Most of us learned to clean our faces with care, protect the soft skin atop our hands, and prepare a soul-soothing bath from our mother figures. Universally so—Korean grandmas pass down strict directions for applying moisturizer, and French mamans teach the art of massaging skin to keep it tight and drain toxins.
Going on 35 years traveling the world as an international flight attendant, you will never find a better travel resource than my mum: if you’re looking for the best spaghetti in Rome or Absinthe bar in Paris, she’s got you covered. And when it comes to international beauty, we share a passion for learning the secrets straight from the source. I caught up with my mother herself, Tara d’Artois, on her way to London-Heathrow airport to get the deets on her go-to services and trusted products, quite literally, all over the world.
Find Beauty on the Inside in Tel Aviv
“My favorite stop in Tel Aviv is in the Carmel Market,” Tara says. The largest of the marketplaces in Israel’s coastal city, the Carmel market is bustling with vibrant kiosks and local craft. Savvy flight attendants know to prioritize and head straight to “the juice lady.” She makes a 16oz juice that includes “a large beet, lemon, green apple, cucumber, pomegranate, a hand full of greens, a small finger length of turmeric and a large chunk of ginger.” The pièce de résistance: she floats this with pure olive oil and tops it with fresh ground black pepper, making for a potent potion rich in anti-inflammatory properties. This will give you that Mediterranean glow for only 20 Shekels (about $6). Practical mum tip: “Don’t plan to stray too far from a comfortable washroom after that.”
Just a little further in the market, you will find a jackpot of mineral-dense skincare straight from the Dead Sea. Keep your eyes peeled for her favorite: a green and white tube of velvety Health and Beauty’s Powerful Cream Olive Oil & Honey lotion. If a trip to Tel Aviv isn’t in your future, you can snag the goods here.
“Other well-loved experiences include booking a Hammam scrubdown in Marrakech and sweating out impurities in a jjimjilbang in Seoul.”
My Big Fat Greek Beauty Haul
When she swings through Athens, Tara trades the Parthenon for another ancient treasure, a family-owned apothecary that sits just behind the Crowne Plaza Hotel called Paraskevopoulou, KL. – Emm. Krekas O.E. “You can spend hours talking health and makeup products here,” she says. Here she picks up Hyaluronic acid and favors the Pierre Fabre cosmetics: “The cream blush is my favorite for under 20 Euro,” she says.
Sao Worth The Trip
Sao Paulo, Brazil is infamous for its Brazilian waxes, but a lesser-known experience is a shiatsu massage and acupuncture by Dr. Higa. The Portuguese speaking Japanese healer and his wife run a small clinic on Avenue Paulista. If you’re feeling low on Qi, or out of whack, Higa has a remedy for that.
Other well-loved experiences include booking a Hammam scrub-down in Marrakech, sweating out impurities in a jjimjilbang (traditional bathhouse) in Seoul, and bathing outdoors in an Onsen mineral pool in Tokyo. As for Spain, Tara says, “I just buy shoes!”
