How to look fresh and radiant after a 10h flight?

Apologies. I have been out of touch for the last 2 weeks.

I have an excuse though, I was on a business trip to the US.

To make up for keeping me away from you guys, this trip offered inspiration for not one but a full series of posts.

From the superficial-but-yet-so-essential “how to look fresh and radiant after a 10h flight” to the hugely critical “how to travel in-style on a long haul flight” to the life changing (exaggeration alert) “how to fly in business” posts, I will be sharing with you my best tips. Yey. Aren’t you excited?

First one will be ”how to look fresh and radiant after a 10h flight”. I am guessing this is not a surprise. Given it is already there in the title.

Flashback. When I first learned I was to embark for a 10 hours flight to the US, I went into intensive preparation mode.

And by that I don’t mean locking up all the needed work prep for my business meeting (which I obviously did but not sure you want to hear about it here) but rather focusing on THE biggest worry we all face as women (yes even you Angela Merkel) – how to look good AFTER that gruelling 10 hours journey.

Inspiration here, people, being Victoria Beckham perfectly groomed straight off a plane  picture perfect for the gazillion paparazzi awaiting her (and her celebs for sure) in LAX airport.

But here, in real life, minus the make-up/stylist/hairdresser/entourage to helpfully carry her stuff LV luggage including 25in sky high  boots. (hope you are noting I am upping the stylistic writing stakes by using, yes, a pleonasm!)

As the digital native that I am (give or take 10 years), the first thing I did was… Google my concerns.

So I did and typed feverishly “How to look fresh and radiant after a 10h flight?”

And there on the screen was THE answer to my beauty prayers – Lisa Aldridge’s  “My beauty regime on long haul flights”.

If you don’t know Lisa Aldridge, she is, like*,  the MOST amazing make-up artist with the coolest video blogs. Check her out!

So here I am watching her video religiously, noting all the routine steps and most importantly the list of products she recommends for gorgeous flawless hair and skin – despite the uber-drying air cabin air.

Next, I assess which parts of her routine/products I am more likely to use and hit the shops to buy them.

A couple of weeks later, here I am on the plane, taking out my lovely Caudalie toiletery bag (which happens to be both super pretty AND transparent so I dont need to empty it at security checks).

It is packed a mix of products Lisa recommends, (Phyto Hair moisturiser, Caudalie Beauty Elixir), products I can’t live without (my faithful moisturiser, mascara and lip balm) and basically any product I happen to have in travel/ airplane-security-friendly-size (Milk Cleanser, Toner, Eye Make Up Remover, Super Hydrating Mask).

The beauty routine can start now.

And because I loved it so much, I top it up every couple of hours – Beauty Elixir pshiit to refresh, Balm and Mask to hydrate.

After the initially curious glances from my fellow passengers, some started actually asking me about my products (10hours is a looong time and there is just that many movies one can watch I guess!).

Now, this is all lovely but how did it actually work in making me wonderfully radiant, fresh and simply gorgeous (ah the expectations we can have sometimes of our beauty products!) ?

Well, what can I say I can’t really comment on the gorgeous bit but when I got a glimpse of myself in the mirror (more like reflection on a glass panel as I was queuing at the customs desk), I thought my hair looked (and felt) smooth and healthy and my skin as hydrated and dewy as I like it to be.

So basically like after a 10hours spa

All this is very good – but what was I WEARING?

Check it next chapter later this week.

Bisous bisous.

*Not sure why, when I get uber-excited I start talking like an american teenager.

Photo credits: the gorgeous Emma Stone in InStyle magazine editorial. Emma – my ultimate girl crush since I watched Crazy Stupid Love…. on the aforementioned flight… so only fair that she features in here, don’t you think?