A bevy of bottles in Space NK.

by Mollie Chen

Earlier this week I had breakfast with Space NK founder Nicky Kinnaird, who amazes me with her travel stamina. When I saw her, she was wrapping up three weeks of nonstop jet-setting: Barcelona, Bologna, New York (twice), Palm Beach, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and a few more places I can't remember. She is the best advertisement for her sleek beauty atelier because every time I see her she looks healthy and well-rested. Impressive, considering I have permanent bags under my eyes even when I stay put in Manhattan. Nicky has tons of exciting launches coming up, including a reformulation of her signature scent, Laughter, which was inspired by her childhood vacations in Gandia, Spain. The scent got a full organic makeover and is now free of parabens, synthetic colors, and artificial ingredients. It rolls out in early October, along with four brand-new fragrances, all of which are tied to specific destinations. I took advantage of our breakfast to quiz her on her tried-and-true favorites.

What are her travel staples? "I'm obsessive about antioxidants; I layer Kate Somerville Vitamin Antioxidant Complex under moisturizer. I [also] like her Quench cream. When you go to places like Hong Kong where the air quality is so bad, it's so important to have extra protection. I have been using Kiehl's extra-strength conditioner with coconut so long that I think the coconut scent is infused into my scalp. You can get away with bad shampoo on a trip, but conditioner is key. I also like Chantecaille Just Skin because it has mineral sunscreen in it: Having sunscreen in your makeup is essential because otherwise your skin gets fried."