Give Your Head a Little Love, Part 2 of 3: Air Repair
January 9, 2012 by Hedonista · Leave a Comment
O.K., so part one was all about the hair; for part two, let’s move on to the face. This time of year, travel – in particular air travel – is pretty much a fact of life. What’s more, as of late travel has become more … complicated. The result: grumpy, rumpled, dried-out passengers.
But there’s another option for those who want to step off of a plane and feel salon-like with a recent facial treatment in tow.
Air Repair Skincare Kit ($34.95). Think of it as a first aid kit for your face when you travel ... serious skin care.
It’s called the Air Repair Skincare Kit ($34.95). The two recyclable bottles (Soothing Facial Cleansing Milk and Complexion Quenching Facial Mist) and three recyclable tubes (Beauty Balm, Rescue Balm, and Super-Hydrating Eye Cream) are all 2 fluid ounces or less, so they’re carry-on friendly, but still large enough to last you weeks, rather than just days. These products come in a recyclable plastic see-through zippered bag (again, TSA-friendly) with a clip for easy access and storage in one’s carry on or purse. The kit even comes with its own “how to” instructions.
Your Hedonista received a media sample of this kit a few days ago; this morning, I finally gave the kit a try. First, I used the chamomile-scented cleansing milk – it took off the night’s “crusty sleep face” and left it feeling smooth and refreshed. Next, I spritzed on a bit of the facial mist, which furthered the refreshment by adding a tingling sensation (note: it can also be used – and applied – as a toner). I followed this by stippling on the eye cream. (I happened not to sleep very much last night, so when I awoke my eyes were darker and puffier than usual; this product seemed to help reduce the effects of that lack of sleep.) Finally, I applied both the citrus-scented beauty balm facial cream and the rescue balm lip and skin salve to my lips; the former tingled (it contains hyaluronic acid, apparently to aid in moisture retention) and the latter product is yellow in hue, geranium-scented, and feels and smells more like hair product than lip and skin salve (it is recommend using this product to line the inside of your nose when flying, to keep it moist and reduce nosebleeds). That said, its effect on the lips and skin was soothing and smoothing. The entire “treatment” took less than five minutes; I left my bathroom this morning feeling as if I’d just had a spa facial (that or a double espresso shot for my face).
Then, this afternoon, I spoke with San Francisco-based Visage Studio‘s owner and Air Repair Skincare‘s founder and CEO, Denise M. Spanek. A 30-year-plus veteran of the aesthetics/TV and film celebrity make-up artist biz and a licensed aesthetician, Denise had a history of seeking out niche brands and products throughout Europe, specifically in France and the United Kingdom. Seeking to create her own proprietary brand, in 2007 she began the concept for air repair skin care, which was launched at the end of 2008/beginning of 2009.
Why air repair, which to me looks and feels like a blue and white travel first aid kit?
“I was tired of landing looking like a Shar Pei,” confessed Denise, “like I was ten years older.”
Be it a 2-hour puddle-jump or an all-night-long red eye, the stresses of environment, climate, and flight fatigue take a toll on any traveler, regardless of age or gender.
“It’s considered to be a ‘natural brand’ coupled with high-end ‘active ingredients’ but none of the ‘no-no ingredients’ like paraben, petroleum, and mineral oil,” Denise informed me.
Sounds like a balance of the best of both worlds.
This kit can be found at the air repair skincare online shop, at the two Seattle Tacoma International Airport Massage Bar locations, and at Metropolitan Market.
