Top Holiday Skincare Tips

A holiday is the perfect chance to relax, unwind, and enjoy a change of scenery, but it’s also a time when your skin can come under more stress than usual. Between stronger UVA and UVB rays, climate changes, long flights, and a break from your regular routine, your complexion can take a hit if you don’t prepare and have a plan!

At our skin clinic in Marlow, we see first-hand how travel can affect skin health, and how a few simple, proactive steps can make all the difference. In this blog, we share our best holiday skincare tips, from how to protect skin in the sun to preparing with a pre-holiday facial and repairing with a post-holiday facial when you return.

Why your skin needs extra care on holiday

Holidays feel carefree, but your skin is dealing with major disruption!  Increased sun exposure, climate changes, water differences – salty seawater, chlorinated pools, or hard water can dry or irritate the skin, diet and lifestyle shifts – more sugar, alcohol, late nights, and less sleep all contribute to dehydrated, stressed and irritated skin. Without a strategy, you could return with dryness, breakouts, pigmentation, or signs of sun damage.

Pre-holiday skin preparation

The weeks before your trip are the time to strengthen your skin barrier and build resilience.

1.Book a pre-holiday facial

Our skin specialists at our Marlow clinic recommend a gentle pre-holiday facial like a HydraFacial to deep clean, hydrate, and prime your skin. This ensures you travel with a smooth, healthy base.

2. Hydrate well

Drink plenty of water and use serums with hyaluronic acid, glycerin, or polyglutamic acid to boost moisture.

3. Stick to familiar products

Don’t introduce new retinoids, strong acids, or peels right before travel—they can increase sun sensitivity.

4. Gentle exfoliation

A mild exfoliant once or twice a week removes dull cells, so your sunscreen and moisturisers work more effectively.

Packing your holiday skincare kit

You don’t need a huge bag of products - just well-chosen essentials that you know work with your skin. Here's a quick holiday skincare checklist:

• Broad-spectrum SPF 30–50 (reapply every 2 hours)

• Hydrating cleanser (non-stripping)

• Moisturiser suited to the climate (lighter for humidity, richer for dryness)

• Antioxidant serum (vitamin C is a great option)

• Lip balm with SPF

• After-sun lotion or aloe vera

• Soothing face mist

• Travel-size micellar water

Quick Tip: Decant into travel-size bottles for convenience and to meet airline liquid limits!

In-flight holiday skincare tips

Plane cabins have extremely low humidity, which can dehydrate your skin, follow these tips to arrive feeling more refreshed than drained:

• Skip heavy makeup and cleanse before boarding.

• Apply a hydrating serum and rich moisturiser or sleeping mask.

• Drink water regularly and limit alcohol or caffeine.

• If you have a window seat, remember SPF! UV rays penetrate glass.

How to protect skin in the sun

Sun protection is the single most important part of skincare for holidays. It’s not just about avoiding sunburn, it’s about preventing premature ageing, pigmentation, and overall skin cancer.  Your SPF purchase is the most important, and we recommend a SPF50, which doesn't have to be greasy.  Our own SPF 50 we sell at our Marlow clinic is non-greasy and has a slight tint, so it's perfect for summer and under makeup.

Apply SPF 30–50 every morning, using at least a teaspoon for face and neck, and reapply every two hours and after swimming.  Wearing a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses, and take to the shade during peak UV hours (11am–3pm).  For pigmentation-prone skin, be extra vigilant - sun is the biggest trigger.

What climate are you visiting?  Tailoring your skincare to the climate is going to help your skin and protect it adequately.  If the climate is hot and humid like Bali, Thailand or the Caribbean, you need a lightweight gel moisturiser, and an oil-free sunscreen.  Thorough cleansing is important to remove sweat and SPF.  If your destination is a hot and dry European sunspot like Greece, Italy or the Balearics, the sun is strong, it's hot and the low humidity can dehydrate skin quickly.  Use SPF 50 broad-spectrum sunscreen (reapply every 2 hours), a lightweight hydrating serum with hyaluronic acid, after-sun lotion or aloe gel to soothe skin, and a gentle cleanser to remove sunscreen & sweat.  Protecting your skin in the water: Chlorine and saltwater can be drying and irritating, rinse skin immediately after swimming, apply nourishing body lotion and choose mineral sunscreen for water resistance.

If you overdo it in the sun, cool the skin with a damp cloth, apply aloe vera or fragrance-free after-sun lotion, avoid further sun exposure until redness fades and keep the area moisturised and don’t pick peeling skin!

Post-holiday skin recovery

Back home, your skin may need a refresh to rebalance and repair, so why not book a post-holiday facial? At Springwell Clinic, Marlow, we offer a range of post-holiday treatments designed to rehydrate and restore your skin barrier, brighten dull or uneven skin tone and address any pigmentation or congestion from holiday exposure.  A HydraFacial treatment can help restore your glow as will continuing with hydration and antioxidants as these help reverse free radical damage and maintain results. A gentle exfoliation will removes dead skin cells and lets fresh, healthy skin shine through.

Look out for our Autumn reset skin package this September!

Your 3-step holiday skincare plan

1. Before you go – Strengthen your skin with hydration, gentle exfoliation, and a pre-holiday facial.2. While away – Follow our holiday skincare tips: daily SPF, climate-appropriate moisturiser, thorough cleansing, and post-sun soothing.3. When you return – Book a post-holiday Hydrafacial at Springwell Clinic in Marlow to rehydrate, rebalance, and keep your glow.

Looking after your skin on holiday doesn’t have to be complicated, just consistent. By preparing before you travel, protecting your skin in the sun, and restoring it afterwards, you can enjoy your break without sacrificing your skin health.

Our skincare team at Springwell Clinic in Marlow are here to help you get holiday-ready and glowing, before, during, and after your trip. Whether you’re jetting off somewhere tropical, skiing in the Alps, or enjoying a city break, we can create a bespoke skin plan with the perfect pre-holiday facial and post-holiday facial for you!  You can book a skincare consultation online at https://home.shortcutssoftware.com/springwellclinic, call us on 01628 308060 or email hello@springwellclinic.co.uk.