Looking and feeling your best whilst travelling can often prove tricky, as ROWSE co-founder Nuria Val knows all too well. Here, the jet-setting natural beauty entrepreneur shares her expert skincare secrets.
In addition to being a passionate advocate for her brand, which champions plant-based beauty products made with raw, toxin-free ingredients, Nuria Val describes herself as a “restless globetrotter”. Born and bred in Barcelona, the creative director, photographer, and model extols the virtues of a sustainable skincare regime whilst on the road, in line with her authentic approach to natural beauty.
How do you prepare your skin ahead of a trip?
Trying to get a good night’s sleep might be the best way to prepare myself before travelling. My skincare brand ROWSE — which I founded alongside Gabriela Salord — is all about celebrating and nourishing your skin with plant-based ingredients.
Our products have become my own skincare routine as I want to celebrate natural beauty. Now I don’t know how I would live without them. For me, the ROWSE Cleansing Balm, followed by one of our newest releases, the All-Day Hydration Serum with Niacinamide, are the perfect match for a bedtime skincare routine. On the plane, the eye area gets dehydrated easily, so I always have a ROWSE Eye Contour Serum with me.
Let’s talk travel skincare essentials… what are your must-pack products?
I always have a travel beauty bag with my basics ready to go, which contains the ROWSE travel-size Summer Body Oil, the Eye Contour Serum, the Winter Perfume Oil (not just for winter!) and the All-Day Hydration Serum with Niacinamide.
I also like to bring another oil for dry skin because I’ve noticed that my face needs extra help when I travel — such as rosehip or hemp oil — and use it whenever my skin could use some comforting.
How do you keep your skin glowing while on-the-go?
With two simple steps that nourish skin with all kinds of natural plant benefits. First, apply floral water, followed by a few drops of a plant-based oil.
Any in-flight or post-flight self-care rituals that we should be following?
My skin gets dehydrated on flights and with changes in climate, so my advice would be to keep skin hydrated. Plant-based beauty keeps skin feeling incredibly hydrated, so you don’t need to use lots of different products when it comes to keeping it looking and feeling healthy.
How do you adjust your skincare regime to new destinations?
I follow a very simple routine on a daily basis that covers all my needs. I’m always running from place to place and I like to be ready in a flash, so I try to adapt just a little, depending on the destination. Usually I clean my face with one of ROWSE’s botanical soaps — I use the same one on my body, meaning I can do everything in the shower. Then, I spray some Summer Mist on my face for hydration, before applying a face oil. Lastly, I use our Green Aventurine Facial Roller to help the products sink deeper into the skin. I like to use it cold, because it’s great for puffy eyes — and it feels so refreshing.
Do you have a go-to beauty look on holiday?
I love the surfer wave hair effect and beachy skin glow, where you can keep the skin hydrated and natural at the same time. My go-to beauty look is about being as natural and simple as possible.
Your favourite holiday scents?
To me, our Summer Candle smells like being on holiday. It’s inspired by our iconic Summer Body Oil, which is sweet, fresh and bright. It captures and conjures up the essence of a Mediterranean escape, with notes of soothing bergamot, uplifting neroli, and balancing palmarosa.
How do you decompress after a long journey?
As I’m constantly travelling, I value the time I spend at home — especially at La Oliveta, our countryside escape from the city. This has actually become an extension of the ROWSE philosophy, complete with solar panels and rainwater tanks to help make it self-sufficient. Here, everything slows down and we have time to do the things we love and cherish: gardening, cooking and immersing ourselves in nature.
When I am in Barcelona, I love to take one of the ROWSE yoga classes that we introduced in our studio at the end of each day. It is the perfect way for us to connect with our community, spend time with our friends, and unwind together in a mindful and holistic manner.
Which hotels are on your wish list, and why?
For the most breathtaking lake views, I would like to visit Grand Hotel Victoria Concept & Spa – Lago di Como. This hotel blends historical elegance with modern luxury and looks like a serene space to contemplate stillness within the surrounding mountains. I would choose another tranquil hotel like Tabula Rasa Resort & Spa in Sri Lanka, for its exotic jungle setting and nature-based experiences — including surfing, safaris, and swimming with turtles. To completely bliss out, I would sunbathe and shoot my way around Acro Suites, a clifftop hideaway in Crete with private plunge pools and sparkling Aegean Sea views.
Latest stories
10 luxury hotels worth reserving for spectacular rooftop terraces
The ‘gram loves a good rooftop, doesn’t it? Infinity pools teetering over a city’s edge, open-air bars and sky-high restaurants to drink in those bird’s eye views and sip cocktails in the clouds. Now that summer is almost here, these are the best boutique hotels to book for rooftop access
12 of the world’s most photogenic hotel pools
Sure, some of us love to get a few early morning laps in, but for most travellers, the hotel pool is a place to stretch out and sunbathe beside — in full holiday mode. Ice-cold drinks delivered to your poolside lounger or cabana throughout the day, and only having to
Independent Minds: Steven Riseley, Castle Elvira
Crumbling castle it might have been for over a century, but Steven Riseley and husband, Harvey B-Brown, are writing their own contemporary fairy-tale at Castle Elvira in Puglia. Following a four-year restoration project with local craftsmen working to keep the original ceilings and stonework intact, the creative couple could finally
How to spend a short break in Syros, Greece
The Cyclades are known for their rugged beaches and iconic blue-and-white stucco buildings — until you arrive in the main town of Hermoupolis on the Greek island of Syros, that is. The bustling port city is an energised contrast from its Cycladic neighbours, where neoclassical mansions in a pastel palette
