Countries Visited (not including Turnarounds): Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Great Britain, Greece, Iceland, India, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Latvia, Libya, Lithuania, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, North Korea, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Senegal, Seychelles, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United States, Vatican City
London | Perth | Sydney | Melbourne
Seatguru - Most Comfy Seats On Any Airline
pprune.org - Pilot's rumour network
Kangaroo with a Sweet Tooth
Kronicles of Kris
The Adventures of Alle Malice
Joel's trek across Asia/Europe in a Hilux
Phil's Wine Site
I Can Has Cheezburger
The Flying Pinto
Girl on Raw
Things Bogans Like
Bobby at Up, Up and a Gay
Straight Guy in the Queer Skies
Skin by Falter
Sunday, October 24, 2010So now we move onto part two of "What's on my Dresser Table" and this is where you'll find my body products -
Aesop Geranium Leaf Shower Gel and Body Balm - This combo smells AMAZING! It was the first of the Aesop products I bought before I got totally hooked. I use the Body Balm as a hand cream and whenever I put it on I always get plenty of compliments from the other crew.
Baby Oil - So those that know me will know that I don’t really wear short skirts or shorts in Dubai, or Perth, or anywhere really. To combat dry skin on my legs, which I’ve had since my teenage years and have been unable to get rid of, I slather baby oil on them. I’ve only been doing this for the past month, but the problem was fixed in about a week and my legs are looking somewhat sexy again. Now if I can just avoid the armrest bruises I get from walking down the aisle at work...
Banta Gel Sunscreen - So if I’ve got a day at Aquaventure, or exposing my legs or arms, or need to top up my tan in Mauritius, I wear this very trusty Australian product. I hate the greasiness other sunscreens provide, and this soaks into the skin and lasts for ages. Wish they sold it in Dubai..
La Prairie Body Emulsion - Another product that’s in the OMG I CAN’T BELIEVE THE PRICE category. I use it exclusively if I have a night out clubbing or a hot date. This bottle I bought at Duty Free when I went to New York in 2007, so I’ve had it for 3 years and not run out. Smells amazing and I just feel good about myself when I wear it.
True Blue Spa Moisturising mittens - I take this with me when I have a layover at a destination where there’s not a lot to do, or where we’re not allowed to leave the hotel for safety reasons. Just fill with water, pop onto your moisturised hands and feet, and chill out for 20 min watching TV. When the mits are cold again your hands and feet are super soft and feel amazing. I bought it from Bath & Body Works in the US but the last time I went there they didn't have it so I'm really hopnig they haven't discontinued these.
Lucas Paw Paw Ointment - A lot of crew use this for their lips, but believe it or not it actually leaves mine feeling sore and irritated. (Hence why I was spruiking the Blistex in my previous post.) However if I have a mosquito bite, or a skin rash, it’s great for removing the itchiness. Also if you have a cut but no bandaid it’s great for temporarily waterproofing the blemish.
MUJI travel bottles - I thought I should mention these, even though they’re not a skin product per se – I simply cannot function without them. I buy them like crazy whenever I hit up MUJI, even though at the time I might not know what I’m filling them with. Perfect for getting the most products through in this day of heavy LAGS restrictions. 3 comments
Saturday, October 16, 2010After many requests from readers, I thought it was about time to put up here what beauty products I use. I apologise in advance for those male readers who may find the following post boring, but in our industry the men have to take care of their skin just like the women do, so you never know - you may learn a few things on here that may pique your interest.
All the products here I genuinely use, no one is paying me to endorse them (I wish!) and I’m not going to recommend a product here that I think you guys might like that I don’t use. This is what works for me, and may not work for you, so if you can I suggest you try to get samples from a department store before parting with your hard earned cash. I’m also going to split this post into face and body, just because I think it’s far too big to combine into one post.
As you can see, I own a lot of Aesop products. They’re a Melbourne company, and have branches in the US, Europe, South East Asia and Australia, but frustratingly they don’t have a place to purchase in Dubai. If I can, I buy it all in Singapore as it’s the best price, plus they’re the most generous with samples and have the best product knowledge out of all the branches.
Fabulous Face Cleanser - Very versatile, I use this with pleasure every day. Low foaming, and it doesn’t totally strip your skin, it doesn’t leave it with that tight feeling after use which I hate.
Bitter Orange Astringent Toner - I didn’t buy this – my mate Oz was using it for about a week and didn’t find it worked for him so gave me the rest of the bottle. I'm generally satisfied with this product, but nothing to overly rave about...
I use the B Triple C Facial Moisturising Gel when I’m out during the day in Dubai in the summer, or at night before going to bed. It’s good for combination skin, and it doesn’t feel heavy at all. It’s very fast-absorbing and has a honey consistency. I wouldn’t use this under make up though.
Primrose Facial Hydrating Cream - I use this as a general moisturiser, this is what I put on before my make up when I have work. I also use this occasionally as a daily moisturiser during the Dubai winter.
Clinique Gentle Exfoliator - Have been using this once a week since my Abinitio training, and I’m very happy with it. Simple and effective and does what it says on the tube.
La Prairie Cellular Revitalising Eye Gel - I have to admit I went through a bit of a La Prairie stage, but this is one of the few products that remained in my face care routine after my switch to Aesop. It's cooling, and gives a nice base for applying your eye make up under.
Creme de la Mer - I know this is super expensive, and I always wait until I’m in Duty Free before I buy one. After toning I check to see which areas are especially dry and flaky and use a small amount of this to target those areas. It’s also great if you have broken skin, from sunburn peel or acne, and you need it to heal quickly. I use this in addition to the Primrose moisturiser as a base for my work make up. Because I stretch it out and only use it for this a 30ml pot will last me 2.5 years.
I love both of these – they’re great to use mid flight over makeup, and to generally wake myself up during a Red Eye flight. I love the results of the MD Formulations Moisture Defence Anti Oxidant Spray but love the smell of the Aesop Immediate Moisture Facial Hydrosol.
Blistex Intensive Moisturiser - Probably the cheapest thing on the list, this works so well. Use it liberally during the day outside of work, and use whatever lip balm I can find if I’m about to put on my work lipstick as a base. 3 comments
Saturday, October 09, 2010So the past week and a half for me has been very hectic – first I had one of my best friends from Perth visit for two nights, and we managed to pack in a ton of stuff within the short stay that he had. Less than 24 hours after Paul left, my Dad arrived, and whilst it wasn’t a complete disaster like last time it still had its fair share of mishaps, including but not limited to...
As if things couldn’t get any worse – I operated a Hyderabad flight on Wednesday and on decent into Dubai I had trouble equalising my ears. It was strange because I hadn’t had a cold for at least 2-3 months, so I didn’t know why they’d be acting the way they did. At about 5000 feet they eventually pressurised, but afterwards I was VERY dizzy and had the most excruciating pain in my right ear. Went to the doctor who said I had Barotrauma and a bit of bleeding in the middle ear, and said I couldn’t fly for at least 3 days, but to expect the problem to clear in a few weeks. A FEW WEEKS!!! Nooooooo!
So crappiness aside, I did have a great time with both Dad and Paul, and one of the things I did with both of them was take them to the world famous Burj Al Arab. I hadn't been there before, despite living in Dubai for almost 5 years, so I was extremely excited to see what it was like and whether it lived up to the hype. The afternoon tea is the cheapest way you can gain access to this iconic building, and it's definately piqued my interest as to what the rooms are like. Will have to wait until next summer though to afford it.
The beautiful atrium, said to be the world's tallest (but isn't everything in this city?)
Only the best afternoon tea will do for my Dad.
Paul and I at the Sahn Eddar lounge.
Sandwiches and Scones. The passionfruit jam is absolutely amazing, it may even inspire me to make my own sometime!
The cappucino comes with a choice of Vahlrona chocolate or Gold dust on top, so I decided to go with the gold just to see what it was like. The cappucino didn't taste any different (Though dad was quick to quip that it tasted a lot like money...) and I kinda wished I had the chocolate dusting instead.
Now if only I can find a way to stay there on the cheap... 7 comments