Five for Friday: Arrive in Style - Beauty Addict

Friday, October 16, 2009

Five for Friday: Arrive in Style

Nearly four years ago, I penned a post on the products essential to surviving air travel. Ah, how times have changed! The TSA liquids guidelines have made it quite a bit difficult to travel with our creature comforts, so you may no longer have the luxury of fitting a hand cream AND a face cream in your little baggie - the horror!

But even in our over-regulated world, there are still occasions when you need to look fresh right out of the gate, whether it's a business meeting or a reunion with your long-distance love. Here, an updated version, with five truly essential items:

Visine Original Eye Drops. After several hours of dry air, spotty sleep, and probably alcohol, your eyes probably aren't faring too well. Perk them up with a drop in each eye just before landing.

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in your choice of shades. These little pans are miracle workers and somehow have the ability to perk up even the most sallow of complexions. My favorite, Perfect Topping, is unfortunately no longer available, but there are plenty others to choose from, depending on your complexion and the look you're trying to achieve. A little sweep and you'll look rested and natural, not overly made-up or corpse-like.

Original Nivea Creme. Thick and rich, this time-honored cream does it all. Works on hands, feet, dry patches, cuticles, lips, even your face (just a little on dry spots). Plus, it's incredibly cheap, comes in a travel-friendly jar or tube, and is available in just about every drugstore. Think of it as the recessionista's Creme de la Mer - the formulas are nearly identical.

A light, fresh scent in mini size. An airplane ride certainly isn't the time to break out the Angel or the Shalimar - remember, you're in a confined space, so stay away from anything heavy or overly sweet. Before landing, head to the lav and spritz on something light and clean. And don't forget your hair - I always think my hair smells awful after leaning my head on that headrest for hours. As for the scent itself, even if you don't normally like those clean, soapy scents, they do have their time and place, and this is it. Pick one up in mini spray or rollerball form, or decant into a small spray vial for travel. A few favorites: Philosophy Amazing Grace, CLEAN, VS Heavenly, Bath & Body Works Coconut Lime Verbena, or any of the Marc Jacobs splashes. Keep it simple.

Bvlgari Eau Parfumee au The Vert Oshibori. They're a splurge, but these little individually-wrapped towelettes are indispensable for freshening up before landing. They smell lightly of green tea and feel absolutely luxurious. Essential for getting that stale airplane smell off your bod!


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