Back to Travel #2: Waking Up Your Jet Lagged Skin with Mineral Air
Day spa owner and aesthetician Marion Simms of SkinSense Wellness in Los Angeles offers up a few handy tips to mitigate jet lag’s toll on the complexion.
Back to Travel #2:This is the second of our multipart Mineral Air series looking at skin as we’re starting to travel again.
With an international clientele and frequent trips back to her home country of England, aesthetician Marion Simms knows jet lag when she feels – and sees – it.
“Our body’s immune system is very much tied to our circadian rhythm,” she reports. “Daytime is when the metabolism is going full speed ahead, nighttime is when it repairs and restores. When the circadian rhythm is disrupted, the body goes into something of a crisis as it struggles to readjust. While this is going on, we feel bloated and exhausted; sleepy at the wrong time and wide awake at the wrong time too. We’re also more susceptible to digestive problems and illness as well.
“The same is true of skin,” she continues. “If you have an underlying skin condition (acne, rosacea, allergies), flying, jet lag and the resultant stress that triggers cortisol can exacerbate it. Plagued with jet lag, even those with perfect skin will present a complexion that looks dehydrated, tired, dull, and puffy.”
Marion’s excellent advice to ease the situation begins with washing your face and preferably taking a bath or shower the second you arrive at a suitable bathroom (NOT an airport bathroom, btw.) From there she suggests:
Hydrate from the inside
Even those with the best habits and intentions rarely drink enough water on the plane if only to avoid too frequent bathroom breaks. But once you’re on dry land again, double up on your water intake for a few days to replenish your parched system and skin. And try to eat plenty of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables too.
Lymph a move on
“I think of the lymphatic system as the garbage disposal of the body,” Marion says. “It functions as a tissue cleansing filter and is an essential player in the body’s immune system”.
By throwing the body out of whack, what jet lag does to the lymphatic system is temporarily confuse it, causing bloating and discomfort that are particularly obvious in the face and neck.
The lymphatic system is a network of tissues, vessels and organs that sync up to move lymph – a semi-viscous colorless liquid – back into your circulatory system (aka the bloodstream) where the toxins it has collected are then excreted through urine or feces. Unlike the bloodstream that circulates thanks to the pumping of the heart, the only way to get lymph moving is through movement itself. Here’s what to do every day you’re away (and the first week you’re home):
Jade roller upon landing and every morning
A jade roller (which can also be made of rose quartz or amethyst) is a handy little massage instrument that’s easy to pack. Roller massaging helps stimulate the lymph nodes to drain fluids and toxins from the face, reduce puffiness, release tensions, boost blood circulation and release fine lines.
For best results, first spray on Mineral Air Skin Renewal Serum with the ElixerMist Device much heavier than is usual so that your face is wet with it. Take your time, use gentle pressure and go slowly. Start with your neck and do a series of roller strokes always going upwards towards the jawline. For the face from chin to forehead, you’ll always want to roll outwards from the center of the face towards the jawline or hairline. For undereye puffiness, use a smaller roller working from the inward corner of the eye outward.
Electronic micro-stimulation every night
An at-home microcurrent device is an excellent companion on the road too (though you’ll want to make sure that you have the proper electric converters if you’re on foreign soil). They work using safe, low-voltage electricity to stimulate lymphatic drainage, cell growth and collagen development.
Hydrate from the outside
If possible, indulge in a professional hydrating facial within a day or two of landing. But if that’s not in the cards, no worries. Marion is a big fan of hydrating sheet masks to use while on a trip away because of ease of application and clean up. And of course, you’ll always have your Mineral Air Skin Renewal System handy for a quick mist whenever your complexion is feeling parched.
What’s the difference?
Mineral Air offers two device-plus-formula categories, one for makeup, the other for skincare.
Mineral Air original (MA) includes its AirMist Device, an easy to use, everyday consumer tool that rivals professional airbrushing in its cosmetic application of our eponymous foundation, blush, or bronzer. Mineral Air Skin (MAS) features the Renewal Serum System with its ElixerMist Device for lightweight vaporized delivery.
“Plagued with jet lag, even those with perfect skin will present a complexion that looks dehydrated, tired, dull, and puffy.”
Marion Simms
Aesthetician and Founder
SkinSense Wellness Spa
W skinsensewellness.com
IG @healthyskin10