Air Travel Essentials - Part 2 of 3

Welcome back to my air travel essentials!  This specific blog post is about what you can do to nourish your skin and stay healthy while you're in the air.  This blog is part of a series, so if you haven't read part one yet, you can find it here.

In-Flight: Stay Hydrated

The humidity level in the cabin of an airplane usually averages between 10 and 20 percent, which is much lower than the typical indoor humidity of between 30 and 65 percent (#science).  Not only is dry skin a factor in premature aging, but it's just plain uncomfortable and itchy... That's why it's very important to stay hydrated during the flight.  I have a few tried and true tricks to do so.

Step 1: Cleanse, baby, cleanse!

Once I'm settled in my seat, I try to treat the plane as my own mini-spa, where I keep myself entertained and cozy and take care of my skin.  My first step is to take off any and all makeup that I have on my face.

From Left to Right: Nourish Organic Moisturizing Face Cleanser
and Neutrogena Cleansing Towelettes

I love to keep this particular cleanser in my little carry-on cosmetic case.  First of all, it's small enough to get past airport security, it's organic (so no harsh chemicals to strip your face of its natural oils) and it includes the moisturizing effects of cucumber!

Of course, washing your face with soap and water is the best, but sometimes we're not blessed with an aisle seat and easy access to the airplane lavatory.  In these particular cases, I pull out my trusty Neutrogena Cleansing Towelettes.  These towelettes are a holy grail item for me, as they take off every stitch of makeup... even waterproof mascara!

Now, I realize that not every flight is a long-haul flight, and sometimes, you want to come off the plane looking like you stepped out of a magazine.  By all means, you can definitely leave your makeup on for as long as you wish; the only thing that I recommend is to leave the mascara off of your face.  Mascara is the most susceptible to dry conditions since it tends to flake and come off into your eyes - something that nobody wants!  I would just keep your mascara in your purse and put it on when the pilot tells the cabin that he's starting his final descent.

Step 2: Drink Plenty of Water

I feel like this one's a no-brainer, but since it's important, I'm going to stress it anyway.  Bottom line: the best way to stay hydrated is to drink water.  It's tempting to order something carbonated or alcoholic (probably both) when the stewardess comes down the aisle, but these types of drinks just don't hydrate you nearly as much as plain old water.  I always try to buy a bottle of water in the airport before I board because you never know when a steward/stewardess will come down the aisle, especially when everyone else on board is sleeping.  However, if you do forget to buy some water beforehand, which is what happened to me on my last flight to South Africa, all is not lost.  You better believe that I parked myself in the galley and downed about nine or ten of those tiny glasses of water that they hand out while I had a pleasant conversation with the stewardess.  I stayed hydrated and got an extra pillow out of the deal, so I have to say it was a win-win situation.  There's no reason you can't do the same!

Step 3: Moisturize

After a couple of hours into a long-haul flight, most people settle in to sleep, read or watch another episode of The Big Bang Theory.  This is the perfect time for me, on the other hand, to really get my in-flight spa going.  Enter my favorite cabin-ready products:

From Left to Right: GlamGlow THIRSTYMUD, Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask, Aveda Firming Eye Cream and Coconut Oil

If I had to go onto a long-haul flight with only one product, I would definitely take my THIRSTYMUD.  Sometimes, after all the makeup, cleansing and exfoliating, our skin just needs a little boost of hydration.  Consider this your boost.  I usually put it on Sunday night (after neglecting my body for an entire weekend) and wake up on Monday morning with my face feeling soft, supple and youthful.  On flights, I slather this all over my face and let the mask work its wonders.  Thankfully, it's cooling, smells divine - sort of like coconuts and vacation - and it goes on relatively sheer, so you won't get any weird looks from people passing by.

My next essential is the Agave Lip Mask from Bite Beauty.  Annoying, chapped lips are definitely a thing of the past since I've been using this product.  I hate having any sort of lip treatment slide around my lips and face, so I love this product for its thickness.  It won't budge off of your lips and lasts for hours, which means that you won't have to keep reapplying.

The skin around your eyes is about a tenth as thick as the rest of your face, which means it can wrinkle a lot more easily.  Thus, because it's so delicate, the under-eye area needs to be treated as a separate entity, and it needs its own moisturizer.  The Firming Eye Cream from Aveda is one of the best eye creams I've tried because it goes on smooth, doesn't irritate my skin or my eyes and works on my eyelids as well.

Last, but certainly not least, is a little travel-sized tub of coconut oil.  You could say I'm a bit addicted to this stuff because I use it in everything from skin treatments to hair treatments and even in some recipes!  Because it's multi-purpose, it's perfect for travel.  I usually leave this treatment for last and put it all over my arms, elbows and hands.  Sometimes, when my hubby is feeling especially sweet, he'll give me a little hand massage with it (that's my super-deluxe spa treatment!).  I've also been known to rub a little bit on my fingers and run it through my hair to prevent fly-aways.

So, there you have it!  These are my in-flight beauty secrets.  Stay tuned for the final installment of this blog series tomorrow!

Glammie Love,

~Jaz