré
Sipping a cappuccino at a little table bathed in sunshine overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea in Ravello, I had a moment I’ll happily return to for the rest of my days. Another of those moments was in the Talamanca Mountains of Costa Rica: Sprawled on a heated slab of marble, I was massaged with an exfoliating herbal concoction at the world’s most decadent spa hotel.
I live to travel: Even when I’m summoned to goop HQ in LA, the hours-long journey from JFK to LAX feels more like an adventure than an imposition for work. Now I’ve mastered how to keep my skin in shape in the face of moisture-leaching airplane air, soul-leaching crack-of-dawn departures, dizzying jet lag, too many maritozzi con la panna (the airiest brioche-style bun filled with whipped cream), and spending as much time outside as possible.
The most important element of my routine—whether I’m on the sun-drenched Amalfi Coast (captured above) or ambling through Hampstead Heath in drizzly London—is mineral sunscreen every day. This one from Fré is lightweight, silky, melting, and tinted in two shades designed to work for every skin tone (I choose the deeper one). It’s essentially a foundation and water-resistant sunscreen in one, infused with a special antioxidant complex made from the argan tree’s oil, leaf water, and stem cells—so it both treats and protects my skin. The lotion feels cushiony and nourishing, blasts my skin with moisture, and deposits the prettiest sheen—I often use it in place of face cream.
When I need SPF 50 (ever done the very sunny climb from Amalfi on the water to Ravello, nestled up at the top of the mountains?), this ultrasheer one leaves my skin petal-soft and beautifully protected. It’s made with the same antioxidant complex as the SPF 30 to help stave off sun damage.
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Tinted with SPF 30
Fré Glow Me + Tinted Mineral SPF 30 goop, $39SHOP NOW -
Gorgeously Sheer SPF 50
Fré Protect Me 50 Mineral SPF Moisturizer goop, $39SHOP NOW
Along with the sunscreens (use them as your very last skin-care step), below are the other secret weapons I use before and after touching down to leave my skin positively glowing (plus a little video of how I layer it all on).
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1
Face oil is kind of the secret whether you’re traveling or not; this one is made with the natural retinol alternative bakuchiol (a skin miracle), so it delivers clinical results for firming, wrinkle-smoothing, and moisturizing. It melts right in—you need just three drops: Press it onto damp skin for the best results, and I swear your skin will look so much better, so much healthier.
goop Beauty All-in-One Super Nutrient Face Oil goop, $98/$89 with subscriptionSHOP NOW -
2
When I’m shackled in the middle seat, feeling dry and dull—plane rides just destroy my already dry skin—I spritz on this face mist. A blast of moisturizing, plumping rose water and hyaluronic acid, it’s totally skin-reviving on its own, but when I spray it on and then smooth a few drops of face oil on top (damp skin is more absorbent), I get this instant glow that lasts long after I’ve landed.
Seed to Skin The Dew Mist goop, $77SHOP NOW -
3
The best way to really lock in all the moisture is to smooth on this balm as a last layer after the face oil. I need the tiniest bit for my face—I warm it between my palms first, and it blends in beautifully. It’s scentless, and you can use it all over your body—it’s also amazing for lips and smoothing my ragged cuticles and flaky elbows.
goop Beauty Fix and Restore Balm goop, $125/$112 with subscriptionSHOP NOW -
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These depuffing eye masks wake up my entire face pretty much instantly. They’re drenched in moisturizing serum—it has niacinamide, firming peptides, as well as all these soothing, brightening botanicals—and I leave them on for 10 minutes or so to do their thing. I use them on the flight if I’m sitting in a window seat and can sort of hide. Otherwise, they’re amazing for recharging myself right before going out to dinner.
goop Beauty Lift + Depuff Eye Masks goop, $125/$112 with subscriptionSHOP NOW -
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I smooth on one coat of lip balm and I’m set for a long time. My favorite is the tomato shade in this set (it also comes with a clear and a sheer peony). It looks intensely red, but it’s perfectly mellow. My natural lip color is sort of dark purple, and I love how it looks against my skin tone.
goop Beauty Clean Nourishing Lip Balm Trio goop, $48SHOP NOW -
6
I bring a peel pad with me when I’m traveling for a wedding or a big, fun event—it injects life back into my skin overnight. The pad is saturated in exfoliating glycolic acid at a 15% concentration (which is a whole lot), as well as skin hydrators. It’s double-sided, so you can sweep the smooth side over your face and use the more textured side for your neck and chest. Use it once a week—never more than that because it’s so powerful—on clean skin right before bed. I still can’t believe how smooth and gleamy my skin looks in the morning.
goop Beauty 15% Glycolic Acid Overnight Glow Peel goop, $125/$112 with subscriptionSHOP NOW -
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This face polish gives you a less intense exfoliation than the pad. I love the feel of the gentle little granules sloughing away dead skin and grime, and the formula has this beautiful whipped texture that feels really silky against my skin. When I feel it tingle, I know it’s working. I take it with me on practically every trip. (Use it two or three times a week, or less, depending on what your skin can handle, and never use it within 24 hours of the peel pad.)
goop Beauty Microderm Instant
Glow Exfoliator goop, $125/$112 with subscriptionSHOP NOW
