The true beauty of travelling? Getting out of your comfort zone. But without access to your regular yoga class and the local organic market, the usual health & beauty routine is thrown off-track, which can leave a noticeable difference on both your body & skin and total kill the holiday vibes. Climate, consumption of foreign foods or just the plain stress of getting to your destination may welcome many rather unwelcome ailments into your travel plans — anything from digestive distress to breakouts. But listen, I’ve got your back, and I’ve put together some practical travel tips to help you manage some of the unexpected surprises you may encounter out on the open road.

Health and beauty travel tips in transit

Whether your mode of transport is a plane, train or boat, it’s common during transit to be cooped up for extended lengths of time, in confined air-conditioned places, surrounded by other commuting humans and their accompanying bacteria.

1. Keep your hands clean

You can’t rely on other people to wash their hands. And since our hands are the touchpoint between us and the outside world, it makes them a perfect breeding ground for little organisms to roam free. They should be frequently cleaned to avoid spread the of germs into your digestive tract — or even worse, your face!
A simple spritz of a hand sanitizer can do the trick. Know that you can’t always trust the water from stored sink tanks on planes & trains, either. These are fest pits of bacteria, which seldom see a thorough cleaning.

Bottom line: Don’t fall victim to this common traveler’s woe. An all-natural/organic hand sanitizer must become essential gear in your traveling pack.

2. Keep the skin moisturized

One thing a plane journey promises (other than a 99.8% safe arrival rate) is to dry out the skin — particularly on those long haul flights. You already know to drink plenty of water. But it’s certainly a good idea to carry a bottle of water on flights and ask to get it filled with filtered water on board. Another on-board tip includes carrying on an all-purpose balm. Conveniently, this can be used to moisturize lips, cuticles and hands, the inner rim of your nose, or any dry spots on skin. A freshly moisturized face always partners nicely with a facial mist (not forgetting it has to be under 100mL if your taking on your flight). A personal favorite is the Hydrating Accelerator — thanks, Josh Rosebrook!

3. Keep your bowels moving

Digestive health is something that usually takes a back seat when traveling. It’s not uncommon to feel sluggish or experience slower digestion on your journey.
This should actually come as no surprise. I mean, plane food is literally designed to clog you up and make you sleep. Can you imagine if everyone had wonderfully functioning bowels on your flight?
Keep in mind, food found at train stations or airports isn’t much better, always opt for the fibre-full veggie dish or salad — and again, don’t forget to keep fluids up.

Health and beauty travel tips on arrival

4. Get some local bacteria

The most common travel-related illnesses are gastrointestinal problems. On average, 50 percent of travelers are at risk of picking something up along the way.
The first thing I do when I land in any foreign country is down a tub of local yogurt. In foreign countries, you are exposed to millions of unfamiliar bacteria just from the air and water alone. Consuming a local probiotic lines the gut with bacteria from the region and helps you digest the regional water and/or food — which otherwise might give your tummy some (serious) problems.

5. Exfoliation on vacation

If your skincare routine goes completely out the window while your away, one of the best things you can do (next to wearing sunscreen, of course), that’s also easy from anywhere, is to exfoliate your skin. Removing the daily grit & grime from your pores leaves your skin clean and feeling fresh & rejuvenated. This can also help with long distance travel — as a nice way to freshen up. Look for a gentle daily exfoliator or just straight-up use a konjac sponge.

6. Taste the local health food

Each country has its own specialties and local healthy eats. Indulge and try something from the region, not only for the culinary experience, but also for therapeutic purposes. Traditionally, countries have established their own dietary habits to create a healthy & balanced way of eating. If you try to follow your usual diet from home, you might run into some roadblocks, due to a lack of either accessibility or quality. Take a salad, for example: in some countries, the consumption of raw foods has become inadvisable as a result of the risk of bacterial incursion from the water in which they are washed.

And for my final trick: something that can fit in your pocket, be taken anywhere— something that will be sure to freshen you up no matter what… your favourite lipstick! The Amazingy Team faves came from Ilia’s lip conditioner and crayon selection: Femme Fatale, Jump and 99 Red Balloons.
Although, I have to admit I am more of a functional traveller myself, and always opt for multi-purpose products while away. If you’re also like me, rather than a lipstick, the HIRO multisticks work an absolute charm. Doubling as a lipstick, blush and an eye-shadow, for that all in one convenience you need when on the road.

So don’t forget to pack your fave — it’s sure to become your most trusted travel companion.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in January 2016 and was updated in April 2018 for accuracy.