The Hydrating Skin Care Product Babba Rivera Always Packs For Vacation

The last 16 or so months of travel restrictions, while excruciating most of the time, also offered hours upon hours of wanderlust daydreaming: Where will I go? Who will I travel with? Do I even remember how to pack a suitcase?! If you’ve nailed down the first two, but are still rusty about what beauty essentials to include in your carry-on and checked luggage, don’t worry — there are plenty of tips and tricks to help you dust off those dormant travel muscles. And who better to consult about what to bring on your (hopefully) pending summer vacation than entrepreneur and Ceremonia founder Babba C. Rivera?

The Swedish native definitely knows a thing or two about creating a well-packed suitcase, and has the copious stamps in her passport to prove it. “[I’m looking] forward to my long awaited trip back to Sweden to visit my family,” she tells TZR via email regarding her summer schedule. “We have planned a longer trip of five weeks to ensure we have time to visit all family members and spend some quality time in the Swedish nature.”

Obviously, being the founder of an already cult-favorite hair care line means that Rivera is no stranger to beauty products, and living a few thousand miles away from where she grew up has allowed her to perfect her travel beauty routine during her trips to see friends and family. She even reveals that, yes, she is that person on the plane who will happily apply a sheet mask mid-air, no matter how many people are around her to witness it. Skin hydration is no joke after all. Of course, the current travel restrictions have switched up her most used in-flight product — but that doesn’t mean that hand sanitizer can’t be a luxe experience. “My favorite is this natural, CBD-infused one from Flora + Bast, [the] Healing Hand Sanitizer,” says Rivera.

Keep reading to learn what else the founder is bringing with her to keep her skin glowing, her hair manageable, and her makeup on point during her summer travels this year.

We only include products that have been independently selected by TZR's editorial team. However, we may receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

Rivera’s Favorite In-Flight Skin Care Products

Airplane travel is notoriously drying for your skin, which is why Rivera always keeps plenty of moisturizing and hydrating products in her carry-on bag when she has a long flight. “I love the Verso Deep Hydration sheet masks for air [travel],” she says. “I always have something [moisturizing] for my lips, too. Currently, [I’m] obsessed with the Kosas Sport Lip Fuel. I usually also bring a face serum as my skin gets pretty dry, especially on long-haul flights.”

Hand cream is also a must for keeping your skin moisturized from take-off to landing. “For hands, I love the CASTANHA hand cream from Natura Brasil, and for body I love the Chillhouse body oils,” she says. “I plan on using the ‘have a chill night’ one for my overnight flight this summer. Other essentials for me are essential oils. I usually carry lavender for sleep time and then peppermint for landing the next morning to energize. This year, I am adding the Dorotea On Guard oil to protect [and offer immune support] as well.”

And to ward off that dull, lackluster complexion that is synonymous with airplanes, Rivera says that she’ll pop on the sheet mask just before landing. Once she arrives at her destination, she’ll use the MANTLE The Dream Mask overnight to calm her skin, add a much-needed boost of hydration, and wake up glowy and ready to enjoy the vacation.

Rivera’s Summer Travel Skin Care Essentials

If you’re dedicated to skin care, there’s really no such thing as packing light when it comes to products — Rivera knows this. She reveals that she brings her entire skin care lineup with her when she travels (which helps to ward off the skin irritation and inflammation that can result from all that stress). “I always use a cleanser,” she says. “[I’m] currently staying loyal to the Tracie Martyn Amla Purifying Cleanser, [plus] a toner. Marie Veronique x Kristina Holey’s Balancing Hypo Tonic is my all-time favorite.”

She also brings a handful of serums when she travels, with Marie Veronique x Kristina Holey’s B3 serum and Verso’s Hydration Serum topping her list of favorites. And, of course, a face cream and oils combo is always a must to keep her skin moisturized and supple. [“I’m] currently obsessing over the Chill Cream from MANTLE, and face oils. The Glow Serum from MANTLE and the Face Serum from Vintner’s Daughter are my go-to’s — although their names suggest serum, they are basically oils.

Rivera reveals that she always packs a face mask for whatever skin flares she might experience on a trip. “It’s always hard to pick which one to bring to which trip, because I usually rotate between Tata Harper’s Resurfacing Mask for glow, MANTLE’s The Dream Mask for hydration and reducing redness, and Tracie Martyn’s enzyme exfoliant for exfoliation,” she says. If you have room in your luggage, why not pack all of your favorites? (Again, skin care lovers do not skimp on the products during a vacation.)

And of course daily SPF is non-negotiable for Rivera. “I love Supergoop!’s PLAY SPF because it feels more like a regular body lotion that also happens to protect against the sun, versus a thick SPF cream. For face, I love the Saie Sunvisor SPF 35. It’s perfect for everyday use, leaving my face feeling hydrated and glowy.” If she has a beach day on the books, she switches her SPF to something a little heavier and more substantial, like Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40.

Rivera’s Summer Travel Hair Care Essentials

“I’ve become that person now who brings her own shampoo and conditioner to ensure I can stay on my clean hair care journey,” says Rivera. “I try to steer clear of harsh ingredients like sulfates and parabens, and don’t like to use silicones in my hair either as it usually just weighs it down and is like a magnet for dirt — and over time, [it] creates more frizz and dryness as it forms a film on my strands [that prevents] them from properly absorbing the benefits from my other hair products.”

Naturally, she is partial to the Ceremonia shampoo and conditioner, and for her summer travels especially, she adds the brand’s Rescue and Repair kit for extra hydration and UV protection. Says Rivera, “The [Ceremonia] Guava Rescue Spray helps protect against heat, UV, chlorine and salt water, while also functioning as the perfect detangler and frizz control spray. The Guava leave-in conditioner is my go-to for aftersun, to help restore and repair, strengthen my hair and help lock in hydration.”

Once a week, at night, she uses the Aceite de Moska oil to nourish her scalp and promote hair growth. “When I am on vacation, I like putting it on my scalp and dry ends and then go about my day under a hat, and then wash it off before dinner time.” If also you have an upcoming trip to the beach, be sure to take a page out of Rivera’s book, as a nourishing hair product is a must to protect and repair against salt water, sand, and hot summer sun.

Rivera’s Summer Travel Makeup Essentials

With scorching temperatures and varying mask requirements happening throughout her summer travels, Rivera tends to keep her makeup on the minimal side, although she does embrace clean formulations on occasion. “I rarely wear foundation,” she says, “but if I have some redness I like to apply the Merit Minimalist Complexion Stick and brush it out with their brush, or I would blend a few drops of the Saie Superglowy Gel with their Slip Tint Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30 to even out my [complexion] with a dewy look.”

She also reveals that she loves to mix up her own custom blush color using Saie’s Rosy and Peach shades, and is currently obsessed with La Bouche Rouge’s mascara. “It leaves my lashes perfectly defined and enhanced without looking too heavy.” Then she tops it all off with a Kosas lip oil.

Like many people, Rivera is also eager to embrace lipstick again in the moments when she doesn’t have to wear a mask this summer. “La Bouche Rouge is the ultimate lipstick heaven,” she says. “All sustainable and clean, and they have so many great shades to pick from. I always bring Self Service Satin for a pop of red, and Nude Red or Nude Brown for a more minimal look.”