In-flight {+ at-home} Beauty Tips from the Most Glam Squad in the Sky

That's me {center} in top-to-toe Virgin-wear

[trip style = any]

A few years ago I hopped on a Virgin Atlantic flight across the pond to attend the airline's grooming class, a one-day spiff-session every crew member takes {including ground crew} to learn about Virgin's top primping and priming techniques for travel.

At the risk of being a "Captain Obvious," it was one of the best assignments I've ever taken. I mean, YES to learning tips for gorgeous gallivanting from the most glam squad in the sky! 

In my new life with two tiny stylers in tow, I don't have time to lallygag when I get ready for the day, so Virgin's jet-lag fighting skincare, go-to hairstyles and two-minute makeovers are MORE relevant than EVER {even at home}! 

For an Expedia story I recently wrote, I contacted Virgin to see if they were teaching new go-tos for sky-high grooming. The below list rounds up their greatest hits {which I've personally tried and tested over the years}, as well as a few new ones. With this I give you:

Grooming On the Go, Virgin-edition
*Coles notes below. For the FULL list, see my story in the Expedia Viewfinder.

Me {left} Interviewing Virgin crew during during a class break

1. Sky-high skin prep
How do Virgin’s red-suited crew come off a 14-hour flight with dewy skin while the rest of us look as dry as a desert? Here’s how: Plump skin is more than just a dab of moisturizer and a swipe of eye cream. Virgin teaches that sky-high skincare happens round-the-clock with high-quality products and regular facials to maintain a cared-for complexion. It doesn’t stop here. The night before your flight give the skin you’re in a good cleanse, exfoliation, and hydration boost {think: moisturizing mask}—a regime that will do wonders for your skin’s luminosity upon arrival.

Sky-high skin prep

2. Moisturize more
“If you spend money on only one skin-saver, buy a good moisturizer,” my grooming goddess told me. The day they fly, recruits are taught to use more than their average dollop of hydrating cream to ensure their face maintains a glow, even on the go.

Moisturize more

3. High-altitude hair
One way to ensure hair stays put and full of flair while flying is wear it up in a coiffed and chic do. The bonus of this mane methodology is the dividends it pays upon landing; instead of looking like you’ve been flying for 10 hours, you look like you walked out of salon. If your tresses are shoulder-length or shorter, bring a comb to spruce it up with a touch of backcombing and smoothing before deplaning.

High-altitude hair

4. The two-minute makeover
One of my favorite tips—which is equally applicable to jet-setting and real life—is Virgin’s two-minute makeover. For guys, it’s meticulous facial grooming, and for gals it’s mascara, cover-up, blush, and red lips {all of which help hide tiredness}. Upgrade the look with classic Virgin shadow colors of lilac or grey, powder, and bronzer to go from bare to brilliant in five minutes flat.

The two-minute makeover

5. The right red
To match that perfect shade of Virgin red, ladies sport the classic red lip. If you think you’re not a red lipstick kind of gal, think again. Rebecca Creer, Chief Beauty Officer at Virgin Atlantic, believes there’s a shade of red to suit every woman, and suggests starting with a blue-red hue for a bright and chic look.

The right red

Et voila: a fresh-faced arrival!

Travel Beauty :: Makes Scents

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Do you purchase a new fragrance for every trip? I read that tip in the Paris Review recently and fell in love with the idea. The writer was quick to point out that she wasn't suggesting we purchase an expensive bottle every time we go to a cousin's wedding, but instead that we dignify a journey with its own scent.

Whether you select a new rollerball in the airport duty-free or carefully choose a scent to match your destination, this practice will allow you to create a unique sense memory for your trip. Our sense of smell connects to the part of our brain that deals with memory, motivation and emotion, which is why a scent will evoke a memory more so than any other sense.

I've selected five fragrances that originated in or were inspired by the cities to which they're attached. The first three are unisex and the next two are intended for women and men, respectively, although worn by both {I love Spicebomb even though it's from the men's department}. I'm off to Europe next month and I'm already contemplating my options: seductive and spicy for Barcelona or fresh and woody for Stockholm? With so many hours in airports, I may do both!

Trip Styler Tip: Perfumer Frédéric Malle suggests that when selecting a new fragrance, you should try on one or two and then walk around the store for 20 minutes. After that it will have settled and you'll have some confidence in whether you like it. If it still appeals, it will do for a long time; if it irritates, it will never stop.

Stockholm
Byredo Gypsy Water
Notes: Bergamot, Lemon, Pepper, Juniper Berries, Incense, Pine Needles, Vanilla, Sandalwood

New York
Le Labo Santal 33
Notes: Sandalwood, Cedar, Cardamom, Iris, Violet, Ambrox, Leather, Musk

Capri
Acqua di Parma Blu Mediterraneo Arancia di Capri
Notes: Orange, Mandarin, Lemon, Petit Grain, Cardamom, Caramel, Musk

Paris
Frédéric Malle Portrait of a Lady
Notes: Oriental Rose, Benzoin, Cinnamon, Sandalwood, Patchouli, Musk, Frankincense

Amsterdam
Viktor & Rolf Spicebomb
Notes: Bergamot, Grapefruit, Cinnamon, Pink Pepper, Lavandin, Chilli, Saffron, Elemi, Vetiver, Balsam Fir, Tobacco, White Leather

This post is written by Trip Styler's Assistant Wayfarer/Editor Heather.

Related
Roll-On Essential Oils for Travel
Best Fragrances for Trip Styles
Face Masks for Frequent Flyers
The Do-It-All Cream

[images by @heatherlovesit & @tripstyler except paris photo via ignant.de]

Travel Beauty :: Waterlining

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If you only do ONE thing to your face when you travel—besides moisturizing and concealing—it's this: Apply a nude hue to your waterline. Waterlining, or the practice of tracing your lower lid's inner rim with a lightly-colored eye pencil, gives the eye-opening illusion you're awake and alert, which is a travelista's BFF after an early-morning wake-up or transcontinental flight. 

Think of like the anti smoky eye. While black kohl liners create a sexy squint for nighttime drama, the opposite is true for lighter shades—they brighten your eyes.  

Make-up artists use this genius hack to make on-camera personalities' peepers pop, and it's the single most important cheat in my travel make-up routine {and the reason I walk off long haul flights looking fresh instead of frazzled}. Bonus: When Baby Styler is teething and I feel {and look} like I'm in another time zone, waterlining masks my red-rimmed eyes, giving the illusion that I have a perfect baby.  

As for choosing a barely-there color for your waterline, it's a little like wedding dress shopping—there are a million shades of white. To help you decide what shade is best pour vous, I've sketched my waterline with three different shades: ivory, shimmer and nude:

Wearing a nude pencil. According to my make-up artist friend, this is one of the best overall shades and pencils for all skin tones: MAC Chromagraphic Pencil in NW20 {$29}. 

Wearing a silver shimmer pencil {drugstore brand} for a daytime glow like JLo. The look is subtle enough for everyday use, and it's my new favorite waterlining shade. 

Wearing an ivory pencil {drugstore brand}. This look is best for when you want your eyes to pop in a swinging '60s way, and the most obvious ocular enhancement. Apply only one pencil-swipe per eye or you'll look like you belong on stage at a go-go dancing club.

Trip Styler Tips 

• Waterproof liner has the best staying power
• Make sure the pencil isn't too sharp 
• Pull your lower lid down when applying the pencil for the most accurate trace
• Some make-up junkies swear by the long-lasting effects of shu uemura's Drawing Pencils {$28}, but it's always a good idea to keep your pencil nearby for re-application
• For an even more enhanced eye, line the inner corner of your peepers with the same eye-opening hue 

Related
Travel Beauty :: Concealer Map
Travel Beauty :: Jetlag Busters
Carry-On Creature Comforts

[photos by @tripstyler]

Travel Beauty :: The Do-It-All Cream

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When I'm on the road, any toiletry that performs double- or triple-duty is a winner in my books—I mean bag. However, it has to be fabulous on all fronts.  

A few months ago I read about a French-made creme-de-la-creme everyone from Jane Birkin to Karlie Kloss uses in their arsenal of beauty musts. Enter Embryolisse Lait‐Crème Concentré. Not only do these tastemakers and jetsetters wear it in their everyday life, they don't leave home without it. Think of it as LBD of toiletries.

Curious how one product dubbed the "24-hour miracle cream" by beauty insiders could have such a cult following, I ordered two tubes so I could test it at home and on the road. Five months later, I use it, Mr. Trip Styler uses it, and Baby Styler uses it. We don't travel without it.

As an ultra-moisturizing cream with a dewy-to-the-touch texture and hint-of-rose scent, you can use a little as day/night lotion, a lot as moisturizing face mask {ideal for après-flight or to rehydrate in dry climates}, as primer for your sunscreen or make-up, mixed with foundation for a light glow, or as make-up remover at night. 

Since a little goes a long way, I use it on my body as well as Baby Styler's, and I rub any excess in my hair to tame flyaways and give it a slight sheen before walking out the door. In case you were counting, that's nine ways to use one tube.

Trip Styler Tip: It's RARE to find a good hotel moisturizer. Most—even at the five-star properties—are heavily watered down and leave skin coated versus nourished. Of the hundreds of hotel stays I've logged around the globe, there is only one hotel moisturizer I like {Bliss Body Butter at W Hotels}, so 99% of the time I coat myself in Embryolisse. 

Around since 1950, it's also pretty simple stuff. This cruelty-free do-it-all cream is made with shea butter and emollient oils and formulated without parabens, sulphates or phthalates so you can feel good about putting your best face forward and not weighing down your traveling beauty bag.   

[photos via @tripstyler and online]

Travel Beauty :: Concealer Map

[trip style = any]

When I fly I wear minimal make-up over maximum moisturizer because while I love to travel, I don't love the drying effects of recycled plane air on my skin. Before a flight, I slather heavy moisturizer on my face, followed by concealer, mascara, loose powder and lip balm. During the flight, I drink plenty of water, reapply lots of lip balm and mist my face throughout the journey. Before landing, I touch up my concealer so I can hit the ground running.

Thus, the topic of the day—what kind of concealer do we need and where should we apply it? Selection and application can be overwhelming, but we have a few tricks up our sleeves. We've even created a concealer map to help you put your best face forward.

Types of Concealer
Make-up artists suggest that women should own two basic types of concealer: a light-reflecting pen or fluid, and an opaque stick or cream. Believe it or not, they do different things; the former brightens while the latter covers.

Primarily meant for under-eye circles, pen or fluid concealers also work wonders around the nose, lips and shadowy areas of the face. They’re thinner than normal concealers and work well on dry or wrinkled skin because of their moisturizing and illuminating qualities. Meanwhile, opaque concealers are best for concealing blemishes, scars and redness. 

Where to Apply
There’s no magic formula for concealer application. We all have unique face shapes and concerns. Though, here are a few universal helpful tips for concealer application that we've tried and tested on the jetway {and we KNOW work well}.

• Lightly apply concealer to under-eye circles with a brush or your ring finger. Try two simple application methods:

1. Apply to dark circles only, from your inner eye to below the middle of your pupil. Avoid a large half-moon shape.
2. Draw an upside-down pyramid from your lower eyelid to your cheekbone.

• Use a light-reflecting concealer on your brow bones and on the inside corners of your eyes to appear more rested. 
• Give eyebrows extra definition by tracing them in concealer and then blending the lines with your finger. 
• Sharpen and correct a cat eye by swiping concealer above the flick of your liner.
• Save space in your travel make-up bag by using concealer as an eyeshadow primer. Apply with a brush to avoid depositing oils from your fingers to your eyelids, and set with loose powder.
• Create the illusion of plumper lips with a dab of concealer in the center of your lips.
• Apply concealer around your lips for a crisp edge that makes bright lipstick pop.
• Lighten the larger areas of your face by applying light-reflecting concealer to your cheeks and forehead, and then contour with bronzer or foundation slightly darker than your skin tone.

Application + Product Tips

• Remember that less is more. Don’t apply too much product to your brush; you can always build coverage.
• The secret to even application is blending. Use your fingers or a fluffy eyeshadow brush on larger areas of your face, and a small eyeliner brush on smaller spots like blemishes and scars.
• Start with primer and follow with foundation or tinted moisturizer before applying concealer. Finish with a light dusting of powder.
• We love YSL’s famous Touche Éclat pen, but this miracle worker is a highlighter, not a true concealer. Apply to the inner corners of your eyes, along your cheekbones and—if you don't have dark circles—under the eyes in place of concealer.
• For a list of products, check out make-up artist Lisa Eldridge's suggestions. She also provides a fantastic concealer tutorial.

This post is written by Trip Styler's Assistant Wayfarer/Editor Heather.

[face map by @heatherlovesit, outline via google images]