Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Pink Deer's guide to travel: Beauty Essentials...Skincare


I’ve been on the road for almost three weeks now, which seems like the perfect time to discuss beauty tips for travel. I say that because on a really hectic trip, at about this point your skin essentially becomes a petulant teenager- dirty, unpredictable and impossible to control. Case in point, yesterday morning I woke up with a blemish so vile it would make Kim Jong Il look like a Hello Kitty fanatic. And crazily, it probably had a bigger head.

But before I give you enough time to imagine how gross I look, let’s move on. There are 3 stages to prepare for when it comes to your skin: beginning, middle and end, just like a good story. Let me break them down for you…

When airplanes attack
Planes are essentially vacuum sealed disease incubators, so dehydration is your main concern on long haul flights. To combat this:

Drink several litres of water, even if that means you have to pee every hour. Yes the person next to you will be pissed off, but they’re not the ones who have to look at you when you’re crusty as a baguette and suffering with a cold.

Say NO to free booze. I know, I know…it’s free wine right? I’m usually the first person in line for it (you should see me at a gallery opening or a wedding), but this is when even I restrain myself. Flight attendants will tell you that one in the air is like two on the ground, same goes for the effect on your skin. You’ll thank me when the person next to you wakes up with a noxious hangover and 6 hours to go.

When the seatbelt sign goes off, remove ALL your makeup and apply a good moisturizer. I use Caudalie Vinosource IntenseMoisture Rescue Cream. Reapply at the half way mark if the flight is longer than 8 hours. Not only is this doing your skin good, but you’ll feel much fresher going through customs without day old liner crumbling down your face.

More partied out than Phil from Wayne’s World
So you’ve just spent 3 months dieting, avoiding alcohol and exercising 4 times a week in preparation for your holidays? Great, now you’re going to undo all of that good work by eating whatever you want and drinking every day. Don’t feel bad about it, we all do it. The most important thing now is taking steps to prevent the worst of the damage.

Face masks are a gift from the heavens. I take Caudalie Moisturising Cream Mask with me whenever I travel, at 50ml it’s the perfect size for those ridonk little plastic baggies you have to take on the plane. Super hydrating without being greasy, I sleep in a thin layer after a night hitting the sauce.  

Drink the juice of half a lemon in tepid water each morning to cleanse your hard working liver. I recommend doing this daily anyway, but holidays are a good time to start.

Take healthy snacks in your bag. I go for raw vegetables like carrot sticks, cucumber or fresh peppers. A handful of mixed nuts is also a great source of protein. This will save you from snacking on crisps and chocolates when you’ve hit a mid morning tourist slump. You’ll also be grateful when you hit the beach and nobody mistakes you for ET’s bloated cousin.  

Back to the daily grind
Exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate. Yeah I know you think you’re going to rub your tan off, but that peeling skin on your nose is less glamorous than you think. Using a gentle exfoliant like Caudalie or Clarins will polish away dead skin while maintaining your holiday glow.

DO NOT have a cheeky sun bed. Nobody believes 6 weeks after you’ve gotten back, in the dead of winter, that you are still tanned. Sunbeds not only give you cancer, they also age you quicker than I can consume a Cadbury Marvelous Creations (that’s about 20 seconds). Just don’t do it.

Try to stay relaxed. Easier said than done, I know, I was once the world’s worst workaholic. Case in point, I recently visited my old team and every single one of them gushed about how healthy I look now I don’t work there. Stress will kill you, so put the Blackberry down, take a bath and read a book. 

Image via Mooline

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