KNOW BEFORE YOU GLOW. Your Products. Your Vacation. Your Adjustments. The trip from the desert to NYC was a big deal. I hadn't been away from the business in five years. Still, you'd think after living there in my twenties, I'd remember what the air felt like. But no. My Fab-4 and Fab-3 routines (+ tweaks) are what I do everywhere. They're my baseline, travel or not. So I did my A.M. and P.M routines the way I always do.
The first night, I applied a ton of Brilliance Vitamin C. Wrinkle control. A lot of Deep Hydration because I try to keep up with dark spot prevention. A bit of Radiance Retinal Cream—same reason. And a whole lot of Condition Balm. Elasticity.
In the A.M. I did the Fab-4 in my usual amounts, ending with Condition Balm to give my foundation that glide without looking cakey. Then my husband and I headed out for a boat trip around the island.
The wind whipped city grit at me for two hours, the humidity made me sweat like a hog, and when I went to the ladies' room, I realized I looked more greasy than glowy.
Not a product problem. An environment problem that I hadn’t considered. The same routine that keeps my skin balanced in the desert was working against me in 80% humidity.
Here's what was going on. In the desert, humidity can drop below 20%, and your skin works hard to hold onto every drop of moisture. Oils and butters are essential because they form a physical seal that slows water loss down.
But… New York in June can hover around 70–80% humidity, and your skin absorbs that ambient moisture on its own. Layer your usual oils and butters on top of that, and you've sealed in more than your skin actually needs.
So I did a rethink. More Tighten+Glow Mist, less Condition Balm. More Transform Serum, less Meta TX Cream.
The whole experience was a great reminder for someone who has been nowhere since before COVID that the skin is always in conversation with its environment, and it’s more a matter of how much of a product you use than changing products when you change location.
Low humidity needs oil-forward protection. High humidity needs hydration-forward support.
Best Idea: Whether you’re headed for humid or dry, I’d suggest bringing full size products so you can adjust as needed. They are all under 3 ounces, and TSA approved. If you carry them in your little see through kit bag, security will love you. xoxo Brook (and Jay) |
