The anticipation of going on holiday is a thrilling time. We're all familiar with the excitement of arriving at the airport, checking in and boarding the plane. But there's something about the flight that zaps out all of this vigour from our spirits and physical being. If you'd like to start your holiday looking and feeling good, arm yourself with our picks of best in-flight beauty essentials.
Everything is light and compact, in bottles 100ml and under or even as small as a grape, to fit in your carry-on bag.
#1 Bioderma Sensibio H20 Micellar Water
Photo from Bioderma
This cult-favourite micellar water ticks all the boxes for in-flight cleansing. It's sensitive skin-friendly, soothing, deep-cleansing and has a no-rinse formula so you don't have to get up from your seat.
After washing and sanitising your hands, soak a cotton pad with the micellar water and gently cleanse the face and neck.
Find out more about it here.
#2 Saborino Morning Facial Sheet Mask
Photo from Saborino
In team cleansing wipes? Go for this 3-in-1 mask that cleanses, tones and primes the skin for makeup. A great option for a short flight, this convenient mask works its magic in just one minute and does not need rinsing.
It contains 10 moisturising ingredients including hyaluronic acid, honey, apple acid and collagen.
Those with dry skin types can layer on moisturiser or serum on top of the mask essence.
Get it at Watsons for $7.50 (5 pcs).
#3 Suisai Beauty Clear Fizzy Powder Wash
Photo from Suisai
If you prefer a traditional cleansing routine, skip your bulky and heavy bottle of cleanser and bring some sachets of Suisai's Clear Fizzy Powder Wash. A single sachet contains the perfect amount of powder that lathers up with water in the palm of your hands to create a foaming face wash.
A mild exfoliator that can be used daily, the carbonic acid foam penetrates deeply into the pores to get rid of stubborn keratin plugs, blackheads and dead skin cells. The skin is left brighter and smoother after every wash.
Get it at Don Don Donki, Watsons, Welcia-BHG outlets and Kao Beauty Official store for $36.30.
#4 Origins Love That Skin Mini Masking Essentials For Self-Care Set
Photo from Origins
As plane cabins have such low humidity levels, our skin tends to feel particularly parched and our usual moisturiser isn't enough. That's where masks come in.
To quench your skin with the moisture that it desperately needs, apply the Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Hydrating Mask onto clean skin and leave on throughout your flight. It's infused with hyaluronic acid and avocado butter to provide 72 hours of hydration.
Get the Mini Masking Essentials For Self-Care Set that comes with five mini masks, including the Drink Up Mask, that can be applied on different parts of the face. Use the Out of Trouble Mask on areas that are breaking out, or the Rose Clay Mask on congested, dull or rough areas.
Get it at Sephora for $42 (5 x 15ml).
#5 Laneige Mini Lip Sleeping Mask in Berry
Photo from Laneige
This famed overnight lip care product makes the lips the best version of itself by melting stubborn dead skin cells and boosting moisture.
Laneige's patented moisture technology forms a film on the lips which locks in active ingredients such as Berry fruit Complex, vitamin C, hydro-ion mineral water, evening primrose root extract, and Hunza Apricot extract.
Once you're seated in flight, slather a generous amount of the mask on the lips using the built-in spatula and let the sweet berry scent lull you to sleep. Before the plane lands, gently wipe it off and you'll have perfectly prepped lips for makeup.
Get it at Sephora for $15 (8g).
#6 Uriage Thermal Water
Photo from Uriage
On long-haul fights, your skin might need a pick-me-up every few hours or so. Uriage's naturally isotonic thermal water will do the trick. This active water is jam-packed with minerals at a composition of 11g/L. It acts like a physiological serum in osmosis with the skin's cells.
One spritz instantly refreshes and hydrates the skin and calms any irritation.
#7 Sigi Skin Gentle Gaze Eye Cream
Photo from Sigi Skin
Most of us get little sleep, if any, on a long-haul flight, and our under eye area suffers for it.
To avoid puffiness or a panda eye situation, your best bet is to bring along an eye cream like Sigi Skin's Gentle Gaze. We like this one in particular as it has a metal tip applicator for easy, hands-free application. The smooth metal surface feels cool on the skin, and makes the application process feel like a mini eye massage!
This gentle but hard worker also addresses eye puffiness and dark circles, has anti-ageing properties to reduce the appearance of fine lines and crow's feet over time. It's rich and hydrating but lightweight, non-greasy and highly absorbent.
Get it at sigiskin.com for $82 (15ml).
#8 Amuse Vegan Soybean Hand Cream
Photo from Amuse
Skin, lips, hands - everything will be dry on a plane, so don't forget to pack a mini hand cream too. Amuse's luxurious hand creams are a good pick as they absorb immediately, condition the skin deeply and have a discernible yet subtle scent that won't permeate the entire cabin.
It's made with a blend of soybean ceramide, soybean extracts, peptide, shea butter, basil extracts and panthenol.
#9 Shiseido Clear Suncare Stick SPF 50+
Photo from Shiseido
Sunscreen is an absolute must-have if you're departing, flying or arriving during day time. To make life on board easier, go for Shiseido's clear stick sunscreen that you can apply without needing to touch your face with your hands. The lightweight and transparent balm works as a base and on top of makeup.
This highly protective sunscreen is formulated with SynchroShield Technology that boosts the UV protective veil when exposed to water, perspiration or heat. It is also enriched with Botanical Profense CL, a complex of botanical ingredients that helps prevent the formation of wrinkles and dark spots.
#10 Kosas Revealer Concealer + Daytime Eye Cream
Photo from Kosas
Putting on a full face of makeup on a plane might not be a practical option, but just a little concealer is enough to perk up the complexion.
A new player in the concealer game is Kosas' creamy and skincare-packed concealer with medium coverage and a radiant finish. It helps mask the appearance of discolouration but lets the natural skin texture show, and is even formulated to improve the quality of bare skin over time. Hyaluronic acid, peptides and caffeine visibly brightens and hydrates the under eye area so you'll look bright and awake right out of the airport even if you didn't get a wink of sleep.
Get it at Sephora for $48 (20ml).
#11 innisfree Dewy Glowy Lipstick
Photo from innisfree
Besides concealer, another easy-to-apply makeup product that'll instantly make you put together is a moisturising lipstick.
innisfree's new Dewy Glowy Lipstick has a hydrating formula so your lips stay feeling moisturised. One swipe leaves a lovely natural-looking colour with a shiny and radiant finish. Wear it in one layer for a tinted look, create an ombre lip by applying it at the centre of the lips and blending outwards, or swipe on more layers for intense, pigmented colour.
Get it at innisfree stores for $27.
#12 MUJI Eyelash Curler
Photo from MUJI
The shape of traditional eyelash curlers make them hard to slip in neatly in a makeup bag. Go for MUJI's sliding eyelash curler instead. This sleek and compact tool is designed to be easily stored in small travel kits.
To use it, pull up the lever on the back side of the main body.
Get it at MUJI stores for $7.30.
#13 amika Perk Up Plus Extended Clean Dry Shampoo
Photo from amika
Fellow oily scalp girlies will know that dreaded flat, lifeless look to our hair at the end of a flight. It might be stress or the dry cabin air triggering oil production in the scalp, but even those with dry scalps typically emerge from the plane with greasy hair.
A quick fix is amika's dry shampoo. It helps absorb oil, mask odour, and leaves the hair feeling fresh and clean. The scalp is also treated right with nourishing ingredients like mandelic acid and rambutan seed extract.
The hair is left with a sophisticated, perfume-like scent of warm vanilla, spicy sweet clover and fresh citrus.
Get it at Sephora for $26 (68ml).
#14 Marc Jacobs Daisy Drops
Photo from Marc Jacobs
It's nice to start the day with a spritz of perfume, especially when it starts after being cramped in a plane for hours. While many perfumes come in mini travel-friendly sizes, there's something that takes up even less space and weight in your carry-on bag - the Marc Jacobs Daisy Drops.
These teensy little single-dose fragrance capsules are designed to fit in your hand, bag or even your pocket. Whenever you have some downtime after landing - waiting for your checked baggage, queueing at arrivals, etc. - simply twist the capsule, squeeze and apply the fragrance to the skin or clothes.
Get it at Sephora for $40 (30 capsules).
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