Travel Travesty
by Amille Bottom
photography courtesy of Minh Anh Nguyen
Picture this: you’re departing for an epic summer trip with friends, and the flight is almost over. After hours in the air, the destination of your dreams is right outside the cabin window. Ready to hit the ground running, you try to snap a #justlanded selfie, only to see what everyone sees at the end of a long journey: tired eyes, a fresh breakout and tangled hair.
While the destination is always worth the travel time, the process can be both physically and emotionally exhausting. Often, the human body feels sluggish after time in a plane and skin looks matte and parched. To prevent these travel travesties the next time you take off, read on!
Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
While it may sound like an obvious solution, drinking water is the simplest and most sure-fire way to keep yourself feeling and looking fresh while traveling. Yasmin Badiani told Marie Claire magazine, “In an average 10 hour flight, men can lose approximately two litres of water and women around 1.6 litres.” Because the human body needs H2O to function, this decrease in the bodily concentration of water can lead to serious health problems while traveling.
Bacteria and viruses are more likely to weasel their way into your system if the membranes that normally trap them are compromised due to dehydration. Imagine arriving in paradise, only to be stuck in the hotel with a cold!
Food is Fuel
It’s incredibly easy to stock up on candy bars and fast-foods while traversing an airport, with burgers and French fries at every corner. However, dermatologist Nicholas Perricone told The Huffington Post, an increased consumption of sugar leads to “a burst of inflammation throughout the body.” This drastic increase in inflammation can lead to a breakout of acne, a bloom of rosacea and, in the long-term, more intense wrinkles.
To prevent these nasty sugar side effects, stick to healthy foods! While large quantities of liquids are prohibited on planes, snacks are allowed! Stock up on your favorite transportable health foods before a flight: even something as simple as bringing baby carrots and hummus to munch on is better than eating a Reese’s peanut butter cup.
Get Rid of Germs
It’s no secret that public airplanes are full of germs; with over 43,000 flights in the air every day, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, how could illness not run rampant? An essential part of air travel involves antibacterial items.
When packing your carry-on, be sure to include antibacterial wipes, hand sanitizer and Emergen-C. While it may not be “cool” to wipe down your tray table before use, it’ll help prevent that post-flight sickness. Probiotics and green tea are also great ways to boost your immune system before a trip.
Freshen Up
Fighting that icky feeling at the end of a flight is hard, especially when you want to hit the beach the second you land. Pack a few simple tools to freshen up with in your carry-on, so you can let the vacay begin the second you arrive!
Some favorites include: cucumber face wipes, a mini-can of dry shampoo (to get that volume locked in place), an eye-highlighting pencil to banish the bags, perfume and cucumber face mist, and a bottle of moisturizer to soothe dry and cracked skin. Bringing an outfit to change into upon landing is also a fantastic hack. A fashionable and fresh change of clothes can lift anyone’s spirits!
Get Some Zzz's
Sleep: it’s a basic human function, and yet, it can be so hard to come by when traveling. While sleeping on the plane may not be the most exciting part of the trip, it’s one of the simplest ways to ensure that you can arrive at your destination stress and eye-bag free. Falling asleep on an aircraft can be difficult, or even feel impossible for some, but it doesn’t have to be.
Lavender essential oil is a natural and toxin-free way to lull the body to sleep, and melatonin is a great alternative to prescription sleeping pills. Bring an eye mask, a cozy scarf and some soft music with sound-proof headphones, and drift off into sweet dreams.