9 long-haul beauty saviours | International Traveller

It’s arid, confined, and full of souls resigned to their fate – just trying to survive the best way they can. No, it’s not a desert frontier, it’s the long-haul flight. In this beauty destroying environment, what hope do we have for arriving fresh at our destination? Despair not, traveller, we’ve rounded up the essentials needed to make it from gate to baggage carousel without terrifying others by your sallow appearance.

1. Summon silence

Guy next to you snoring? Baby losing it? Woman laughing at the in-flight movie as if she’s in her own living room? Yep, there’s no time when you’ll be more thankful for noise-cancelling headphones than on a long-haul flight. We suggest you invest – we guarantee no regrets four hours in at 42,000ft.

Go for: Bose QuietComfort 25 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones, $299.

2. Pack it in

Digging around in the overhead compartment because you need your lip balm, moisturiser, socks… the worst. Keep your flight essentials in a little pouch that fits into the seat pocket. Of course, it should also be a stylish little number you can pop into your handbag while you’re travelling.

Go for: Hunt Cosmetic case, $165.

3. Refresh

You can’t go into the miniscule cubicle and just wash your face to freshen up mid-flight. And we certainly recommend spending as little time as possible in there; the longer you’re airborne, the worse it gets. Our solution is a face elixir for a little refreshing spritz.

Go for: Caudalie Beauty Elixir, $76.

4. Clean makes for serene

If you’re the type who can’t go to bed without brushing your teeth, then snatching a few hours of contorted, awkward sleep isn’t going to happen without a little dental care. There’s a reason they give you toothpaste in the business class packs; it makes you feel like a real human. Better still, pack body wipes that can give you that ‘just showered’ feeling, even if you haven’t just come from the deluxe bathroom of the Etihad Residence.

Go for: Aesop Toothpaste Dentifrice, $17 and Yuni Beauty Shower Sheets, $20

5. Make scents

If you have a stopover or are disembarking, make your best effort not to smell as though you’ve been sealed in a tube with 200 other humans for 12 hours. Only you might notice you smell pretty, but that’s enough. Don’t carry around your signature scent in a bottle, instead, choose a travel friendly roll-on.

Go for: Malin+Goetz Petitgrain Perfume Oil, $72.

6. Avoid the cracks

Lips. They’re the first victim of the moisture-sucking cabin. The only way to disembark without looking like you’ve been lost in the desert for three weeks is to lather and slather on the lip balm.

Go for: Salt by Hendrix Lip Butter, $12.95 or Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask, $40

7. Arrive looking like a celeb

Even if you can’t afford the price of a small car to fly from one end of the earth to another in first class, there are still things you can do to look fresh at the other end. One thing you have plenty of on a long-haul is time, so make use of that and make efforts to negate some of the effects of the past few hours. Yep, you might look slightly odd kicking back in 26A with an eye mask on, but you’ll be the freshest in the immigration line. Dab on a little beauty serum to give yourself a fresh, dewy visage.

Go for: Blaq Hydrogel Eye Mask, $29 and Edible Beauty Exotic Goddess Serum, $72.

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8. Maintain the mane

It’s all too tempting on a long-haul flight to let air-hair take over. But we don’t need to subject ourselves or anyone else to such disasters. Add a mini brush to your case and you can keep it in control up there and for a bit of freshness, a travel-size dry shampoo is your friend. Fighting the no-sleep frizz but don’t want to weigh down your hair? Opt for no-oil oil, to ensure your mane is smooth and behaving as you touch down.

Go for: 3 More Inches The No.1 Brush, $35 and Klorane Oat Milk Dry Shampoo, $6 and Percy & Reed Smoothed, Sealed and Sensational No Oil Oil, $14

9. Flying’s still glamorous, after all

At the other end, stand out from the bedraggled bunch at the baggage carousel and let others marvel at how you look so immaculate after 12 hours of near-torture. If you’ve followed our preceding beauty advice, you’re halfway there; all you need now is a slick of lippie as the final stroke of the illusion. You may feel like your insides have been pulverised, but at least you can look somewhat together.

Go for: bareMinerals Gen Nude Radiant Lipstick, $28.

Need more tips for long-haul flights? Check out:

– You CAN survive a long-haul flight with a baby – here’s how

– How to survive a long-haul flight stopover with kids

– Long-haul flights with Orlando Bloom

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.

9 long-haul beauty saviours to see you through any flight