Air travel isn’t what it once was. Long lines, hours at the airport, and crowded planes make any creature comfort all the more appreciated. That being said, travel prep begins long before your wait at TSA. Here are seven beauty tips from a few pros who know the ins and outs of preparing the body for a long flight so that you can look and feel well rested when you finally arrive at your destination.
1) Don’t make all your beauty appointments for the day before you leave
While making all your beauty appointments for the day before you leave may seem like a good idea, it may not be. According to Nancy Le, the lead technician at the Bliss Spa Boston, you’ll want to space them out accordingly, “Mani-pedis can be done the day before a trip, but don’t wait until the last minute to get a wax. Especially if you’ll be heading on a tropical getaway where your newly waxed skin may be exposed to the hot sun, you’ll want to make the appointment for 2-4 days before your trip in order to give your skin time to recover before sunbathing.” And she went on to describe that facials should be done a week in advance and spray tans two days before, both for the same reason, they need time to full activate and you’ll want your skin at its peak when you arrive at your destination.
2) Prep your skin at home as well
Nancy is a strong believer in at home self-care for the skin. She starts with dry brushing at home twice the week before and uses a sugar scrub on the alternating days that week and puts on a body oil each night. So, don’t neglect any part of your body and prep so it’s perfectly moisturized for your big adventure.
3) Baby Powder is your best friend
For haircare tips on the go, I spoke with runway hair stylist, Jana Rago, who recently opened her first salon, Jana Rago Studios in Boston. She says to “Try to stay away from relying on dry shampoo to keep your blowout alive, as that will build up gunk in your scalp, on your part and on your hairline. It’s just as bad as the buildup of hairspray!” Instead she recommends to “Pick up a travel sized Baby Powder and keep it in your carry-on and apply it as you would dry shampoo.”
4) Resist the urge to sleep with wet hair
When on vacation, many of us come back to our hotels wanting nothing more than a shower and bed after a tiring day of exploring. However, Jana Rago says that “Hair is at its weakest when wet and strongest when dry. Going to bed with wet hair stretches the hair strands causing them to break or become finer. So be sure to rough dry it for a few minutes before hitting the hay!”
5) The hotel hair dryer can be your best friend
If you are looking for a quick refresh before heading out to dinner, work a little baby powder into your roots and then take a blow dryer and turn the heat setting to cool. Jana Rago suggests to, “Dry your hair from the top, around your face back to the ends of your hair. This will push the oils from the root to the middle and ends of your hair, leaving the hair around your face looking refreshed.”
6) Men need a beauty plan too
While beauty routines may be shorter for most men, some planning is still involved. Book a haircut a week before your trip so that you will be looking your best the whole time you are gone.
7) Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!
Keeping your body hydrated is so important on long flights. And the best way to do this is to attack the dry air from multiple angles. Nancy Le from Bliss Boston always packs eye masks to fight puffy eyes and recommends bringing along a face mist as well to easily refresh throughout the night. And it goes without saying that we should all drink plenty of water on flights as well.
