As my beauty essential posts get more and more popular (thank you so much), I get asked to share my long haul flight beauty essentials on a weekly basis, so I thought it would be easier to round them up on a blog post.
I try to keep these long haul flight beauty essentials to an absolute minimum – and ideally I wouldn’t have to carry half of them with me, but the truth is… business and first class airline amenity kits are not what they used to be (or not really designed with women in mind).
Space NK clear toiletry travel bag
Costs £24 ($30) from Space NK
I really like this simple travel bag (and have only once have I been asked to put all its contents in an airport’s own clear zip lock style bag) – and it comes in a variety of colours. It travels well, but will scratch over time (depending on how much you throw it around like I do). I would expect to replace it annually, which makes it excellent value for money.
Upgrade to the Anya Hindmarch original travel bag (£195 from Matches Fashion or Liberty) or get a similar look for less from H&M (for £12.99).
Weleda Skin Food Light moisturiser
Costs £7.99 from Amazon UK, Look Fantastic (USA/Canada) and Liberty London.
Weleda’s Skin Food Light is a dialled down version from its flagship product, and itself has cult status (compared by many to La Mer, but with a “slightly” different price tag). I love the 30ml version which really moisturises my face but I can double up as hand cream as well. Needless to say, this is then the cream I use for the rest of the trip, and I absolutely do not mind buying one before each long haul flight. Weleda also do a lovely hand cream.
Upgrade to La Mer’s sample sizes – which you cannot buy. La Mer’s 30ml cream is too large to carry in this context. La Mer is always extra generous with samples when you make any purchases. I love their moisturising soft cream (£60 for 15ml), their eye concentrate (£160) and swear by their hand cream as well (which lasts a long time but I cannot find online).
Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Face Mist
Costs £20/$30 for 30ml at Space NK (Global), Selfridges (£15), Sephora (USA), Nordstrom
It took me a while to understand the face mist phenomenon, but this Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Face Mist is one of most successful products of this brand for a reason. You can’t be moisturising every 30 minutes and this feels really light (and also great for shorter flights too). Smells wonderful.
Upgrade – Space NK are selling a beauty kit which includes this product and a few others for £30 instead of the normal £50 (offering a value of £90). It is in itself a GREAT travel essentials kit except that it does not have the clear toiletry bag.
Rawganic make up remover and hand wipes
Costs £9.99 for 20 from Amazon UK
The problem I always have with wipes is that I open a container, use one, and then they all dry out because it is months between my trips. I have been looking for single packs of these items but being wipes (which I do not use day to day), I really wanted to find a brand which was biodegradable and I finally have.
These face make up remover wipes cost £6.99 for 10 or £9.00 for 20 on Amazon, and the hand wipes cost the same. They smell nice, did clean my face and happy days.
Upgrade: RMS Beauty Ultimate Makeup Remover Wipes which are £12 for 20 and also biodegradable, available at Space NK, Net-a-Porter, Sephora (USA) and Nordstrom.
I will also stock up on LA Fresh wipes (better value, and a brand I first found at Four Seasons Surfside) on my next trip to the USA.
HERMÈS Colognes Collection Travel Set
Costs £67-100 from Hermes (where you can mix and match), World Duty Free (at select UK Airports), John Lewis, Saks Fifth Avenue, Sephora (US)
They are divine and slim – and depending where you buy them, you can mix and match or not (I usually do and get 2 for me and 2 for my husband). I am a Jardin du Monsieur Li lady and love the Citron Noir cologne which I share with Mr. O, whereas he goes for Terre d’Hermes.
You cannot go wrong with these.
Marc Jacobs Lock Lips Moisture Balm
Costs: £18 from Harrods, John Lewis, Sephora (USA)
Probably one of the nicest lip balms around (very moisturising) and even Mr. O will not object to me forcing him to put some on on a long flight. I have a list of my top 5 lip balms which you can read here.
3M Ear Plugs classic
20 pairs for £4.49 from Amazon UK or Amazon US/Global
These are my favourite ear plugs in the world – and believe me, I have tried dozens. BA used to provide these in business class and they have changed to another model and brand, which personally does not suit me. Amazon to the rescue, as they say.
I hope you find these suggestions useful for your next long haul flight. I have plenty of flight reviews you can enjoy!
Until the next flight
xo
Mrs. O
