Circulated air in a hotel or on the plane can wreak havoc on your skin. In fact, you’re prone to dehydrated skin most when you travel because you’ll stay in a hotel, fly a plane, and likely go to a hot destination (like a beach) or a cold destination (for skiing), and we all know extreme weather can further damage the skin. It’s why you always need to stay hydrated and moisturize your skin, but also, wear SPF. I recently discovered IS Clinical Extreme Protect SPF 30, and after testing dozens of SPF, I think it’s the best SPF for travel and daily use.
When I started traveling in my early 20s, nobody told me about SPF. Nobody told me you needed to put SPF on daily. The sun is harsh, and it still beams on a cloudy day. Even if you’re not going outside, you’re getting skin-damaging, UV light from your computer and smart devices in the form of blue light, which is why you need to wear SPF daily if you’re concerned about your skin.
While I wrote for travel magazines in my 20s, I did a lot of product reviews as well, including skincare. The more I researched SPF, the more I learned that everyone must apply it every day if they want to prevent short-term skin issues (dry skin, old-looking skin, etc) and future skin issues, like wrinkly skin and hyperpigmentation.
I also learned that the only two true preventers of sun damage is zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. You should not use a sunscreen that does NOT have one of these two ingredients.
In fact, in 2019, when the federal Food and Drug Administration – the agency that governs sunscreen safety – proposed its most recent updates to sunscreen regulations, it found that only two ingredients, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, could be classified as safe and effective, according to EWG.
That said, I only use sunscreen that offers zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, and I came across Innovative Skincare SPF 30, where the active ingredient is zinc oxide.
IS Clinical by Innovative Skincare is a luxury skincare brand, and the products have a good balance of natural and science. I trust IS Clinical. You can find the products in luxury, five-star hotel spas, meaning the certified beauticians and experts who take skincare seriously also approve of IS Clinical.
IS Clinical Extreme Protect SPF 30 lasts all day. I apply it every morning, because it’s not aggressive as a sunscreen agent. It’s soft and creamy, not thick and hard to apply, and it doesn’t leave that white sheen you often find with SPF. I love that it has 4.2% zinc oxide, which is more than enough SPF protection you need.
The product comes in 3.5 ounces, which is a bummer if you want to bring carry-on on a flight, but I always do checked luggage when going on trips. It’s priced at $78, which is steep, but remember, you’re paying for quality, and this will last you about 6 months. One thing I learned is that you should always pay more for sunscreen if you want true protection.
Let me break it down for you. You can buy Banana Boat or Neutrogena sunscreen at the drug store for less than $10. Why is it so cheap? It uses incredibly ineffective, cheap, mass produced sunscreen agents. Wearing these products every day will not do anything for your skin in the long-term. If you bought a car, which do you think would give you the most mileage? A Kia or a Mercedes? If you really want quality and long-last effectiveness, you need to pay for it these days.
I now mostly buy IS Clinical for my daily skincare routine, including a large-size IS Clinical Extreme Protect for my home.
Buy IS Clinical Extreme Protect SPF 30 on Amazon.
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Jimmy Im has traveled to 113 countries, stayed in over 600 hotels and has flown a million airmiles. He lives in New York City.