For many, the holiday season is a perfect time to escape the cold — and perhaps some traditional obligations! — for a sunnier climate. Since the winter months happen to coincide with the jungle’s dry season on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, destinations like Tulum have become especially well-traveled between December and April. The best thing about visiting a tropical locale like Tulum in the winter months – beyond escaping the gray, frigid conditions at home, of course – is returning home with a healthy glow. Here’s how to optimize your beauty routine when traveling to the tropics.
Beauty Off The Grid
If you plan to do any reef or cenote snorkeling or swimming, be sure to bring a biodegradable sunscreen to protect the local flora and fauna. Avoid any products containing oxybenzone and octinoxate. These chemicals, now banned in Hawaii, are known to damage coral and destroy reefs.
If your hair is colored or freshly lightened, protect your strands from the dulling effects of sun and swim with a “reef safe,” environmentally friendly leave-in conditioner.
Oily Skin
Don’t be fooled by the term “dry season” when selecting products to pack for the jungle. Those of us with oily skin and hair need to be sure to exfoliate and cleanse simultaneously to prevent clogged pores. We love facial cleaners that exfoliate without overdrying. Follow your cleanser with a lightweight moisturizer moisture barrier. Oily skin can often be made oilier when deprived of moisture, and in tropical climates, can become acne prone. Avoid this by remembering to moisturize. Allow your moisturizer to absorb for a few minutes, and follow with a quality mineral sunscreen, which transforms oily skin into a smooth, glowy and protected complexion. Particularly warm days may call for a translucent setting powder, which works great over your usual makeup or to lock a lower maintenance look into place, humidity be damned! For vacation, you may choose to simplify your routine to a select few products that can pull double-duty.
