Holiday Skin: What To Pack For Sun, Sweat And Air-Con
Hate packing for holidays?
Struggle to remember everything? Here's our holiday skin edit; organised by moments rather than by category, so you can build your wash bag around what your skin will actually do on holiday rather than throwing the whole shelf into your case.
A holiday is hard on your skin.
Stronger UV than you're used to, salt water, chlorine, hotel water, sweat, sun cream, and the dehydration that comes with all of it. You don't need to overhaul your routine before you go. You do need to think through the moments where your skin actually needs something and pack with intention.
If you're unsure of what sunscreen you might like, check out The SPF Edit, and our deep dive into K-Beauty!
A GENTLE CLEANSER THAT WON'T STRIP
Sun, sweat, and SPF need cleansing off properly at the end of the day, but holiday skin tends to be dry and a bit reactive, so reaching for a foaming cleanser or anything with actives is the wrong move.
The 30ml travel size is €7, fits in a wash bag, and melts off SPF, salt, and the day without leaving the skin tight or stripped. Centella in the formula keeps it gentle enough for skin that's spent the day in the sun. I'll be bringing this with me for myself and the kids to Thailand this summer.
BODY SPF YOU'LL ACTUALLY REAPPLY
The reason most people get caught out on holiday is reapplication. The first application in the morning is fine. By the time you've been in the pool, towelled off, and gone for lunch, the protection is long gone.
The trick is having something light enough that reapplying isn't a chore.
This is a face and body sunscreen (although I really only use it for body) that doesn't feel heavy and absorbs cleanly, so it doesn't sit on the skin like a film. €39, generous size.
I also love the MIST ME range from Darling, they're fine mists which do make topping up super easy - just be sure to use plenty.
A lighter option, an SPF30 mist with hyaluronic acid and vitamin E that goes on over makeup or skincare without disturbing anything.
Again, the mist format makes reapplying a 10-second job rather than a faff.
FACE REAPPLICATION ON THE GO
A sun stick in your bag is one of the simplest holiday upgrades.
Easier than a cream, won't leak in the heat, and goes on over makeup without disrupting it.
The La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVAIR Vitamin Sun Stick is the one I'd recommend, SPF50+ with astaxanthin and vitamin E, applies cleanly over makeup and dries to a satin finish.
The Tocobo Cotton Soft Sun Stick is a K-beauty alternative, mineral-based with a soft matte finish.
LIPS
Lips burn faster than anywhere else on the face and almost no one protects them properly. Two options I genuinely recommend.
A beautifully nourishing balm with proper sun protection, available in five shades from sheer to a snowberry red.
The whole family will use this in Thailand, the kids included!
If you prefer a more makeup-leaning option, this is a hydrating gloss with peptides and hyaluronic acid that gives a polished finish with mineral SPF underneath.
Five stunning shades, I always have a "Pink" in my bag.
EYES
Most people skip SPF around the eyes entirely, and the eye area is often the first place to show fine lines for exactly that reason. The skin there is the thinnest on the face, takes the most sun exposure (squinting, glare off water, walking into the sun) and yet it's the bit most people leave out of their routine.
A tinted treatment that brightens dark circles and protects the eye area at the same time. Doubles as concealer, available in fair and medium. Worth the investment if eye protection is something you've been ignoring.
HAIR AND SCALP PROTECTION
Sun, salt water, and chlorine all rough up the cuticle and dry the hair out fast, and your scalp is just skin, so it burns. The Darling Milky Hair Screen is the one to have on holiday. A milky finishing spray that I'd already use for shine at home, but on holiday it doubles as a sun shield for the hair. Mist through dry hair before going outside and you'll feel the difference at the end of the day.
For scalp specifically, run a sun stick along your parting if you're spending the day outdoors. It's the most overlooked sunburn risk on holiday and the easiest one to fix.
Holiday is the time to ditch full coverage.
A tinted SPF gives you a polished finish with sun protection in one step, and a gradual tan lotion gives the skin a bit of warmth without you having to actually tan, which is the whole point.
If I ever want a bit of coverage in summer, I'm reaching for this. It's a tinted mineral SPF50 with a soft pearlescent glow that evens skin tone and gives the face a healthy, lit-from-within finish.
I never wear foundation, it's always this!
We recently added a couple of gradual tans to PHARE because we love body care, and tan from a bottle is always better than a real one.
This is lovely and nourishing, and you can't really mess it up, which I love!
Another lovely body moisturiser with a hint of tan, enriched with apricot oil for hydration alongside the colour.
We all love to look tanned throughout summer but opt fot a gradual tan, and add SPF over top for a gorgeous glow.
POST DAY-ON-THE-BEACH HYDRATION
After a long day in the sun, the skin is depleted no matter how much SPF you've worn. Sheet masks earn their place here.
The Round Lab Birch Moisturizing Sheet Mask is €4 single or €30 for ten, and twenty minutes after a shower properly resets the skin. Hyaluronic acid and birch sap, deep hydration, no actives that could irritate sun-exposed skin.
Bonus tip: Keep a few in the fridge if you've got one in the room.
AFTER SUN
Even if you haven't burnt, the skin needs help recovering at the end of the day.
A feather-light mist with aloe and physalis extract that cools and rehydrates without anything heavy.
If you prefer a milk/cream texture, the Vichy Capital Soleil Soothing After-Sun Milk is another great choice.
FOR THE KIDS
Children's skin burns faster and reactivity is more common, so a kids-specific SPF is worth packing rather than sharing your own.
The La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVMune 400 Dermo-Pediatric Hydrating Lotion is the cream version, SPF50+, formulated for delicate skin.
The La Roche-Posay UVMune 400 Invisible Spray is the spray version of the same range and the one most parents will reach for in practice.
A week of sun, sea, and chlorine takes a toll on the hair, so packing one or two recovery products is worthwhile.
I kind of forgot how much I love K18, so now that it's back in my routine, this kit is ideal for travel.
This is an all-in-one option, three travel-sized K18 products including the detox shampoo, the leave-in repair mask, and the volume spray. Brilliant for resetting the hair throughout the trip and after.
If you have coloured hair, chlorine and sun can sometimes fade that pretty quickly so this is a handy, travel-sizes shampoo that will keep your colour in-tact and your hair healthy.
WHERE TO START
If you do nothing else, pack a face SPF, a body SPF, a lip SPF, a sun stick for reapplication, an after-sun, and a sheet mask or two. Six products gets you through a week without your skin paying for it. Anything beyond that is a bonus.
We've got more at PHARE than what's listed here, including the full Korean SPF range, the Darling summer collection, and the rest of the La Roche-Posay sun range. Have a look through and pick what suits your skin.
- Dr Laura
