Picture this: It’s 2023, our once-intense pandemic fears have finally subsided, and we can resume life as you once knew it. This means spending holidays with loved ones, finally going on that bucket list vacation, and the return of the regular business trip.
Whether you’ve been planning your excursion for months or it’s a last-minute pack-and-go situation, our travel-friendly makeup helps you look great wherever you go. Read on to learn a few tips and tricks from our Makeup Stacks that can help you travel in style.
Less Is More!
Remember the Golden Rule of travel packing: Less is more in every way, shape, and form — especially when it comes to your makeup routine.
Subtl Beauty Makeup Stacks helps save you room, which makes it easy to get ready in the morning and touch up throughout the day. Who doesn’t love a good time saving makeup hack?
Each part of our Subtl Beauty Makeup Stack is lightweight and buildable, allowing you to achieve a clean, fresh face for the day or a more refined look for the evening. With a formula that works in any climate, you don’t need to worry about the mess of caking on heavy products on top of melted makeup or dusting dense powders on dry, irritated winter skin.
Makeup Made for the Sky
Travel is tough on your body as a whole, but air travel is specifically tough on your skin. Have you ever gotten off of even the shortest of flights only to check your makeup and discover a surprise breakout, oddly oily T-zone, or that your makeup has totally disappeared?
Super high altitudes, recirculated air, and low humidity levels are a recipe for a skincare disaster. The best airplane makeup routine is simple, minimal, and low-maintenance.
For Long Flights
If you're in for a long-haul flight, layer on extra moisturizer before takeoff — or try using a hydrating mask in its place.
Don't be afraid to use eye masks or sheet masks mid-flight; it's way more common than you realize. Nobody is paying attention to you (most people are half-asleep anyway), so no one’s going to care if you turn the plane into your own mini-spa. Still, be considerate of your fellow passengers and avoid using heavily scented products, especially if you have someone seated immediately next to you.
Don't skip your SPF, either! UV rays at 30,000 feet (or higher) can be twice as strong as rays on the ground. Airplane windows do block UVB rays, meaning you won’t get a sunburn on the plane — but passengers enjoying the view from their window seat should remember to protect themselves from UVA rays.
Not moving for a few hours can also lead to an increase in puffiness. Travelers sitting in the aisle seat may not get to enjoy the window view, but it's easier to get in and out of your seat, walk around, and stretch. Just a little bit of regular movement throughout can significantly decrease swelling and puffiness on your face and all over your body, which can make applying makeup when you land or keeping your current makeup intact much easier.
For Short Excursions
If it's a short flight or you need to be somewhere right after landing, our Makeup Stack is for you. Whether you opt for a premade Stack or decide to build your own, we make it easy to touch up your face at 30,000 feet or breeze through your entire routine from start to finish before landing.
Every order comes with a Stack Brush BFF — AKA, the perfect multi-use applicator — but this streamlined routine can be applied and blended out with your fingertips, too.
Whether you’re catering to your deep skin tone with our Cocoa Stack or you’re leaning on the paler side with our Milk Stack, application is so easy that you could practically do it with your eyes closed.
Conceal what you want with our Cream Concealer, add a quick pop of Bronzer wherever you want to add dimension, and finish it off with a swipe of our Lip and Cheek Tint to look instantly refreshed (even if the jetlag has started to hit.)
And speaking of jetlag…
Go the Heck To Sleep!
Sometimes, the anticipation of a long-awaited vacation can keep us up all night long. While it’s tempting to stay up late scrolling Instagram and fantasize about all the fun things we’re going to eat, drink, see, and experience, do everything you can to get a proper night's sleep.
Try to be fully packed by lunchtime the day before you depart so you can get to bed at a decent hour.
Do you need to be in your Uber on the way to the airport at three o’clock in the morning? Go to bed after dinner time. It may seem odd, but your body will thank you!
Jet lag and feeling tired are really common after long-haul flights, but the last thing anyone wants is to land at their destination and need a nap.
When we sleep well, we feel good. In turn, we look good on the outside. If we aren’t well-rested, dark circles can become more prominent, our under eyes get puffy, and our skin is just a lot more dull-looking than normal.
Getting decent sleep the night before will not only make adjusting to a different time zone a little easier, but it is a super simple way to ensure you look your best. Plus, well-rested skin is much easier to apply makeup to!
Mimosa in One Hand, Water in the Other
Hydration contributes to your energy levels and your overall appearance. An airport mimosa after security is a great way to celebrate the official kick-off to the journey ahead, but don’t forget your H2O. The altitude, long amount of time spent sitting, and general stress of travel are already tougher on our bodies than we may realize, so staying hydrated is of the utmost importance.
Save some room in your carry-on for a refillable water bottle by packing a compact makeup kit instead of a lengthy and unnecessary string of cosmetics. Your bottle will need to be empty when you go through security, but most airports are equipped with hydration stations to make a post-TSA refill easy.
If you can’t find a hydration station, almost any restaurant or bar will happily fill up your water bottle. Other beverages like coconut water are also great ways to stay hydrated — and your complexion will thank you when you tap on your concealer later.
Refresh Your Look After Arrival
Whether you've been in the air, on a train, or on a road trip, wash your face when you arrive at your destination if you can. Recirculated air from airplanes allows germs and other impurities to build up on your skin, making it a prime time for breakouts, flaky patches, and other imperfections to pop up.
Sometimes, we just don’t have time for a quick splash at the airport, and we need to immediately head off somewhere upon landing. If this is the case, keep micellar water or makeup remover wipes in your under-seat bag for a quick and easy cleanup.
A quick wipe, moisturizer reapplication, and run through your Subtl Beauty Starter Stack will guarantee you look and feel fresh from the moment you touch down. Here’s our favorite post-flight routine to try out:
- Taking your Starter Stack, begin with the Cream Concealer in your chosen shade. Use this to cover any spots, breakouts, or dark circles.
- Next, set it in place with the translucent Shine Control Pressed Powder: a lightweight yet powerful powder designed to keep oiliness at bay and lock in cream products. Use the Shine Control Powder with the Stack Brush BFF on the T-zone, chin, and other areas prone to shine.
- Then, dust Bronzer around the edges of your face and within the hollows of your cheeks to give your face a natural glow and more dimension.
- Blot Lip and Cheek on your pout and the apples of your cheeks, gradually building up in layers till you achieve the hue you desire.
- Last but not least, add Highlighter to the high points of your face to round out this effortlessly natural and refreshed look.
Bon Voyage!
Whether you're traveling for business or pleasure, getting out of the house (and out of town) is so exciting. By keeping a few simple routines and going easy on yourself, you can lessen travel fatigue, feel good, and look revitalized for the duration of your trip.
Make the most of your travels and save yourself time by enlisting the help of our Makeup Stack. Take our quiz today to build your perfect Stack and ensure you are looking great when and where it matters.
Sources:
Travel and Sleep | American Thoracic Society
How to Stay Hydrated While Traveling: 9 Experts’ Tips | HuffPost
Can UV Rays From Flying Hurt You? | Aviation For Aviators
5 Things That Happen to Your Skin When You Fly—And How to Prevent Them | Tatler Asia