Beauty on the fly

TL+C The Aero Travel Set. Photo / Babiche Martens

In a bygone century, back in the days when we used traveller's cheques, there was also the vanity case.

I remember it well. When my friends set off to backpack their way through their OE, I lugged a tonne-weight vanity case to London instead. It came in handy actually, like my own portable safe, complete with a combination lock, where I could secure jewellery, passport, money and more makeup and perfume than anyone in their right mind needed.

Nowadays, more rigorous policing of in-flight bag weight and restrictions on carrying liquids means the vanity case is as obsolete onboard as metal cutlery.

My carry-on clutter has been pared back but with an overflowing toilet bag invariably stuffed into my suitcase I'm not sure I always practice what I'm preaching here today. That is, the usual packing mantra of keeping it simple and taking only what you really need.

Packing for every eventuality is best left to those who can afford 12 Louis Vuitton trunks. They'd look great alongside the LV heritage trunk vanity case (yours in monogrammed leather for $6250), but unless you can book out the Orient Express baggage car with your berth you might want to give it a miss.

For everyday travellers the post-9/11 rules are part blessing, part curse. The in-flight restrictions lighten the load in the overhead lockers, but transfer some of your heavier items into your suitcase where there's the risk they'll go west when you go east.

Luckily, airline emergency care kits aren't too bad, so do try demanding one (or a voucher for replacing your essential toiletries) if it looks like you'll be without your luggage for long. It's no consolation for not having your miracle creams and eye makeup remover, but depending on the airline's policy, you could end up with a business class-type pack of goodies. The toothbrushes always feel like they've got barbed wire for bristles, but at least you can clean. Which brings me to ...

Rule number one: Always take a toothbrush in your hand luggage. Nothing will make you fresher than a post-meal brush or a quick after-flight pitstop before you front up to the friendly faces at Customs or your loved ones.

Rule number two: Resist the temptation to cover every contingency. Unless you're heading to Outer Mongolia, chances are you'll be able to find a convenience store to stock up at. A good hotel concierge should also be able to sort out pretty much everything you need.

Just leave those freebie toiletries behind when you head home though. It's no fun being weighed down by unnecessary possessions.

For your in-flight comfort and convenience, we've rounded up a few items that should come in handy wherever you're heading.

Balm: Use it to soothe your skin: everywhere from dry lips and cuticles to scaly elbows, knees and feet. Can be used as a hand cream or facial moisturiser. The rich, emollient texture will feel greasier than purpose-designed products, so you may want these in your carry-on luggage also. Elizabeth Arden's Eight Hour Cream has rightly been the standard-bearer for the category since the 1930s. A 50g tube costs $39. (Another worth seeking out in department stores and pharmacies is New Zealand-made Trilogy Everything Balm.)

Facial wipes: Travel takes a curious toll, making skin feel both dehydrated and greasy. Gentle facial wipes are an easy way to cleanse. Some even remove eye makeup, which for long-haul flights is particularly useful, being one less thing to bring on board. Wipes - as anyone who has ever carried the baby ones will know - can be diverted to clean up a multitude of messes, be it spilled coffee, grubby food stains, or for use in lieu of tissues or toilet paper. Swisspers cucumber wipes contain aloe and Vitamin E. You can find them, alongside alternatives from Nivea, Neutrogena and Johnson's in supermarkets, and all priced around the $10 mark. (L'Oreal also makes some costlier ones impregnated with skin-conditioning ingredients).

Lip conditioner: Anything from a little pottle of Blistex, to a wind-up Chapstick and a dozen alternatives in between, will do the trick to keep lips kissable. Priced around $5, these are a travel essential. If you pick something with an SPF you'll get extra mileage off the plane. My personal favourite double-duty balm is M.A.C's Tinted Lip Conditioner SPF15 - it comes in a lightweight plastic pot in a good range of colours, and is made with softening plant butters at $40 from M.A.C and Smith & Caughey. (Hissyfit makes Lip Service, a high-shine lip balm with SPF50+ in a tube, which comes clear and tinted for $29.95).

Makeup palette: An all-in-one palette means you can practically do away with carrying a makeup bag. Just snap open a little mirrored compact containing everything you need for touch-ups. This Christian Dior one is a travel exclusive from DFS, which stocks a number of little beauties from various brands. The Dior Bronze clutch costs $120.

(Elizabeth Arden's Sunlit Bronze Beauty Kit can be bought as a retail item for $69. It's another good space-saver in a smart leather-look case, containing four eyeshadows, a blush and a highlighter.)

Travel-sized containers: With carry-on liquids being restricted to 100ml, standard cosmetic containers won't fit the flight bill. So set aside for travel any trial-sized items you're given. Another option is to buy a kit of empty bottles at approved size and decant your favourite products into them. This TL+C Aero Travel Set costs $16.99 from chemists and its five containers come in their own see-through zip-up bag. (Other good kits are available in chemists and department stores. Check out QVS stands for travel-friendly items, including eye masks for under $10. Other recommended suppliers include The Body Shop, and specialty makeup shop Glamorpuss in Newmarket).

The complete kit: New to market are the Travel Originals products, five 88ml pump-top bottles packed in an approved 20cm-by-20cm plastic bag. There's various versions of the prosaic-looking kit for men and women, priced from $39.95, and containing combinations of skincare, shampoo, deodorant, and shave products. The kit covers the basics in your hand-held luggage and is easier than DIY decanting. For further information about it see traveloriginals.com.

(Evolu's tiny Travel Tower of six lovely botanical skincare items has been around a while, but it's worth noting. Developed by former international air hostess Kati Kasza, the $39 tower is truly pocket-sized. For stockists see evolu.co.nz.)

Dry shampoo: If your hair tends to greasiness or you have a floppy fringe, dry shampoo could be your new best friend. For anyone else who doesn't have time (or isn't in the right place) to wash and dry, it will also prove a handy acquaintance. Spray it on and comb through to restore your locks. Some dry shampoos I've tried have left my hair looking okay but feeling revolting - but this Batiste one does the business. It comes in two sizes, with the 50ml version being $7.99 from selected pharmacies.

Hand sanitiser: This has always struck me as something for the hygiene-obsessive, but in some countries (and cruise ships) you can never be too careful, so being able to wipe down your hands knowing the bugs are beaten is a sensible precaution. You can find sanitisers in supermarkets and chemists; the GermX bottle is the smallest I've seen at $3.60 for 44ml.

Mini hairbrush: After hours tossing and turning in an upright economy seat, you'll need a bit of grooming. The Via hairbrush is small enough to pop in a handbag and costs $12.99. For stockists Ph 0800-842-725 or have a look at viasalon.com.

Solid perfume: Don't worry about your perfume bottle breaking or leaking by switching to a solid fragrance. Sadly there aren't that many about, but they're ideal for travel. One solid perfume is Elle Intense from Yves St Laurent. The pleasing, somewhat heady floral comes in a special edition gold compact for $99. (You will also find solid perfume at Estee Lauder counters and the popular Jean Paul Gaultier Classique fragrance is being marketed for a limited time with a bonus solid perfume, giving you a bottle for home and a solid to go.)

Hydrating mister: Misters are a backstage beauty secret, used to pep up models' tired complexions before they're made up. Try the trick yourself for an in-flight boost to dehydrated skin with Dermalogica's handy little Antioxidant Hydramist ($17.50 for 50ml from Dermalogica at Westfield Albany, and selected salons, or see dermalogica.co.nz). Use after cleansing or as an anytime spritz.

(Auckland company Olive also makes a Hydrating Face Mist found in selected chemists and department stores.)

Tinted moisturiser: Keep your skin conditioned while evening out its tone with a tinted moisturiser. It's a nice onboard option for face base that isn't too obvious. Add in an SPF and you're ready to hit the ground running. The Clarins Super Restorative Tinted Moisturiser SPF20 is also a firming product suited to maturing skins. It costs $120.