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Everyone has that one friend that always magically looks like she just came out of a relaxed spa day after a long haul flight, rather than one of the Goonies with tangled hair and runny mascara. Well guys, I try to be that person. Uhh, the spa person, not the Goonie. 😉 As fun as travel is, flying can actually take a huge toll on your body and mind. I always pack a few must haves into my in flight bag and use them ritually during flights.
Staying refreshed during the flight will have you looking and feeling like you’ve just flew first class when you land at your destination. Here is a rundown of my in flight beauty refresher routine that has me feeling and looking my best after I’ve landed.
Moisturize Your Skin
Your skin is the body’s largest organ and since our bodies are made up of 70% water, it’s crucial to keep it moisturized, especially during a flight. The air in an airplane cabin tends to lack humidity, therefore sucking the moisture from our skin quickly. Got dry, chapped lips during a flight? Grab some lib balm and slather that stuff on. Nobody likes chapped lips. Not cute. My favourite moisturizer to use for my skin is something that’s lightweight and lightly scented. If I’m using hand cream, which I always have, it’s going to be something a bit thicker in consistency.
Baby Wipes
This is pretty self explanatory, but nothing feels grosser than sitting on a flight in the same clothing for half a day, or longer depending on your destination. I usually have a small travel pack of baby wipes with me in flight, so half way through the journey I can freshen up a bit. Trust me, you’ll feel a lot cleaner. Guys, this goes for you too!
Stay Hydrated
As tempting as it is to snag free booze on those international flights, it’s also a sure fire way to head towards dehydration. I’ll admit, I usually have a beer with my larger in flight meal, but I’ll only stick to one. After that, it’s water, water, water! Yes, you may annoy your seat mates by getting up hourly for a bathroom break, but oh well. If you can, try to avoid coffee in flight as well (not hard because it’s usually crap anyway) and stick to herbal teas. You will feel less sluggish upon landing. Your body will thank you after, believe me!
Try To Get Some Shut Eye
Everyone also has a travel companion that can sleep anywhere, everywhere and at anytime. Everyone secretly hates that person because sleeping on a plane is one of the hardest places to sleep. There are crying babies, the constant humming of the engines, people walking up and down the aisles at any given time. Well, again… I am that person that can sleep on a plane. On a 16 hour flight from Johannesburg to Atlanta, I slept for 8 hours…straight. No sleep aids, no magic potions, I can just fall asleep if I really want to. My seat mate during the flight even mentioned it to me when I woke up and asked if I could use the washroom. He was like, “I don’t know how you slept that long, but I envy you!” Sorry? 🙂 Try getting some shut eye during your flight if you can. Not only will you feel refreshed upon waking, but your flight will go by faster and it helps to sync your sleep pattern with your destination to help avoid jet lag.
Get Comfy Cozy
The best possible way to feel relaxed on any flight is to wear comfortable and cozy clothing. The cozier you are during the flight, the easier it’ll be for you to fall asleep and get relaxed. My go to travel outfit usually consists of leggings, a loose fitting sweater/cardigan and I always wear my compression stockings to prevent DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis). Sexy, right? Well, blood clots aren’t sexy either, so there! 🙂 I’ll also bring hard bottomed slippers to wear during the flight, so my feet stay nice and cozy and I’ll have my travel neck pillow with me as well.
Throwaway Toothbrushes/Mouthwash
I’ll always have a little pack of these convenient one-time use toothbrushes to freshen up with. They don’t require the use of water, so you can sneak into the washroom to clean your mouth up a bit. Let’s face it, you’ve been sitting on a plane for hours, so your breathe probably isn’t the freshest. I also have a small TSA approved mouthwash and a pack of gum with me as well.
Deodorant
This one is a no brainer, especially if you’ve been running around an airport sweating while trying to find your connecting gate. Do everyone around you a favour and wear some deodorant. Reapplying it mid-flight will help you feel more refreshed as well and spare you any dirty looks from other passengers.
Mineral Water Face Spray
I am obsessed with mineral water face spray. Before my flight, during my flight and even after landing. If you choose to wear a bit of makeup during your flight, it’ll help set your makeup and also moisturize your skin, leaving you looking nice and dewy upon arrival. I am a massive fan of Evian and Uriage face sprays and stock up on them on the regular. I even carry one in my everyday purse to give my face a spritz during those hot and muggy summer days. So refreshing!
I usually like to refresh myself half way into the flight, but an hour before we start to descend is when I do a once over on my makeup, which I only wear a little of to begin with, brush my teeth, use some baby wipes and reapply deodorant. Depending on my hair situation, I’ll usually just throw it up in my signature messy bun, or clip it back. I’ll also place my neck pillow and slippers back into my carry-on bag, put my shoes/boots back on and wait for landing feeling fresh as fuck. 😉
Do any of you have in flight refresher routines, or use any products that you absolutely swear by? Let me know in the comments below! xo
I’ve spent the better part of this morning browsing through your travels, vicariously experiencing your adventures in far away lands and getting all wanderlusty for my next trip. Great shots!