Skin Prep, Sun and Rosé: My Ibiza Routine
A few weeks ago I headed to Ibiza with a group of friends, all mothers and all genuinely remarkable in their own ways. We were lucky enough to stay in a beautiful, rather exclusive villa. What struck me most was the quality of the company: a circle of women who looked out for one another with real warmth and care. We ate well, rested properly, drank rosé in the sun and yes, managed a night out too.
I saw this trip as a rare opportunity to step away from the usual pull of work and family, to look after myself both physically and emotionally. Plenty of rest, yes, but also the nourishment that’s harder to schedule: good food, real friendship, uninhibited laughter, finishing a book and at least one night of dancing.
The Lead Up
In the weeks before, I was far more focused on preparing my skin than on updating my wardrobe, though in the interest of full transparency, I did buy two new pairs of shoes.
I gave my skin preparation some genuine thought and it felt only right to share the process with you. If it makes things a little easier and your skin a little better, then all the better.
So, what were my considerations? I wanted to feel pampered, this was a well-deserved break after all. I thought about the effects of flying on the skin. I wanted my complexion looking as smooth and bright as possible. I knew the rosé would flow fairly freely and I wanted to wear a full face of makeup for our night out at Pikes and have it actually look good.
There was quite a lot to think about.
So, here’s what I did.
Preparation Products and Treatments
Two weeks before, I introduced a simple but effective addition to my shower routine: Naturium The Smoother Glycolic Acid Body Wash. If you haven’t come across this brand or this product, I’d encourage you to look it up. It delivers full-body exfoliation in a matter of minutes with very little effort and the results speak for themselves.
For body moisture, I alternate between two products. The first is CeraVe Moisturising Lotion, not the most glamorous thing on my shelf, but a genuine staple and one I return to consistently. The second is The Body Shop Moringa Body Butter. The scent alone transports me, taking me straight back to a time travelling through Thailand. The scent memory is strong and the product itself is just wonderful.
Those who know us will know that life at the clinic has been full since the arrival of our BBL HEROic and MOXI laser. My last BBL MOXI treatment was at the end of March, no time to squeeze another in before the trip, but the results were holding well so I wasn’t concerned. What I did want was a concentrated boost of moisture and that’s where our Oxygenation facial comes in. I carried out the treatment on myself, no frills and no soothing massage that our clients get, just the full benefit of properly oxygenated skin. I opted for the Gold pod for its hydrating and firming properties.
Two weeks before departure I also had my anti-wrinkle injections including a lip flip, giving everything time to settle beautifully before the trip.
To maintain the results at home, I relied on a combination of products. My evening staple was my bespoke compounded Tretinoin cream, prescribed specifically for me with additional actives including Niacinamide and Azelaic acid. In the weeks leading up to the trip, I increased my frequency of use to most nights. I wasn’t concerned about using a retinoid in the lead-up to a sun holiday, as my face would be consistently protected by a UPF hat and Heliocare SPF 50 Water Gel, but I did stop 72 hours before travelling and shifted the focus entirely to nourishment in those final days. A note worth adding: Tretinoin is prescription-only and should always be used under professional guidance. It isn’t something to self-prescribe.
Once the Tretinoin had fully absorbed, I would follow with ALLSKIN | MED Replenishing Cream. In the mornings, my routine was more straightforward: half an ALLSKIN | MED Regenerating Ampoule applied to the face and neck followed by their Barrier Defence Emulsion.
Handbag Non-negotiables
Even on a short flight, the drying effects and UV exposure at high altitude are worth taking seriously, so I kept a few small products to hand. My lip treatment of choice was the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask. I use this regularly at night for softer, more hydrated lips by morning and it works just as well mid-flight. An added bonus: it tastes rather good too.
I also had my Heliocare Tinted Oil-Free Compact to hand, its built-in mirror making it ideal for an easy SPF and makeup touch-up at altitude. It didn’t leave my bag for the entire trip. The final addition was Aveeno Hand Cream, non-greasy, fast-absorbing and applied generously.
Suitcase Essentials
Once there, I switched to my favourite holiday shower gel: Molton Brown Coastal Cypress and Sea Fennel. For hair care, I followed the personal recommendations of Oliver Blackaby at The Hair Salon, working predominantly with the Davroe range. This included a dedicated sun protection product for the hair, because sun protection, for me, doesn’t stop at the face. What Oliver doesn’t know about hair is really not worth knowing.
My facial sunscreen didn’t change: Heliocare Water Gel SPF 50, a product I come back to consistently. For the body I used Heliocare Advanced Gel Body SPF 50. What sets it apart is that it goes beyond straightforward protection, actively helping to prevent and repair sun damage while supporting the skin’s vitamin D function – something I always need help with. Lightweight, fast-absorbing and suitable for the whole family.
My facial skincare routine continued with the ALLSKIN | MED Regenerating Ampoules. Their repairing action, antioxidant activity and moisturising complex made them an obvious choice alongside sun exposure. If you haven’t tried them, they sit in that rare category of products that feel genuinely luxurious while delivering real clinical results.
In place of my usual Replenishing Cream, I switched to the All Skin Med | Barrier Recovery Cream. Holiday skin has different needs and this felt like the right choice for both supporting the barrier and rebalancing the microbiome.
One addition that doesn’t often feature in skincare conversations: electrolytes. Hydration works from the inside out and keeping on top of electrolyte intake, particularly in the heat and with the occasional rosé, felt as important as anything I was applying to my skin.
My nightly True Magnesium+ capsules from Ancient and Brave were another essential I wouldn’t travel without. Good sleep is one of the most underrated factors in how skin looks and feels and these helped me get exactly that.
So after all of that, my skin must have been looking fabulous by the end of the holiday. Right?
Reality and Recovery
Not strictly true. It still felt less hydrated than usual, particularly after the late night flight home. The texture felt slightly rougher than normal and I’d broken out in a couple of spots along the hat-line. Sweat, SPF and heat is a reliable recipe for breakouts on my skin.
Back home, it was straight into recovery mode. As it happened, my dear friend Rebecca at ALLSKIN | MED had been in touch: a new hydrating cleanser and a new Renewal Scrub had landed and she was insistent I try them. I’ll be honest, cleansers and scrubs don’t tend to move the needle for me. But I trust Rebecca completely and so I tried them. I was blown away.
The ALLSKIN | MED Hydrating gel-cream Cleanser is a beautiful balance of cleansing and nourishment, exactly what post-holiday skin needs. But the real moment came with the new ALLSKIN | MED Renewal Scrub. Within seconds I could not believe the transformation, from rough, textured post-Ibiza skin to something genuinely smooth. What makes it stand out is the combination of physical exfoliation from very fine particles, chemical exfoliation via AHA and enzymatic exfoliation from pomegranate enzyme. Three mechanisms working together, and the results are immediate.
I called Dr Chris in from the other room to try it before I’d even finished getting ready. We work together as doctor and pharmacist at the clinic, but moments like this are very much off the clock. When something works that well, you want the person closest to you to know about it first.
Alongside the new additions, I returned to my Tretinoin and kept up the ALLSKIN | MED Barrier Defence Emulsion and Barrier Recovery Cream, the non-negotiables that brought everything back into balance.
My Take-away
I came home tired, slightly spotty and completely full. Full of good food, good company, one very good night of dancing and the kind of rest that actually restores you. The skin sorted itself out within days. Some things just need a little time and the right ingredients. The skin and the soul both.
Iki x