O'Hare Airport - Chicago
"To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is so familiar it is taken for granted."
- Bill Bryson
Okay, here's where my travel-essential series gets certifiably wonky. I'm wading into the trickiest part of travel for a woman - how to look, smell, and feel as fresh as a Daisy after an entire day of travel (sometimes an entire day and night). This is no easy task, especially for a 'practical' Diva - hence the need for wonk.
Zoe Saldana - fabulous!
strutting her stuff through an airport
Okay, okay! Very few of the world's female population can look half this fabulous while traipsing through an airport after a 5 hour flight. Notice that she's wearing my travel ensemble except for the pants (she hasn't had 4 kids!) and the shoes (younger feet and she is a star!). Still, la fabulous Zoe proves my point: simple, classic, elegant chic is the way to travel! While we aren't Zoes, we can look and remain fabulous while we're traveling...
Disclaimer: This part of the series, especially, is for the ladies. No offense gentlemen ;-)
You've got your diva-fantastic travel ensemble; you're working on assembling your staple travel wardrobe; are ready, willing, and able to check your bag; and have your music, reading and writing in-flight entertainment together.
Now you need to make sure that you're comfortable and have the things you need to keep it together. The greatest challenge when traveling on a plane is hydration. Flying dries out everything: your eyes, your throat, your hair and your skin. Some remedies for this challenge are obvious:
*Drink lots of water
*Don't wear contacts, wear your glasses. And bring eye drops.
21st century eyeglass-wear comes in several price ranges and inumerable colors, finishes, shapes, and sizes. They're no longer for the stereotypical schoolmarm. Glasses are chic and sexy: think Sarah Palin, Raquel Welch, Anna Torv (Fringe), and Scarlett Johansson - to name a few.
*Olive Oil
I know you're saying: "Olive Oil! Seriously Temple?" Yes seriously. Olive Oil is natural, great for your hair, and cheap (everyone has a bottle at home). Just pour some in a tiny plastic bottle and your good to go. Midway through your flight, smear a miniscule amount on your fingers and run them through your hair (don't forget the ends). I've even used it as body lotion and as a diaper lotion, in a pinch.
*Lotion, Face and Lip Moisturizer
*Wear as little makeup as possible
I know, this is espeically difficult, especially for we over 40 ladies. But the simple unavoidable truth is that, after a day of traveling, your makeup wears off, streaks, clumps or all three - leaving you looking haggard and blah and that is completely unacceptable.
Calm down. I said wear as little makeup as possible, not don't wear any makeup. You can have your cake and eat it too - there are ways ;-) But since this is as important as what you wear and what you pack (maybe even more so), I'm going to devote an entire post to it: What a Girl Needs - All Day Fabulosity.
Explore! Discover! Dream!
Temple
Now you need to make sure that you're comfortable and have the things you need to keep it together. The greatest challenge when traveling on a plane is hydration. Flying dries out everything: your eyes, your throat, your hair and your skin. Some remedies for this challenge are obvious:
*Drink lots of water
*Don't wear contacts, wear your glasses. And bring eye drops.
21st century eyeglass-wear comes in several price ranges and inumerable colors, finishes, shapes, and sizes. They're no longer for the stereotypical schoolmarm. Glasses are chic and sexy: think Sarah Palin, Raquel Welch, Anna Torv (Fringe), and Scarlett Johansson - to name a few.
*Olive Oil
I know you're saying: "Olive Oil! Seriously Temple?" Yes seriously. Olive Oil is natural, great for your hair, and cheap (everyone has a bottle at home). Just pour some in a tiny plastic bottle and your good to go. Midway through your flight, smear a miniscule amount on your fingers and run them through your hair (don't forget the ends). I've even used it as body lotion and as a diaper lotion, in a pinch.
Airline Empty Bottle Travel Pack Set ($4 @ Amazon)
*Lotion, Face and Lip Moisturizer
Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula
$3.79/3.75oz - travel size
As often as possible, during your flight, slather this lotion on your hands and feet. Palmer's is odorless, rich, creamy and a little goes a long way. It makes your hands and feet feel like silk and you can use it on your face in a pinch. You can find it at Walgreens, but I've only found the travel sizes at Amazon.com.
Pond's Moisturizing Cream
$5/4oz.
Ponds cream was invented by an American scientist, Theron T. Ponds in 1846. No, that's not a typo. Ponds has been around for 165 years - so that should tell you something about how effective it is. It does for your face everything that Palmer's does for your body. You can find it at any drugstore or grocery store.
Aquaphor Lip Ointment
$6/for two 2 .35oz tubes
I can't live without this stuff. It's great under lipstick or gloss or wear it alone. It's very long lasting and you can use it on your hands and feet in a pinch. You can find it at Walgreens or Amazon.com
*Keeping clean: airports and travel in general can get pretty grungy but I've got two items that will save the day everytime:
Clean Well All Natural Hand Sanitizer
$18/pack of 6 - 1oz spray bottles @ Amazon only
I first purchased this hand sanitizer because I was looking for something that was kid friendly and was alcohol-free. Cleanwell is the only alcohol free hand sanitizer on the market. This stuff is awesome, I always have one with me.
Lansinoh Baby Wipes
$4/1 pack
Lansinoh is a company that packages and sells ultra pure lanolin for nursing mothers. Lanolin soothes, heals and protect nursing mothers' skin and does not have to be removed prior to breastfeeding. I've nursed 3 babies using it. I also used it as a diaper cream. A few years ago, the company started making wipes that contained Lanolin. They're amazing. So much so that, although my littlest one is 5, I use these wipes everyday for myself and they're great for travel. They clean incredibly well - even makeup - and they don't dry you out. You can find them at Target and Amazon.com
These first 5 items are inexpensive and small enough to easily fit in you carry-on. You'll be happily surprised to see how these five little things will greatly affect your travel experince for the better.
I know, this is espeically difficult, especially for we over 40 ladies. But the simple unavoidable truth is that, after a day of traveling, your makeup wears off, streaks, clumps or all three - leaving you looking haggard and blah and that is completely unacceptable.
Calm down. I said wear as little makeup as possible, not don't wear any makeup. You can have your cake and eat it too - there are ways ;-) But since this is as important as what you wear and what you pack (maybe even more so), I'm going to devote an entire post to it: What a Girl Needs - All Day Fabulosity.
Explore! Discover! Dream!
Temple
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