According To Gem

As a seasoned long-haul traveller I know only too well what it’s like to struggle to rehydrate my skin or desperately battle with a break out. After several years of trial and error though, I’ve managed to minimise the effects of long-haul flying with these awesome products and if I am unfortunate enough to still get the odd spot, I simply use Origins Super Spot Remover.

For ages I used to self-consciously head to the airport sans make up, until I realised that other girls just took their make up off pre-flight. Sure you could do the former, but the latter works well if like me you don’t feel truly comfortable without a scrap of make up.

The first part of my long-haul routine begins way before I’ve even set foot in the airport as I always like to apply a hair mask and rich moisturiser the night before to ensure my skin and hair is fully hydrated. My top picks for hair are Philip Kingsley Elasticizer which is a pre-shampoo treatment mask that leaves your hair really soft and bouncy and Label.M Protein Spray which is a protein enriched leave-in conditioning spray. For my face I like to apply Jose Maran Argan Oil to give my skin a moisture boost.

I tend to start removing my make up as soon as they start going through the in-flight safety procedures (I can multi-task naturally!) and always find myself reaching for my Cucumber Face Wipes from Boots. Not only are these super cheap but they’re also great for removing your make up and leaving your face feeling fresh.

I follow this up with my Bioderma Sebium H2O Micellaire Water (reviewed here) which I decant into a cute little 100ml travel bottle from Muji. This makes sure my skin is free of every last scrap of make up. By this point they should be bringing around the hot cloths, I like to hold mine over my face to help open up my pores and make sure they absorb all the good stuff I’m about to put on my face.

Next I apply a layer of Sisley Radiant Glow Express Mask, unfortunately with a wedding to save for I can’t justify the £68.50 price tag so I usually just pop into my local Sisley stockist and ask for some samples and then decant into a travel pot. The combination of red and white clays coupled with  botanical extracts (Carrot, Red Vine and Rose-Hip), and essential oils (Rosemary and Chamomile) helps to get rid of impurities that dull the complexion and very gently deep-cleanse the skin leaving you ready to lock in the much needed moisture your skin needs during the flight. If I were at home I’d wear this mask for 3-5 minutes, but during the flight I tend to leave it on for 15 minutes before using a face wipe to remove the mask.

I then reach for the Sisley Express Flower Gel, again a sample, but you can purchase it here for £72.50. Although this is a mask, I tend to leave this on throughout the flight to combat dryness and then top with Clinique’s Moisture Surge to really lock in the moisture.

Finally i finish up with a slick of Nivea lip butter in Caramel Cream to keep my lips smooth and soft and to keep the germs at bay I swear by Vicks First Defence Nasal Spray.

What are your favourite products to travel with?