When you're going on vacation, it takes a bit of planning and strategy to pack your bags with everything you'll need for your trip. If you're flying to your relaxation destination, then you may be very limited in terms of which products (especially the liquid ones) that you can bring in your luggage.

In terms of vacation and skin care, it's all about selecting products that will serve you and your skin best on your trip. Follow my expert advice and you and your spa clients will have glowing, radiant skin no matter where they go!

BYO cleanser

When you're traveling, do not rely on hotel bar soaps, shower gels or *gasp* shampoos to wash your face. Bring a travel-size or small container of your normal professional cleanser on your trip.

As we know, proper facial cleansing is the foundation of great skin care and you don't want to leave that part of your beauty routine to chance. Improper cleansing can result in dull, clogged or irritated skin and that is not the best way to take care of skin while you are on the go.

Toner is a must-have

Make sure your TSA-approved liquid allocation includes your facial toner. When you are traveling to a new area with a different climate and water supply (i.e., hard or soft water), your skin will need pH balancing more than ever.

Not only will toner balance the skin, it will complete the cleansing process and help remove makeup and SPF residue that your cleanser may have left behind. Choose your favorite mild, alcohol-free, hydrating toner to bring that will fortify and rejuvenate jet-lagged skin.

You'll need your eye products more than ever

One category of products that clients seem to forget on vacation is their eye treatments. It may seem like an unnecessary luxury item, but eye care is more important than you think.

Besides the normal maintenance against fine lines and dark circles, your eye treatments will rescue your delicate eye area from so much more. Many people disrupt their sleep patterns on vacation because of unfamiliar sleeping environments or uncomfortable beds so you are more apt to be puffy and fatigued around the eyes.

Moreover, for many, vacation means they are indulging more in larger portions of restaurant food with lots of added salt. Many people tend to imbibe in alcohol a bit more heartily on vacation, too, and this can also create dehydration and take away our glow.

Be sure to pack hydrating, de-puffing eye gels and a few pair of collagen eye patches. You can store those in your mini fridge and give your eye area the relief it will need when you're traveling.

Don't depart without quality mineral SPF

Many of us have fallen victim to the old line, "I'll buy SPF when I get there," and then we find out that our options are overpriced, limited and insufficient, at best.

Don't leave your ever-important SPF protection to chance when you are traveling. As we know, the most popular and widely available SPF formulations are chemical-based and lack zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, which are crucial for sunny weather.

So be sure to pack SPF with two main areas in mind: face and body. Your facial SPF's can be as simple as a tinted mineral moisturizer or BB cream. Mineral powders are also a great option on the go and can be reapplied to the face, neck and chest easily.

SPF for the body should also contain zinc and or titanium, and will be white, thick and waterproof. If you know you will be outside in the sun for extended periods of time, be sure to pack your SPF clothing and hats as well.

Nothing ruins a vacation like a horrible sunburn or excessive tanning that can make unsightly hyperpigmentation resurface. Stay on top of this part of your routine wherever you go!

Pack an array of spot treatments

Most of us take a break from our 12-step skin care routines when we travel and just pack the basics. I always advise clients to leave their big bottles of prescription retinoids, skin brighteners and exfoliating serums at home for a short trip.

It's perfectly fine to take a little break from some of the more aggressive products in your routine when you are away and especially when you will be exposed to lots of sunlight and heat.

However, I always advise my clients to bring small portions of spot treatments or "emergency skin fixers" while they are out of town. I suggest that clients bring a tiny bit of their retinol, benzoyl peroxide, clay mask or salicylic solutions (or small amounts of any other prescription/high-performance products they use), just in case they experience some isolated breakouts/flare-ups on their trip.

In most cases, these aren't products that I would recommend they use all over the face, but in a skin care emergency, they know they will have them on hand. Other great skin care first aid products are antibacterial ointment, hydrocortisone cream and aloe vera gel.

Bring these with you and save yourself a trip to an overpriced hotel convenience store or taking the time to hunt down a local pharmacy when you should be enjoying your vacation.

It's so beneficial to take care of our skin while we are traveling so that we come back from vacation looking rested and rejuvenated. As a spa owner or manager, you can create a retail area that accommodates clients' vacation skin care needs.

Having travel and sample size professional products for sale will really help clients stay on their routine while they are away. Just because we or our clients are trotting the globe doesn't mean we should forsake our trusted skin care regimens.

Follow my expert tips and you and your clients will look youthful, radiant and refreshed no matter where your travels may take you!