Travel Beauty

It's SO nice to finally be back in NYC after my week of traveling for work, even if it is freezing here!

For me, traveling always presents a number of beauty issues, especially when flying is involved. First, I don't like traveling with any makeup or skincare that would be extremely costly or impossible to replace should something get lost or confiscated by a TSA agent having a bad day. I was initially going to pack my new Ellis Faas products but given how closely the items resemble weapons and how expensive they are, I quickly thought better of it. I'm still recovering from the time a male TSA agent went through my carry-on with a fine-tooth comb because he just couldn't understand what my eyelash curler was, and whether it posed an in-flight threat! I tried explaining it to him (to no avail) the purpose of an eyelash curler and he just looked at me, half dumbfounded, half thinking I was crazy. He wouldn't let me through until a female agent who clearly understood that the only danger posed by the curler was to my eyelid saw what was happening and waived me through!

I also left my beloved Rock and Republic at home because it's darn near impossible to find now (not to mention heavy), and poor Lancome Erika F never gets to leave the house!

Next, I have such a vast collection that narrowing down what to bring, especially when going away for a full week, is hard! I wear something different just about every day and love having option from which to choose! Anticipating what I'll want to have at my disposal while still keeping the quantity manageable is downright daunting! I normally end up selecting too much but given that I would be schlepping to several cities this trip I was determined to scale back and I have to admit, I was very pleased with what I chose! The real workhorse of this trip was my Kevyn Aucoin Essential Eye Shadow Palette Set #1. I wasn't all that thrilled with it when I first received it in the mail but I wore it nearly every day I was away and found it flattering and extremely versatile. I used it to create soft day looks for shopping, more polished looks for meetings and smokier, more dramatic eyes for going out at night. I did also bring a MAC quad with Grain, Sunday Best, French Grey and The Body Shop Conker but I found myself wearing the Kevyn Aucoin almost every day. (FYI, I just received an email that Kevyn Aucoin will be on Hautelook Monday with all items under $7! I certainly paid more for mine and am seriously considering another palette given how much I've grown to really love this one. I'd like to try the other color combinations offered). I typically wore the shimmery ivory lash to brow, the taupe next to it in the crease, and the shimmery charcoal used wet to line and smoked into the crease and outer corner with my Chanel brush #3, one of my favorites. The brush is worth every cent of the (pretty reasonable) $28.50.
Despite having packed half a dozen lipsticks, I wore Bobbi Brown Creamy Lipcolor in Baby almost every day as well. It not only works with the palette but it just always looks great on, no matter what. I never thought that I'd find a Holy Grail lipstick, but this one is very close! If the formula wasn't so thick it would be perfection as far as I'm concerned. Bobbi Brown Metallic Lipstick in Gilded Pink is supposedly very similar, which is why it's been on my wishlist for a long time now. I can't believe it, but I've almost finished Baby! Honorable mention goes to Paul and Joe 17 Bunch of Grapes which I used quite a bit as well just to break up the monotony.
For cheeks I mainly stuck with a Julie Hewett Cheekie topped with Paul and Joe Face Color in 16 Canyon. I almost always layer a powder with a cream and not only did this combination last through all day meetings in dry, recycled, conference room air, but it kept me looking alive as well! I have 3 of the Julie Hewett Cheekies in mini sample sizes which are perfect for travel and varied between (left to right) Natural, Destiny, and Jami (the lilac pot all the way to the left is the Shimmy highlighter in Pixie) depending on whether I wanted a warm, cool, or neutral look.
Finally, I always find it difficult trying to decide what makeup to wear on a flight, especially long, cross-country ones. I really have no idea if it makes a difference, but I try to wear more "natural" products when flying since I feel like it all gets sucked into your pores with that cabin air. I also opt for a simpler, "my face but better" look, which leaves less room for smudges should the unlikely scenario of my actually falling asleep arise! This time I wore Bare Escentuals Blush in Golden Gate on my cheeks, a pretty peachy pinky that I really should use more often. I also had on my usual Korres mascara, MAC Technakohl in Phtograuvre, and Origins Smileage Plus Liptint in Eco Pink. I love these guys--they're 95% organic, super-moisturizing, full of healing butters and oils, and the shades are sheer and pretty.
What are your beauty challenges when traveling? Do you have any secrets of solutions for packing or getting through a flight looking fabulous? Do you tend to over pack or do you have a set group of products you typically bring when going away? Please share!