We love a bit of travel here at Her.ie but no matter how many flights we take, we have yet to see a cabin crew member with a hair out of place.
This is no mean feat when you’re flying at 30,000 feet so we decided to delve a bit deeper and get some top tips on how to maintain that glamorous and glossy look when you barely have time to glance in the mirror.
Sibille B. Juen is the Training Specialist for Image And Uniform with Emirates Airlines and joined us over a coffee for a quick tutorial on how to create a make-up look that will last from first thing in the morning until last thing at night.
Here are the rules according to Sibille:
Making your make-up go the distance
1) Always use a powder over foundation as this helps set the make-up and prolong staying power. Choose a product that is the same tone as your skin or one shade lighter as powder can sometimes oxidise and become patchy, which will be less evident in a more subtle shade.
2) Don’t use lip gloss over lipstick as while it looks glam, it can make the colour wear off more quickly and change the pigment in the lipstick, giving it a different colour.
3) To get some serious mileage out of your lippie, apply a little foundation to the lips, followed by powder and then your chosen colour.
Stay looking bright and beautiful
1) Use bronzer sparingly as it can make skin look tired, especially in harsh lighting such as that on airlines.
2) Waterproof mascaras can dry out your lashes when used over long periods so be mindful when choosing your products.
3) Red lipstick is the ultimate product for a glamourous look and there is one to suit every skin tone. You just have to find the right one for you, also taking consideration your eye and hair colour.
4) Using eyeliner on the top lid gives the impression of bigger open eyes so cabin crew at Emirates use this trick for ultra-long trips. We’re be stealing this one for our desk to dancefloor occasions!
5) For dark circles, use a concealer that contains light reflectors. Once you use the correct colour, the light reflection works much better than regular concealer under cabin lights. It’s also the only make-up product that is allowed for male cabin crew members.
In-air beauty essentials
1) If flying long-haul, all cabin crew remove their make-up and apply a Vitamin C mask to keep their skin looking rested and supple. So, if you want to be glowing by the time you reach your destination, make sure to meet hydration head on by stealing their ritual.
2) They also carry a hydration spray (which can be applied over make-up) to stay looking fresh and drink lots of water to maintain energy levels.
3) If you can, don’t wear make-up on long-haul flights. If you can’t bear to bare-faced, avoid heavy make-up and stick with light concealer or tinted moisturiser with blusher, mascara and lipstick.
4) Apply lip balm and body lotion at intervals during the journey.
5) Before landing, freshen up with a cleanser, moisturiser and an eye gel to look “vibrant and fresh”. Top with a natural foundation, soft blusher in light pink or peach, mascara and a natural lip gloss.
Dubliner Jennifer Lawlor is one of 400 Irish members of the Emirates Cabin Crew and offered us an insight into her own travel beauty essentials.
“As an Irish person living in Dubai and travelling across the globe for more than ten years, sunscreen is firmly top of my list of essentials. I tend to wear no lower than SPF 100 on my face, as well as covering up with a hat and large sunglasses in hotter climates. I also try to drink as much water as possible, as dehydration is the greatest enemy of the skin and something as simple as drinking water can help you keep and maintain that healthy glow, so you’ll always find me with a supply close by,” she said.
“And my serious weapon for staying energetic when working is drinking lots of green tea. Add some fresh mint for a hint of flavour. Some say it speeds up the metabolism, which is definitely an added bonus.”