Why is it a good idea to travel with face masks, and where can I find suitable ones to take along?

Once you get off the plane, you can never predict how your skin will react to the temperature, wind and precipitation levels, especially when you are visiting a region for the first time. Depending on the time of the month, the day-to-day condition of your skin will be different too.

So while you can prepare a suitable skincare range in advance by studying the weather forecast closely, it always helps to take along a few packets of masks for different purposes to deal with skin emergencies, or just to give your skin a perk.

Before a trip, stock up on loose sheet, capsule or packet masks that are light and compact. Leave the bulky jars behind.

Sephora now offers a good variety of its house brand sheet masks. Available in 10 types, the masks are priced at $4 each. The best-selling ones are Rose for hydration and brightening, Pomegranate to energise and protect, Green Tea to mattify and curb the appearance of blemishes, Lotus to soothe and nourish, and Ginseng to firm and tone.

Apivita is also known for its wash-off masks that come in handy one-dose sachets, and are made with potent skincare ingredients and superfoods. These are priced from $58 to $72 for a box of 12, or from $24 for four sachets.

There are 17 options available.

The top sellers: Express Beauty Mask with Sea Lavender to protect and moisturise, Express Beauty Mask with Cucumber for intensive hydration, Express Beauty Mask with Green Clay for deep cleansing, Express Beauty Mask with Propolis to treat oily skin, and the Express Gold Mask with Royal Jelly to firm and regenerate.

South Korean brands, such as Innisfree and Tony Moly, also offer a wide variety of masks.

Over at The Face Shop, long known for its mind-boggling variety of sheet masks (50 to be exact), you will find masks that suit any skin type.

The ones to look out for: Chia Seed Hydrating Mask Sheet, the Real Nature Mask Acai Berry, the Supreme Cereal Black Bean Mask Sheet, and the Raspberry Line & Lift Collagen Eye Patch. Prices start from $2.90 each.

That said, sheet masks that thoroughly hydrate the skin are a must, no matter the climate of the country you are travelling to. If you do not have time to pick a variety, grab a box of these fail-safe hydrating options that work everytime for me.

I like Sulwhasoo's Snowise Whitening Mask ($162 for 10 sheets, from Sulwhasoo counters) that are good for a beach holiday. Use them after a day out in the sun to soothe, cool and brighten skin.

To soak skin in moisture, I like For Beloved One's best-selling Extreme Hydration Bio-Cellulose Mask ($63 for a three-piece box, from Sephora stores).

This article was first published on May 30, 2014.
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