How to keep your R&R from killing you
If your summer was anything like mine, you are exhausted. For most Americans, summer is jampacked with parties, outdoor activities, and, of course, travel. The problem is, with a schedule that busy, how is one supposed to keep from looking exhausted? Especially when on the road? Here's some tips for you boys and girls to always feel refreshed and appear "camera-ready" when traveling:
SkinYour face is the #1 key to appearing refreshed. Here's some things I never board a plane without:
Tinted moisturizer: Flying dries out the skin, so always carry a facial moisturizer with a high SPF for sun-filled days. For ladies, a moisturizer with a slight tint (Clinique makes a great one!) is a great way to get moisture, sun protection, and light blemish coverage.
The only thing worth looking up to J. Lo for: Pale is a no-no. Make-up? Even worse. No, on vacation, you need to wake-up looking gorgeous (or at least not totally heinous), and stay looking that way, from the time you take your first nap on the flight over to the cab ride home. How? Tanned skin. "Isn't that what I'm going on vacation to get?" you say. Sure, but only to get a better tan, I say. Always start your trip with a great fake one. "Mystic Tan" is a tanning spray booth that can give you that in less than 5 minutes—no harmful rays, no tanning lotion streaks. It only lasts 3-4 days, so bring a sunless tanning lotion with you (St. Tropez is the celebrities' fave) so you can keep the look up should you not be able to catch some real rays while vacating. And, if you have zero time to deal with the lotions, bring a bronzing powder with you as the next best option for facial color. Which also leads me to a…
Rose-colored you: Real tans aren't all brown—a naturally sun-given glow usually includes some rosy cheeks, pink nose, and maybe even flushed lips. This is a hard look for men to fake, but, ladies, you can take a travel-sized bottle of Lorac's Sheer Wash for a pinkish look that is the most long-lasting I have ever found—anywhere you put it. Even if you're not tan, use this! The walking dead are pale; the refreshed and healthy have color on their face.
Bag the bags: With puffy under-eye bags since I was born, I've tried all the bag-ridding secrets in the book, from Preparation H under the eyes to frozen spoons on the eyelids. My favorite puffy-fighter, however, is Origins' "No Puffery". Nothing's better for erasing signs of that martini-fueled all-nighter in time for your 9 am business meeting. It's only $20 and lasts well over a year. So worth it.
Body I know you don't love your body, but the point of vacation is to leave your worries behind, right? Apply that to your body self-image, as well. And give your body the TLC and boost it needs with a few well-planned tips:
Lumps and Bumps: Forget quick-fix pre-trip dieting to look great in your bathing suit. If your figure isn't already in shape from a healthy lifestyle, then hit the gym a little more before your vacation, but don't jump on a diet fad or starve yourself—it's just not healthy. Whatever your figure by pool time, wear your suit with confidence! Attitude is infectious, and if you think you look good, chances are, everyone else will, too. Try it.
Candles Not Necessary: Male or female, make waxing a top priority before your vacation. In America, we like to see hair-free bodies: Backs, chests, legs, armpits, bikini lines. If you're going somewhere warm, chances are, your shirt or pants are going to come off at some point, perhaps unexpectedly, and when they do, you don't want any unattractive hair or stubble showing. Who wants to worry about shaving all those areas every day when the beach is calling? You're on vacation! So, while you're still wearing pants and jackets, let your hair grow a couple weeks, then spend the $30 or so, and get yourself waxed for your trip. Men, don't be scared—ask your girlfriends' advice on this, and they'll not only admire you for the decision, but may even drive you to their salon to help!
Polish Your Rough Edges: Your travel companion is probably going to see your feet at some point, so make sure your toes are ready. Sephora sells tiny travel bottles of nail polish. Pick a favorite color that's both hip and subtle, and pack it in your toiletry bag for sandal-ready touch-ups. My personal favorite is silver—it goes with anything, and chips seem to show far less than any color. Guys, go for a black or dark blue. Trust me, it's cooler than your gnarly, yellowed toe claws.
Treading Where the Treadmill Can't: When you're tired, the last thing you often want to do is work out, but exercise can give you more daily energy than 10 hours of sleep can. So, make a point of fitting exercise in, even when you're on vacation. I'm not talking an hour at the hotel gym. You can do that at home. Instead, choose activities that are outdoors and help you further explore the area. Take a run along the beach. Go hiking. Biking. Roller blading. Swimming. Check the local community center to see if they offer yoga in the park. Or try anything else that involves physical activity unique to your temporary locale, even if it's something you've never tried: snow or water skiing, kayaking, beach volleyball, rock climbing, river rafting…guided activities, team sports, lessons, or solo ventures. Mix it up, and keep that energy up! Speaking of…
Energy Physical activity goes a long way to help your energy level, but if you're not taking care of yourself in other ways, you can still end up fighting real exhaustion on your trip, and that's hard to hide. As tempting as those daiquiris are, watch the overall liquor intake during your vacation (who wants to spend a whole day of a precious trip hungover?!), and add some dietary supplements to keep up.
Supplements: When I would spend weeks at a time on the road at film festivals, getting 3 hours of sleep a night, shaking hands with sick-verging business colleagues day after day, I developed my own supplement supply box to get me through the party scene, illness-free:
- Vitamin C, Vitamin C, Vitamin C--1000 mg a day. There's nothing better to keep the germs away.
- B-complex vitamin—Helps your muscles repair themselves.
- Milk Thistle—Helps liver function after one too many cold beers.
- Ginseng—Natural energy-booster
- Green Tea—Better for you than caffeine, without the caffeine crash.
- Airborne—Potent over-the-counter illness-fighter, ideal for those who spend lots of time on planes (where there's limited air circulation). If you find yourself overseas, pick up some Berocca (not sold in States)—it's even better than Airborne, and knocks a cold or hangover out of you likethat.
Diet: Vacations are about indulgence. Dietary indulgence especially. But, wherever possible, cut out the crap. I mean it. If you're in the middle of China, can't read a single menu and are CRAVING a burger when you suddenly spy the salvation of some Golden Arches, by all means, indulge. And if those chocolate profiteroles are the specialty of the region, don't let me stop you. But, please, try to make some healthy food choices every day while you're on vacation—have some fruit, have a vegetable or two (steamed, not fried), and don't let the momentary pleasure of a meal sway you from your normal food lifestyle choices. I know you're on vacation, but too much sugar, pasta, and processed crap will only bring your overall energy level down, and who wants that when there's so much to see and do?
Rest I am the worst when it comes to rest on a trip—"Sleep when I'm home," I say, not wanting to waste precious time on my trip in a dark coma. But, I've learned, rest is as vital to maximizing trip time as is physical activity.
Zzzzzzz is Not Just the Last Letter in the Alphabet—Try to sleep 6 hours a night on a trip. If you're going somewhere where there's absolutely nothing to do but lie on the beach, then, by all means, sleep away. But if you're going to be out seeing and doing, try to not stay out ALL night, unless you can sleep on a bus or train the next day (although doing so will mean missing potentially beautiful landscape passing by your moving window). If you expect to be sleeping near other people or noise, bring ear plugs and an eyemask with you.
A Little Help from Your "Friends"—I can sleep anywhere, but I know some people cannot. If you're heading overseas, sleeping on the plane is vital to surviving jet lag when you land. If you're facing insomnia, bring a sleep aide with you. I recommend melatonin (2-5 mg, or as directed on box) taken at the time of midnight in the country you'll be in, starting with the flight over. The Europeans prefer donormyl, which can be found over the counter in the States in Unisom. Resistance to donormyl builds quickly, however, so only use this on occasion, for short trips. And, if you still don't think those aides will be enough, get a prescription for Ambien from your doctor before you leave. It's non-addictive, and only lasts about 6 hours, so you won't be groggy if you didn't get a big night's sleep. But, if it's a really short trip, forget the sleep aides all together. I know of one Hollywood agent who took some Ambien for the quick flight from Paris to Cannes, and far from hitting the ground running when he landed at the Cannes Film Festival, had to be wheeled off the plane in a wheelchair because he could not be fully woken from the powerful drug. Woo. Hoo.
Sleeping Beauty Didn't Wear a Gown for Nothin'—Climate and comfort level of where you will be sleeping on your trip can be so unpredictable. So, bring something to sleep in that will make you feel comfortable, no matter where you are. Silk pajamas, for example—sexy and lightweight. Plus a non-bulky sweater or sweatshirt, just in case there aren't enough blankets.
Fail-Safe Camouflage If all else fails, and you haven't slept or bathed in days, you can still fake looking good with some super quick-fix accessories.
Not Just for Stoners—Get a travel-size bottle of eyedrops to clear up those red, dilated eyes in a jif. If you've been sleeping in your contacts, eyedrops will further help pry the lenses off your eyeball when it comes time to finally remove them.
Pretend You're Famous—Spend $12 before your trip on a super hip pair of sunglasses that wrap around your face. They'll hide all evidence of late nights, and even add an element of glam if you continue to wear them indoors. Glam, or cheese. Depends on the person.
Get a Whif of You—The smell of perspiration, tanning lotion, liquor, and cigarettes is far from pleasant if you're walking off the plane to meet a spouse or business colleague, so tuck one of those tiny sample tubes of perfume or cologne from department stores into your bag to quickly cover such odors. Try to steer clear of the really strong scents, as they'll only add to the toxic mishmash ebbing from your body. A nice floral will still mask the night before, but also seemingly bring the smell of your far-off vacation locale with you.
Follow these tips, and you'll not only look fabulous on your trip, you may even return really feeling refreshed. And isn't that what vacation is for? Keeping up with your workload at home (please ignore the delay in posting this article)—that's a whole 'nother story.
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