Saving Face: Beauty in the Sky

As some of you may know, I travel frequently between Dubai and Toronto. While the traveling itself is a wonderful thing, the 12-14 hour journeys in an airplane is decidedly not.

So what do I arm myself with during these flights when two pieces of carry-on is all that's permitted?

1. You've got to keep Glowing

Water. Water, Water, Water. I cannot stress this enough. I bring a large sports bottle with me that I ask the cabin crew to fill and make it a goal to drink at least 4 refills throughout the flight (this is when getting an aisle seat is a WONDERFUL idea). I drink nothing but water. I do occasionally drink juice but stay away from anything with dairy (gas in the sky? no thanks) or caffeine (which will just dry you out all the more). Alcohol is, by default, off limits for me as I don't drink.

I'm in the sky for about 14 hours so I like to make good use of my time in the air. Time to whip out my Mini Spa! I make sure I have a clean face to start with and then use Baléa Deep Cleansing Face Mask and Baléa Hydrating Mask. These are available at Shoppers Drug Mart for about 3 for CA$5.00 during sales though they are normally cheap regardless - this is what's available to me, you can use what's available to you (just make sure you're not allergic to any ingredients, it would be a bad time to break out in an allergic reaction in the middle of a flight!). They come in handy little sachets that can last up to 3 applications each. I keep them on for 30 minutes each and wash them off or use Face Cloths to wipe them off.

I follow this up with a good moisturizer. It's a good idea to drop by to your local drugstore or Sephora and grab yourself some samples or even travel sized bottles of your favourite moisturizer. If you can't, then what I like to do is use empty lip gloss containers and fill them with my face moisturizer. Any small container will do - make sure it closes properly so you don't end up with a mess.

2. Landing: Get Paparazzi Ready

Usually, the first thing on our minds after landing is finding a suitable place to collapse and the last thing would be whether your har looks good or not. But, if you're like me and what to look fabulous for whoever picks you up (be it a complete stranger in the form of a cab driver, your dad or your significant other) then a detour in an airport bathroom is decidedly in order.

This can be before or after baggage claim. If it's after, pack your make up right on top of everything (i.e. last) for easy access, otherwise you can always pack these away in your carry on.

I've previously raved on about the virtues of Velcro Rollers. A quick brush through my hair and then come rollers throughout the crown of my head to bring back life to hair exposed to several hours of dry air and uncomfortable sleeping positions. After this, comes your makeup.

If you've kept up with your water, moisturized enough and slept enough, you shouldn't even need make up. However, everyone needs a picker upper now and then. Concealer where you need it, mascara and blush/bronzer to give you that "Are you sure you've just spent hours on an airplane"-Look and you're DONE. For Extra OOMPH: Define those brows and add a nude lip gloss.

Gently take out those rollers, give your roots a light tease and you should look Camera Ready!

3. Keeping Comfortable

While looking great is wonderful, it is also important to keep comfort in mind as well. As far as keeping comfortable goes, airplanes are almost always frigidly cold. I always have a sweater with me and a pair of really thick socks. I have also recently begun bringing a pair of sweat pants (gasp! in public? I know. The horror) which I change into once I get into the plane and then out of an hour before landing. This way, I get to wear my jeans and not feel incredibly uncomfortable during a flight. Opaque leggings work well in this case too.

Try to carry as little things as possible on your flight. Bring a book if you think you'll read it - most flights come with an amazing array of movies to watch (especially long haul flights) and you'll find that if the lights are dimmed it becomes uncomfortable to read. Those personal lights you can turn on can really bother those around you. Ixnay the laptop. From my experience, people rarely ever get any work done and unless your flight has a wi-fi connection, your laptop is useless and will just weigh you down. Only bring it along if you feel that you don't trust to leave it with the rest of your luggage. Think Practical. Bring only the essentials with you. You aren't going to be living on the plane after all!

Take frequent walks around the plane, keep your circulation going. Stretch everything, from your fingers to your toes. I'm not talking about full-on yoga here, but keep yourself moving when you can so you don't get sore.

Eat light. While most airlines do keep this in mind when preparing food, stay away from foods you know upset your stomach and be weary of foods that may not normally but may during a flight when changes in pressure wreak havoc on your digestive system. These include beans, dairy and too many carbs that may leave you feeling bloated (particularly when you aren't drinking enough water).

I do hope these were helpful. What tips do you have to share? I'd love to read about it in the comments section below!

Have a great one!

x

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Sources
All edits by me
Glass of water 1 by photohouse @ deviantArt
Airplane food by BenTs-sTock @ deviantArt