Plane Pretty: Cindy Nell-Roberts Shares Her In-Flight Beauty Tips
Any beauty queen knows travelling can be tricky. Sadly, it’s impossible to take every single beauty product you own with you. It may be tempting to empty the entire contents of your vanity into your suitcase, but resist that urge! What’s more, travelling can wreak havoc with the skin, thanks to inadequate sleep and dry, harsh cabin air. The struggle is real when it comes to looking radiant and refreshed while travelling, but fret not, help is at hand. Former Miss South Africa, mother, philanthropist, and CEO of Cosmetix, Cindy Nell-Roberts, offers her ultimate in-flight tips that you can count on to look fabulous when you land.
Ace that arrival
You could be the most seasoned traveller, but neglecting your skin when you’re up in the air could affect how your skin looks and feels at your destination. “Long-haul flights tend to dry out your skin, so make sure the skincare products you bring with you onboard are heavy-duty enough,” Cindy says.
She recommends fighting the lack of fresh air by applying a nourishing face cream the night before your flight and reapplying it during. “I’ve been obsessed with the Catrice One Step Skin Perfector, a four-in-one tinted moisturiser and primer with skin-conditioning ingredients and an SPF of 20. It adjusts to your skin tone while smoothing fine lines and leaving a youthful glow.”
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate
It’s no secret that drinking water is key to a clear, hydrated complexion — or that flying can exhaust your hydration levels. High altitude coupled with fresh air that’s pumped into the cabin makes the perfect recipe for dry air. Cindy advises balancing out frigid cabin conditions by consuming a litre of water for every four hours you’re in the sky.
“This is such an overlooked tip while travelling — always remember to drink lots of fluids to prevent your skin from drying out,” she adds. Beverages such as hot water with lemon or a spicy herbal tea are also recommended, as is walking around the cabin to help with your circulation while on board.
Revitalise puffy eyes
It’s good to keep some skincare products on hand that will hide dullness, dark circles and puffy eyes. If you don’t want to cover up with a cap and sunglasses when you land, Cindy recommends using the Catrice Hydro Depuffing Eye Serum. Packed with eye-opening ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and caffeine, this vegan formula will help you fake a full night’s rest.
Another handy tip is to bring your own sleep-friendly accessories — warm, cosy clothing and a proper pillow to avoid the scratchy pillow you’re given by the airline. Before dozing off, dim the light and avoid the blue light that emits from your smartphone and tablet.
Salvage your stressed-out skin
When you’re thousands of feet up in the air, you should keep a beauty bag of key essentials — one of those being a face mist that will give your skin a shot of hydration. Cindy suggests ditching the dryness and opting for a moisturising mist that offers dewier, suppler skin.
“I’m currently loving the Catrice Fix & Protect Spray for a moist glow-up in seconds — with SPF 20 and soothing aloe vera, it plumps, primes and gives your skin a pick-me-up,” she says. Like a cool sip of water, a few satisfyingly refreshing spritzes will drench your skin in moisture and protect against blue light damage while you’re using your smart devices. Dryness, begone!
Rock a natural lip
Being a jet-setter is fun and all, until you walk off your flight with chapped lips. So, swipe on and pucker up: “Skip the long-lasting lipsticks and rather use a lip balm or lip treatment so that chapped, flaked lips don’t stand a chance,” Cindy says.
For immediate relief and insanely hydrated lips, try the Catrice Skin Lovers Multi-Purpose Nourishing Balm — it boasts a velvety texture plus 80% natural oils and waxes including 40% coconut oil. Not only does this handbag-size balm work well on lips, but you can also dab it on your dry hands and cracked elbows.