This may be your last chance to relax before 2018 officially starts. Then it’s back to school…back to work…back to life…back to reality…

Still looking for inspiration to get the New Year off to a splendid start? Start with you! This is an excellent time to take care of yourself, even if you set aside 10 minutes to do so. You can multi-task to make the most of those minutes.

Relaxing Facial Masks When You Don’t Have Time To Relax

Start with a face mask—even if your skin is pitch perfect, any complexion can benefit from a reparative face mask once a week, especially during the winter months. Our skin requires an intensive reconstructive care product regularly to enable it to recover and reboot its cellular functions. For the severely time starved, Cosmetics 27 Plasma 27 Bio Lifting Cell Restoring Mask, is just the thing! This pre-soaked, pre-cut, single serve sheet mask is packed with high concentrations of Centella Asiatica and Proline to stimulate the skin’s ability to produce collagen. Just open the packet, pop it on your visage, have a cup of coffee and voila!

If you prefer a creamy mask format, try Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm. Yes, it’s a face cleanser, but it is so much more. Massage the balm into your face using downward strokes – this promotes lymphatic drainage. I store mine in the refrigerator: the cool temperature is refreshing and calms puffiness. Remember to apply it to the backs of your hands as well. When you embark upon 40, even if you take A+ care of your skin and have great genes, there is no place that is more revealing of age. The all-natural scent of moringa is also calming to the senses which is beneficial especially on hectic mornings. This multi-tasking treatment can also be used as a lip balm.

Hair & Scalp Treatments for Your Tresses

While your face mask is gelling, turn your attention to your hair and scalp. Christophe Robin’s line of hair treatment products is a must. Period. Especially if you highlight, bleach or chemically process your hair. You can sleep, workout and even golf in them. These intensive moisturizing treatments are magic!

For dry, damaged hair requiring some serious tender loving care, try his Regenerating Mask with Rare Prickly Pear Seed Oil. It contains powerful antioxidants and moisturizers sure to leave your hair frizz free, soft and radiant.

The holidays are stressful. Combine this with crisp, dry air and you’ll find yourself with a troublesome itchy, flaky scalp. If this sounds familiar, Christophe Robin’s scalp detox mask, Cleansing Purifying Scrub With Sea Salt, is calling your name.

Eye, Brow and Lash Treatments

Feeling a little bit of champ-shame about how much you drank (not to mention ate) this holiday season? Copious consumption could leave your eyes puffy and your skin sallow. No problem! Here are a couple of instant eye pick-me-ups that will get you going in the right direction:

Institut Esthederm Lift & Repair Eye Contour Lift Patches are fast penetrating under eye masks that target all concerns of the eye area: bags, shadows, fine lines, sagging skin and swelling. In as little as 6 minutes a few days a week, you can take years off your eye area. They also make the perfect travel companion – try them at the end of a flight, or the morning after a long night out to look “bright-eyed” (bushy-tailed is on you).

While you’re de-puffing your eyes, you can pump up your brows and lashes with Jessica Johnson Classic Beauty Brow and Lash Conditioning Serum. This conditioning treatment is the real deal! It is a two-in-one product for use on brows as well as lashes and contains additional treatment ingredients, including natural marine extract that not only boosts hair growth but conditions and hydrates for strong, lush brows and lashes.

We hope you take the time to indulge in a drop of self-care, not just this week, but all year long. For more tips, tricks and tools to perfect your look, find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!

By: Travel Beauty Editors

Even the product obsessive compulsive rotates a product or two with the change of season. During the summer, when the northern hemisphere is closest to the sun we need to give our skin a little extra added tender loving care. Here is how one particular girl on the precipice of 40 keeps her skin in check all summer long.

Starting With The Basics: Facial Cleansers

We all know it’s important to wash the face morning and night. I’m still 39, for another 9 days anyway, and my skin tends to be sensitive and on the drier side. This summer I’ve worked Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm into my routine. It’s a quadruple-threat spa in a jar. A moisturizing, deep-cleansing, makeup-removing mask and face wash that doesn’t strip the skin of its essential oils. This is a rare and important beauty find especially in summer when we tend to spend more time outdoors. While skin can seem a bit more oily during the summer, it really just needs some extra special loving care. Resist the temptation to exfoliate often and use strong, soapy cleansers. This will only over dry skin and encourage it to produce more oil and sebum. It will also exfoliate any semblance of a healthy tan you may be working on.

Morning Moringa Massage

I store mine in the refrigerator: the cool temperature is refreshing and calms puffiness. I apply it first thing in the morning, take a minute or so to massage it into my skin in the direction of lymphatic drainage.

• Line up your fingers, with both hands, right below the bridge of your nose and sweep out (repeat this down the entire length of your nose and don’t be afraid to apply pressure directly below your eyes) and then make a wide circle down the jaw and meet at the chin.
• From there sweep down your neck. Go back up to the bridge of your nose with your middle fingers and sweep up. Once you hit your eye brow, sweep in an outward motion towards your temples (repeat this upward until you hit your hairline at the top of your forehead) and then back down to your jaw, meeting up at your chin.
• Don’t leave your mustache area out. Place both middle fingers at the center, right under your nose, applying pressure, sweep out and around to your jaw line and meet again at your chin.
• Have a cup of coffee and go about your morning routine.

This enables me to leave the mask on for 10 – 20 minutes. I also apply it to the backs of my hands. When you enter mid to late thirtydom, even if you take A+ care of your skin and have great genes, you will notice age starting to rear its ugly texture on the back of your hands. There is no place that shows age more than the back of one’s hands.

The all-natural scent of moringa is also calming to the senses which is beneficial especially on hectic mornings. Though this cleanser can be used day and night, if your skin is dry like mine, you may want to use it only once a day.  At night I don’t use a cleanser at all. I spray Vine Minus Ion Care Water on a cotton pad and wipe off the day – it is anti-bacterial, hydrating and can be used to remove makeup as well. It also boosts the efficacy of your nightly face care regimen to follow. This is particularly useful as skin care does its most important work at night when we sleep.

Additional note: Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm can also be used as a moisturizing hair mask.

Moisturizing Regimen

In summer it’s important to use a moisturizer with SPF. Institut Esthederm Bronz Repair Sunscreen for Face SPF 15 is an anti-aging moisturizer and sunscreen rolled up into one. Esthederm sun care is – bar none – the best you can find on the market. Its high tech formula works to strengthen the skin’s ability to protect itself from the sun. It contains active beeswax and rice bran oil, both specially chosen for their highly nourishing, moisturizing and anti-free radical properties.

Summer Anti-aging Serums

When using an SPF moisturizer, you must apply a serum underneath. SPF can clog pores and as my mother says, you always need a little something between the wheels and the road. I stay away from face oils during the summer. My skin craves hydration, but nothing so rich or thick. Sapelo Skin Care Renewing Serum floods the skin with the nutrients and moisture it needs to stimulate cellular renewal, including gardenia stem cells, natural humectants and collagen that protect and nourish skin, enabling it to fight signs of aging and protect your pores.

Summer Body Care

The summer sun and air is just as harsh on the body as it is on the face. It goes without saying that one needs to use a sunscreen during the day. Sun Bum makes a high quality, reasonably priced sunscreen that offers broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection for up to 80 minutes. Great for golfers, surfers, tennis players, sand castle builders and sun worshippers alike and it’s PABA, paraben, oil and fragrance free. Most people are good about applying sunscreen. Where many of us fall off the wagon is in the aprés sun department. After washing off the day you really want to nourish your skin with a lotion that will sooth dry skin, boost elasticity and fight the damaging effects of the sun, pollutants and free radicals. Packed with ingredients like Aloe Vera Juice and, Avocado Oil, moisturizing omegas and powerful antioxidants, Mio Skincare A Cream Firming Active Body Cream will do just that.

Miscellaneous Tidbits

If you are traveling regularly over the summer or just on a summer gym tear, Mio Skincare Your Fit Skin Kit is a great way to sample some of this wonderful body care line. I also recommend Mio Skincare Clean Slate Workout Swipes – these, all natural, full body wipes are ideal for any summer situation you can imagine, including what I’ve come to call a dry shower.

By: Alyssa Barrie Weiss, Twitter @AlyssaBarrie

The Perfect Beauty Gift? It’s in the Bag

Even the most devout procrastinators are starting to think about holiday gifts. Everyone has that one person…who’s impossible to buy for. Who seems to simultaneously be super-selective, yet have everything!

Travel Beauty has officially solved this problem. We’ve gathered some of the most unique—and most effective—beauty finds from around the globe (five different countries, to be exact) to assemble a one of a kind, ultra-luxe exclusive beauty bag, complete with skin care, hair care and body care cult favorites. Even an extra special little something that just might make your smile brighter. You will not find a collection of beauty like this anywhere else!

So what do we have in our bag? Just ALL THIS:

From France

Cosmetics 27 Huile 27: 100% natural multi-tasking face oil can be used on face, body, lips, hair and cuticles. Nourishes, softens, regenerates and protects skin. Provides essential nutrients to restructure the epidermal tissue and help rebalance skin functions.

Institut Esthederm Cellular Water Spray: A multi-tasking miracle spray that energizes the skin and boosts the effectiveness of subsequently applied skin care. Can be used as a toner prior to applying serum/moisturizer, or to set makeup. Also perfect for a quick refresh at home and on the go.

From Israel

Lavido Alert Eye Cream: Revives, hydrates and protects the delicate skin of the eye area. Lightweight formula contains plant-based hyaluronic acid, cold-pressed avocado oil, organic pomegranate seed oil and citrus extracts to brighten, moisturize and relieve puffiness.

From Japan

Binchotan Toothbrush: The Binchotan charcoal blended into each bristle of this chic toothbrush prevents bad breath and helps removes plaque. Activated charcoal also gives off negative ions to prevent harmful bacteria from growing within the brush.

From The UK

Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm: This multiple-award winning balm is the most pampering facial cleanser you’ll ever use! Thoroughly cleanses and purifies, helps minimize the appearance of pores, plumps, softens and revitalizes skin while also calming the senses.

Philip Kingsley Elasticizer: Originally created for Audrey Hepburn, this intensive moisturizing hair treatment delivers elasticity, bounce and shine to all hair types.

Philip Kingsley Moisture Balancing Shampoo and Conditioner: This duo strengthens and protects hair, leaving it shiny, manageable and lustrous.

From The US

Mio Skincare Double Buff Dual Action Enzyme Exfoliator: A non-abrasive, omega-rich body scrub containing spherical particles of pumice, lava and bamboo to slough away dead skin cells and reveal soft, supple skin with increased clarity and radiance.

Sapelo Skin Care Seaweed Enzyme Mask: Exfoliates and renews radiance with natural plant-based papaya, pumpkin and yeast enzymes. Increases circulation, rehydrates skin and improves mild acne. Leave on for 15–20 minutes, once a week.

Ursa Major Essential Face Wipes: Made with bamboo fiber and infused with Ursa Major’s 4-in-1 Essential Face Tonic, these wonder wipes cleanse, exfoliate, soothe and hydrate.

Travel Beauty Travel Bag: Our signature bag is sleek with luxe touches. You’ll be shocked at how much beauty it can bear!

This is very limited edition, so grab yours now.

By: Claire McCormack, Twitter & Instagram

By now, you’ve probably put away your Havianas and Mara Hoffman two pieces…but has your summer season purge reached your shower yet? Here are some non-soapy facial cleansers you should swap in for those sudsy, foaming cleansers that got you through summer.

Squeaky Clean

Great for glass, fatal for face. We’re taught that getting our skin “too clean”, thus stripping away the natural oils, is a skincare no-no, and will lead to all sorts of unwelcome results: wrinkles, pimples, redness, etc. Not that that ever stopped me. For some deep-seated psychological reason with which a shrink would probably have a field day, I’ve never felt my cleansing was complete until my skin literally squeaked.

Summer Steam Calls For Extreme Measures

In the steamy days of summer I felt completely justified; the mixture of sweat and city grime seemed to call for extreme measures. But even in winter I’d wash like the dickens, and then slather on about 3 layers of serums/creams/oils/lotions/essences to re-dew my dermis.

Now, perhaps it is the sickeningly swift approach of a certain benchmark birthday, but of late, I have been more receptive to creamier cleansers. While these more nourishing formulas don’t give my skin the squeak, they still leave it deeply cleansed and comfortable.

The Cleansers: There’s One For Everyone!

Morihata Binchotan Charcoal Facial Cleansing Mask. Whether I leave it on for 30 seconds or three minutes, I get complimented on my skin every time I use this 3-in-1 makeup remover/cleanser/mask. Binchotan charcoal is blended into every drop of this rich mask to revitalize and tone your complexion. Charcoal’s natural detoxifying powers draw out impurities from pores which prevents future breakouts and absorbs excess oil. This product is a great choice for anyone who’s really fretting over foregoing the foam, as it cleanses skin so deeply you can see the difference.

This cleanser looks like latex paint when you first pump it out of the bottle, and it is slick and silky to the touch. Just a little bit creates a thick mask, but unlike other dark detoxifying masks, it doesn’t dry up and harden, so it never leaves skin with that tight, parched feeling. When used as a cleanser, it just slides on and off with water. I massage it in for about 20 seconds and then let it wash off in the shower. Unlike so many soapy/foaming cleansers, this one is truly safe for eyes – zero irritation or stinging, even when massaged in to remove mascara! It’s a “clean” cleanser, too: no parabens, alcohol, oil, fragrance or synthetic dyes.

Heaven Skincare New Edition Cleansing Cream. I was (pleasantly) shocked at how well just a little dab of this featherlight cream completely and thoroughly cleaned my entire face and eyes. It also happens to be the first bee venom cleanser in the world, which gives it anti-aging properties. It is the ultimate strong yet gentle cleanser. All Heaven Skincare products are made with the highest quality natural and organic ingredients, so the anti-aging effects are achieved without nasty and/or harsh chemicals.

May Lindstrom The Honey Mud. This silken, pudding-like cleanser/mask detoxifies, soothes and conditions skin. It gently frees skin of the day’s pollutants, infusing it with active enzymes and nourishment while restoring optimal hydration. It not only looks like a delicious dessert, it smells divine as well. That is thanks to its long list of organic ingredients: Raw honey is a naturally antibacterial humectant that promotes healing, Halloysite Clay deeply yet gently purifies and detoxifies and Colloidal Silver is naturally antibacterial, antifungal and antibiotic. Leave it on for a minute or two and rinse off.

Cosmetics 27 Cleanser 27 by M.E. SkinLab (Found in the new SOS 27 Kit). A cleanser rundown wouldn’t be complete without mentioning this parisian exfoliating & moisturizing cleansing balm from Cosmetics 27, now available in the SOS 27 Kit! This cleansing balm and makeup remover nourishes and hydrates while refining skin’s texture. It gently purifies even the most sensitive and/or dry as well as mature skin, without dehydrating it, restoring lost radiance and elasticity. Just message into wet or dry skin. All Cosmetics 27 products are made with 100% natural ingredients and are paraben free.

Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm. Who’s the richest of them all? This jar par excellance. Emma Hardie is another natural, organic line from the United Kingdom. This cleansing balm is Emma’s superstar product, having won about a dozen beauty awards since its launch. This balanced daily cleanser thoroughly cleanses deep in the pores, moisturises and calms the skin. It thoroughly removes all traces of face and eye makeup, and is so pure it doubles as a soothing and hydrating mask (just leave it on for ten minutes).

This is one of the best smelling products I have ever used, and it is completely devoid of any “fragrance”. The amazing scent comes from a long list of natural botanical ingredients (which also make it so beneficial for skin):

• Grape Seed Oil and Sweet Almond Oil rich in essential fatty acids help to plump and soften
• Moringa Seed extract, Wild Sea Fennel and Vitamin E balance, purify and help to minimize the appearance of open pores
• Essential oils of Orange, Neroli and Mandarin rejuvenate and revitalize the skin and calm the senses
• Jasmine and Rose help to recondition dull, dehydrated and/or mature skin

The cleanser is a semi-solid, but quickly emulsifies into a luxurious liquid once you begin to massage it into damp skin. It feels and smells so good I think I go into a bit of a trance every time I use it…just standing in front of my bathroom mirror at the end of a long day zoning out. For an extra added refresher, store in the refrigerator. It turns it into a solid and is cool and soothing to the touch.

Say “No” to Soapy Cleansers

Are you ready to say “no” to soapy cleansers? Have you already sworn them off? Leave us a comment and let us know!

By: Claire McCormack, Twitter & Instagram: @clairemcmack

I’ve Always Put My Hope In Soap

Squeaky clean: great for glass…fatal for face. We’re taught that getting our skin “too clean”- i.e.,  stripping away skin’s natural oils – is a skin care no-no, and will lead to all sorts of unsavory results: wrinkles, pimples, redness, flaking, etc. Not that that ever stopped me. For some deep-seated psychological reason with which a shrink would probably have a field day, I’ve never felt my cleansing was complete until my skin literally squeaked. To that end, I exclusively used soapy, foamy gel cleansers.

During the steamy days of summer, I felt completely justified about this habit. The mixture of sweat, skin care products and good ol’ New York City grime seemed to call for extreme clean measures. But even in winter I’d wash my face like the dickens, and then have to slather on about 3 layers of serums/creams/oils/lotions/essences to re-dew my dermis. Now, though, perhaps due to the sickeningly swift approach of a certain benchmark birthday, I have been more receptive to creamier cleansers. While these more nourishing formulas don’t give my skin the squeak, I’ve found some that still leave it deeply cleansed and – a new experience – comfortable.

The Cleansers: There’s One For Everyone!

• Binchotan Charcoal Facial Cleansing Mask. Whether I leave it on for 30 seconds or three minutes, I get complimented on my skin every time I use this 3-in-1 makeup remover/cleanser/mask. The charcoal’s natural detoxifying powers draw out impurities from pores which prevents future breakouts and absorbs excess oil. This product is a great choice for anyone who’s really fretting over foregoing the foam, as it cleanses skin so deeply you can see the difference in your pores. This liquid cleanser looks like latex paint when you first pump it out of the bottle, and it is slick and silky to the touch. Just a little bit creates a thick mask, but unlike other dark detoxifying masks, it doesn’t dry up and harden, so it never leaves skin with that tight, parched feeling. When used as a cleanser, it just slides on and off easily with water. I massage it in with circular motions for about 20 seconds and then let it wash off in the shower. Unlike so many soapy/foaming cleansers, this one is truly safe for eyes – zero irritation or stinging, even when massaged in to remove mascara! It’s a “clean” cleanser, too: no parabens, alcohol, oil, fragrance or synthetic dyes.

• Heaven Skincare New Edition Cleansing Cream. I was (pleasantly) shocked at how well just a little dab of this featherlight cream completely and thoroughly cleaned my entire face and eyes. It also happens to be the first bee venom cleanser in the world, which gives it anti-aging properties. Bonus! This is the ultimate strong yet gentle cleanser; it’s creamy and comprehensive. For all green beauty queens, all Heaven Skincare products are made with the highest quality natural and organic ingredients, so the anti-aging effects are achieved without nasty and/or harsh chemicals.

• May Lindstrom The Honey Mud. This silky, pudding-like cleanser and mask gently exfoliates, detoxifies, soothes and conditions skin. It frees the skin of pollutants, infusing it with active enzymes and nourishment while restoring optimal hydration. Because it is so nourishing, it is a great choice for reactive or rosacea-prone skin. The Honey Mud not only looks like a delicious dessert, it smells divine as well. That’s thanks to its long list of active organic ingredients: Raw Honey is a naturally antibacterial humectant that promotes healing, Halloysite Clay deeply yet gently purifies and detoxifies and Colloidal Silver is naturally antibacterial, antifungal and antibiotic. Add to these skin superstars Cocoa, Vanilla, Ylang-Ylang, Frankincense and Myrrh, and you’ve got a unique product with a singular olfactory experience. This is something that May Lindstrom is truly a master of; not one of her products smell like anything else on the market (bravo, May!). Personally, I wouldn’t use The Honey Mud every single day (it’s a little to gentle and a lot not cheap), but what a treat it is a few times a week! Leave it on for a minute or two in the shower, enjoy the aromatherapy, then rinse off…I like to use a washcloth to remove for a little extra scrubbing effect.

• Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm. Who’s the richest of them all? This jar par excellence, for sure. Emma Hardie is another natural, organic skin care line from the UK – coming VERY soon to Travel Beauty. This cleansing balm is Emma’s superstar product, having won about a dozen beauty awards since its launch just a few years ago. This balanced daily cleanser thoroughly cleanses deep in the pores, moisturizes and calms the skin. It removes all traces of face and eye makeup, and is so pure it doubles as a soothing and hydrating mask (just leave it on for ten minutes after massaging in). This is one of the best smelling products I have ever used, and yet it is completely devoid of any “fragrance”. The amazing scent comes from a long list of natural botanical ingredients (which also make it so beneficial for skin): Grape Seed and Sweet Almond Oil, rich in essential fatty acids, help to plump and soften skin, Moringa Seed Extract, Wild Sea Fennel and Vitamin E balance, purify and help minimize the appearance of pores, Orange, Neroli and Mandarin Essential Oils rejuvenate and revitalize the skin whilst calming the senses, and, lastly, Jasmine and Rose help to recondition dull, dehydrated and/or mature skin. Moringa Cleansing Balm starts as a solid, but quickly emulsifies into a luxurious liquid once you begin to massage it into damp skin. It feels and smells so good, I think I go into a bit of a trance every time I use it. Whether I’m in the shower or standing in front of my bathroom mirror at the end of a long day, I zone out a bit as I massage it in. Since it is so nourishing, you may only want to use it morning or night, depending on the moisture needs of your skin.

To preorder the Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm, please email concierge@travelbeauty.com

If you choose to use any of these as a mask, I HIGHLY recommend adding several spritzes of Vine Minus Ion Care Water to your mask ritual. Why? This negative ion water is 170 times more absorbent than regular water, so it provides mega-moisture to skin and hair. Used in conjunction with skin care products, negative ion water works as a driver, boosting the effectiveness of those other products. Also, due to its pH of 12.5, bacteria cannot live in it, making it an insanely effective germ and bacteria killer. Vine Care Water is the perfect partner to whichever cream cleanser/mask you use.

By: Claire McCormack, Twitter & Instagram: @clairemcmack