Aeroplane beauty

I've been flying a lot lately - to the US and back, then to Spain (for a work event in Gibraltar) and back - and I really cannot take two consecutive flights without buying some beauty products. The lure of duty free shopping is just too great. (And yes, I did take that photo at right: Not perfect, but good enough for me.)

My most recent booty is a trio of old favourites:

1) On the flight home to London from the US, I bought a twin pack of Lancome mascaras: Flextencils and Amplicils. Définicils was my stand-by since high school, but in recent months I played around with Hypnose and was not bowled over. Still, I play it safe with Lancome mascaras: They don't smear too much on my eyelids, like Maybelline Great Lash, Marks & Spencer Just Perfect Lash Lengthening, and so many others do. I'm blessed with lashes that are very long and curly, so the smudge-free thing is pretty much all it takes to make me happy.

2) and 3) On the flight to Málaga from London, I picked up both a Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat and Clarins Beauty Flash Balm. I used these both a few years ago, and didn't think they were the miracle workers that everyone else seemed to. Still, hope lives on! Actually, I knew that I would not be getting much sleep on that particular work trip, and so figured I could use all the help I could get. Plus, my diet and overall lifestyle is much better than it was a few years ago, and I calculated that I'd see more improvement now than I did back then.

I'm loving the Beauty Flash Balm. It may be all in my head, but my skin does seem to be glowing lately - especially after playing beauty shop on a Sunday evening, letting my Prada Exfoliate Concentrate mask do its thing and then following up with some Sebamed moisturiser. (And before you ask: Hell no, I did not pay $130 for ten little doses of the Prada stuff. They were a gift from a friend who knows me so well.) The Pout Flush Blush certainly adds to the glow element, too. The Beauty Flash Balm can't hurt.

As for the Touche Eclat, well, it's not really working for me right now. I guess I've actually grown so pale that it just blends into my natural skin colour, making all hopes of highlighting anything quite futile.

Right now, I am in full spendthrift mode. This can only benefit Jack & Hill. More updates soon.

Comments

[Searchie]

I enjoy your posts on beauty products, since I am quite the product junkie myself, as well as a longtime Lancome mascara fan. I used Intencils for many years until they inexplicably discontinued it last year or so. Now I'm relatively satisfied with Hypnose applied over a base of CILS Booster, but I’m still looking.

I ordered the Beauty Flash Balm, as per your recommendation, as I’ve never quite understood what Touche Eclat is supposed to do. The best products I’ve collected in my travels come from Poland, believe it or not. Private label skincare products are crammed into tiny outdoor stalls all over Warsaw, and nothing seems to cost more than ten dollars. My hair color is the best bargain of all. It’s made by Schwarzkopf and is incredibly cheap. I always bring a separate suitcase whenever I travel to Warsaw, just for my haircolor.

For cheek color, I’ve recently discovered the gel-based Bliss Ink Pink Blushing Balm. I hear that Bliss will be discontinuing their makeup line, however, which is bad news for me – I’m a serious Bliss junkie as well. Nothing beats Skin Twin.

[Hill]

That is an absolutely stunning shot you took from the plane. Iconic even. Since I don't have much time to actually do or be beauty lately, I'm always happy to just see beauty. All part of the continuum....