|FASHION & BEAUTY
» March 2009
A QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE
So the weather's getting warmer and chances are that you are planning a flight out of town to celebrate at a more fun-friendly location. However, after some uncomfortable tossing, turning, and elbow-bumping on the airplane, you might not step off looking as hot as you did when you stepped on.
Being a frequent flyer myself, I have accumulated some tips to help me in the aesthetics department every time I fly. These tips might be of some use to you as well, so here are some of my suggestions on how to rack up those Frequent Flyer Miles in style:
HAIR
Avoid putting your hair up in a ponytail or bun when flying. Not only is it uncomfortable to sleep on when you're sitting upright, but it also looks like a bigger of a mess for you to tame at the end of the flight. It is probably better to keep your hair down. If your hair is long, it'll help keep your neck warm and even shield your face from your nosy or creepy neighbor while you sleep! Also, avoid gels and hardening hairsprays that might end up flaking and leaving your head looking like a big ball of dandruff after a nap. Lastly, if you have bangs, remember to loosely pin them to the side to avoid them getting greasy or unruly during the long flight. You most likely won't have a blowdryer on board to re-style them before you step off the plane, so you would have to maintain them throughout your journey.
EYES
Ladies, you know how big of a mess smudged eyeliner can be, so avoid wearing it at all costs! If you absolutely must wear it, wait towards the end of your flight to apply. If you dose off during the trip with it on, your liner might run and make you look like an inverted raccoon. If you can avoid the eyeliner, another option to jazz up your eyes right before you land is to apply a peach colored eye shadow right under the arches of your eyebrows. The purpose of this is to add a subtle splash of color and life to your face while avoiding getting too close to your post-flight groggy, sensitive eyes. The subtle color also allows you to do a mediocre job while applying on the airplane under improper lighting and in front of a tiny mirror. The brighter or more definitive the color of the eye shadow, the more messy your mistakes will look. Before applying any eye makeup, however, remember to carry a small bottle of eyedrops to use in order to clear out and moisten your dry eyes.
LIPS
This is the one place you can work on to liven up your entire face in an instant. You can gloss up your lips or apply colorful lipstick. You can hydrate them with some Chapstick or use clear lip glass for some high shine. There are no rules when it comes to your lips - just remember to keep them hydrated to avoid chappy skin. Also a personal rule I go buy - if you're wearing bright lipstick and planning on napping during your journey (whether it be in a car or an airplane), blot away the extra matter on your lips, leaving only a thin layer on that won't come off on anything else while you snooze. This helps retain the color, and when you do arrive at your destination, you can quickly reapply another layer to brighten it up.
SKIN
You might want to wash your face at the end of a flight, but most of the time that is difficult to do, taking into account the size of the tiny lavatory sink and lack of products. Instead, you can carry one of those face-wipe products or oil-absorbing sheets to remove excess dirt or oil your face might have packed on during transit. If your skin dries up during flight, remember to carry a small bottle or tube of moisturizer. Also, it doesn't hurt to apply some light blush to your cheeks before landing, in order to eliminate the zombie effect.
EARS
This is a tip I learned from the experiences of others as well as my own. It's best to remove your earrings while on flight and put them back in just before landing. Sometimes while you nap sitting upright on a plane, your ear might brush against your pillow, shoulder, neighbor or seat, and your earring might end up falling out of your ear. You can lose your front, back, or even a tiny jewel off of it. Just as you probably wouldn't wear your earrings to your own bed, you shouldn't wear them to your makeshift bed - especially one where they would be difficult to recover once lost.
Finally, remember to make that lavatory trip to fix yourself up an hour before landing. You are usually required to wear your seat belt shortly after this point in flight because the pilot will most likely begin descent. You would also want to avoid the crowds of people rushing to do the same, and you'd want to give yourself enough time to get yourself together. Bon Voyage!
- Ruchika Bhalla
Have any other tips of your own you'd like to share? Tell us! :
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