Traveling can be life-changing, educational, and just plain fun. But, jet setting from city to city can wreak havoc on our bodies and skin thanks to high altitudes, germs, and dry cabin air. There isn't a foolproof way to keep post-flight breakouts at bay, but there are a few things you can do to prepare your skin before, during, and after your flight.
Hydrate
You've probably heard this before, but H2O is one of the best ways to keep your skin hydrated from the inside out. That means giving up those in-flight cocktails. I love to drink a tequila sunrise to take the edge off (I'm an anxious flyer). But, thanks to Lord Jones' CBD Tincture, I've been able to swap out tequila for a more natural remedy.
Eat Well
Airports have a variety of options from healthy to comfort. Healthy skin starts with what we eat, so before I fly, I like to pick up a green juice to curb my impulse to grab a sugary treat (sugar causes inflammation in the body) from a concourse coffee shop.
Pre-Prep Skin
You may not always have time to prep your skin before a flight, but if you can remember to drop micellar water, cotton pads, and a moisturizer in your carry-on — you'll be in good shape. Removing makeup before long haul or red-eye flights can make a difference. If you're more of a makeup wipes girl, give Burt's Bees Micellar Cleansing Wipes a try since they will remove debris without irritating the skin. Just remember to double cleanse with actual water.
Opt For A Tinted Moisturizer With SPF Instead Of A Full Coverage Foundation
Since moisture is the key to healthy skin on the ground and in-flight, pick up a BB cream or tinted moisturizer that is non-comedogenic and formulated with antioxidants. My favorite is Laura Mercier's Oil-Free Tinted Moisturizer because it has vitamins C and E that helps protect the skin from free radicals along with SPF 20.
Give Your Skin A Little Extra TLC
My post-flight skincare ritual is all about taking off the day and replenishing my skin with good stuff to balance my skin. Double cleansing is a must along with a clay mask followed with retinol-infused serum. Oh, and don't forget to rest! Our skin cells regenerate between 11 P.M. and midnight whether we're asleep or not.
Pack A Spot Treatment
I never leave home without a spot treatment just in case I see a large pimple showing up just hours after my flight. I enjoy using what I call my dynamic duo: The Ordinary's Salicylic Acid Spot Treatment along with a pimple patch. The salicylic acid treats the pimple while the pimple patch keeps it protected. The pimple might not go away completely overnight, but this remedy helps keep the blemish from scaring.
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To help you better understand why this was such a mental awakening for me, I first need to give a bit of my backstory. I’m in my late thirties. I’m an attorneyand a journalist. I own a home and have traveled the world extensively. Essentially, I’ve done everything in life I set out to do. However, when it comes to dating, I struggle. Not because there is anything wrong with me per se, but because my career and “lifestyle” often create problems in my romantic relationships.
View from my hotel room
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I’ve been told everything from, ‘I can’t continue to date you because you seem to choose your career over wanting to settle down and have kids’ by a man after only the second date to ‘Maybe if you just sat down somewhere for a while, I’d actually wife you’ by someone who has honestly never proven themselves to be the settle down type. And these are only a handful of the things I’ve been told over the years.
It’s been frustrating, to say the least, and there have even been seasons where I purposely dimmed my light in hopes that my career wouldn’t push away potential suitors. I know what you’re thinking, “Girl, why would you even consider that? If they’re for you, it won’t matter what you do.” Hey, don’t judge me, but also, I one hundred percent agree.
My hotel bathroom
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That’s why this recent moment in Switzerland was right on time. When I first walked into the hotel to check in, I was blown away by the surrounding beauty. It was a five-star property with one of the world’s most famous thermal bathhouses. Yet, it was something about seeing that 90% of the hotel’s guests were couples, that forced me to sit back for a bit of introspection—while soaking in the thermal spa, of course.
As I went through the mental conversation, there was a battle of sorts. On one hand, I knew that being able to partake in experiences like the one I was having at that moment was important to me. I knew that, at times I actually love being able to dabble in the finer things—after all, I’ve worked hard to be able to afford them. On the other hand, and sadly, I knew that sometimes being a single Black woman that publicly showcases her “luxurious” habits can intimidate men and even scare them off from pursuing you under the guise of them feeling like they “can’t do anything for you, because you have everything.”
My hotel room
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So, what is a girl to do?
Do I minimize/hide the life and experiences that I have? Do I play down the hard work I’ve put in to get where I am professionally? Or, do I risk being single in exchange for being able to have said life, without backlash?
Luckily, the joy that I felt while being at this property won. There was something about taking a full day to simply pamper myself at the bathhouse and in my in-room steam shower and soaker tub, indulging in cuisine from a 2-star Michelin restaurant and doing all of this while surrounded by an amazing group of Black women that reminded me—this is certainly the life I was meant to live and that I deserve. Even if it means that right now, I’ll just have to provide it for myself until the right partner comes along. And honestly, I’m okay with that.
Restaurant at 7132 hotel
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