Seven years ago I interviewed polar explorer and scientist Felicity Aston. It was an unforgettable interview (and I know for many readers too!). Last weekend, the mayor announced When I heard that New York is colder than parts of Antarctica, I immediately thought of Felicity’s wonderful story and winter skin lecture. These days, Felicity lives with her family. Vigur Islanda nature reserve and eiderdown farm just south of the Arctic Circle, where she continues her research and leads expeditions across the polar regions. We all loved this interview so much that in honor of the recent cold snap (?) we thought we’d share it again…
felicity aston Polar explorer and Antarctic scientist. In 2012, she became the first woman to ski solo across Antarctica (!) and now travels around the world leading expeditions and talking about her work in the polar regions. When not on the road, she lives with her husband and young son between Kent, England and Reykjavik, Iceland. Here, she shares what she learned about fear, her best lip balm, and the classic drugstore moisturizer she brings on every trip…
So what does a typical day look like for a modern polar explorer?
When I’m on a road trip, my day starts with waking up in a tent, in a sleeping bag, next to a stranger at first, but then quickly stops being so. Then I have an hour to get dressed, melt the snow to make breakfast, and organize my belongings for the day. Then pack your camp and supplies into the sled and move on. Then, after about 12 hours, it’s time to unpack, build a house, cook a meal, and do all the work as quickly as possible so you can sleep before starting all over again the next day. Spend time taking care of yourself, especially your feet. The feet are the most important part of the kit.
That makes sense. How do you take care of them?
It’s amazing how many people arrive with their socks on and never look at them again until the expedition is over. But it’s very important to take a good look at your feet every day to see if there are any painful spots or blisters forming, what’s happening to your nails, etc. If you wear socks, they will always be a little damp and won’t be able to heal properly. Some people spend a lot of time applying cream to their feet, but I try to set aside time to spend time outdoors every day.
To be honest, it feels a little silly to ask about your “beauty habits” while on a polar expedition. But then again, skin care has to take on a whole new meaning in that environment.
Yes, that is Really important! In the morning, I slather on the best sunscreen I can find. It doesn’t matter what brand it is, but I often use children’s sunscreen. Because it has the highest SPF and is thick on the skin (also helps protect against cold, wind, and extreme dryness). It must be remembered that in places like Antarctica, ozone protection does not exist. Since it is under a hole in the ozone layer, it will burn up quickly and violently. I always wear lip balm because my lips get damaged incredibly quickly. I like it Ravello With high SPF.
Well, your skin looks great. Let’s talk about moisturizers.
At night, I clean my face with my luxury items. wet tissue. We scrub a lot to remove excess sunscreen and runny nose, but God knows what’s left on our faces by the end of the day. It’s always a little frozen, as is everything, so it’s like having a cold compress on your face. Then I applied a generous amount of the thickest, most powerful moisturizer I could get my hands on.
What type?!
you know old fashioned nivea?Is it in a can? That’s wonderful. I paint it all over and it’s Really Moisturizes your skin throughout the night. On many road trips, I’m the only woman, or one of several, and the men often laugh when I pull out a big pot of moisturizer. But when you’re in a very dry environment like Antarctica, you’re more susceptible to cold-related injuries and serious problems with sore skin and cracked lips. Sometimes, when I convince men to try it, they dip their finger in it and dab a little on their forehead. And I said, “No, no, no, I have to take a good handful and rub it on my face until I can’t get any more.” And at the end of the trip, they came back looking like they had been soaked in a vat of acid, their skin peeling off and their lips severely swollen and cracked. And my skin is mostly fine. I feel right!
As an explorer, what specifically drew you to the polar regions?
I have participated in expeditions in desert and jungle environments and they have been very rewarding experiences. But there’s something about polar environments that draws me back. I wonder if it has something to do with the south-east of England, where I grew up. Snow was a very rare and exciting event. School was canceled and we went sledding. And this world I knew turned into a different place. Perhaps it was then that I began to equate snowy places with adventure. I think it also has something to do with the fact that these environments are on the edge of the earth. When I look at a map, my eyes always wander toward the periphery, to places I know nothing about. I’ve always had a strong curiosity about who is there. How would you feel if you were there? And suddenly you realize that the only way to answer these questions is to go out there and find out.
You’ve spent much of your career in Antarctica, a place most of us can only imagine. What did you learn about the place that you would like others to know?
People tend to think of Antarctica as a small place at the bottom of the map. But its vast size (twice the size of Australia!) has a huge impact on our daily lives. Whether it’s the temperature in New York today or the fact that it’s snowing here in Reykjavík, it can be tied to what’s happening in Antarctica.
I’m sure your hands need a lot of TLC too.
The main problem with my hands in winter, as well as during road trips, is that the skin around my nails cracks. I feel like I’m making such a fuss when I come home from a trip and expect to hear stories of terrible injuries and gore, and people say, “The skin on my finger cracked and it really hurt!” But it’s like the pain of cutting paper. The best thing is zinc oxide. There are millions of brand names, but any zinc oxide cream will do. Rub it into the skin around your fingers for great results.
This may seem obvious, but you can’t wash your hair while on a road trip, right?
No, you can’t. Stays under the hat. But when I come back from a road trip, my hair is in great condition. What about washing your hair less often? That’s true. When I travel, my hair obviously gets greasy and gross, but when I get home and wash it, it’s shiny and thick and amazing. So, even when I’m at home, I try to reduce the number of dishes I do.
I’m sure your beauty routine, and all your routines, will be very different than when you’re at home.
I spend part of my life outdoors, but at home I’m often in front of my laptop. It takes years of planning to do anything interesting. I often speak all over the world, so I often do that work (or while driving to and from the airport). And I now have an 18-month-old boy, so like most new parents, my day at home is structured around him.
What is your bedtime plan?
Actually, I am also switching to organic products. When I was pregnant, I started researching the ingredients in products and was shocked. So what I’m currently using is doctor organic For everything: shampoo, deodorant, hand cream. That alone gives me a sense of security. And I love all kinds of them, like argan oil, aloe vera, and tea tree. I am a total convert.
In 2012, you became the first woman to ski solo across Antarctica, completing a 59-day, 1,000-mile journey. Above all, it’s a long time to be alone. What was that like?
Yes, that part, being on my side, was the hardest thing I’ve ever experienced in my life. I thought of it right away. In the first seconds after the plane left me, I was struck by the weight of my loneliness and the responsibility that came with it. That was the scariest part of the expedition. People often ask me how I overcame my fear, and to be honest, I don’t think I ever did. I still found a way to keep going, but the fear was always there. I learned a lot about myself during that expedition.
like what?
Well, I’m very grateful for that experience, but I knew it wasn’t something I wanted to do again. When I don’t have people around me, all my emotions get expressed quickly and intensely. So, if you get upset, you will cry your eyes out with devastating sadness. When something irritated him, he would become enraged, throw his rod on the ground, and scream at the sky. If you were scared, you would tremble and freeze. My emotions were fluctuating so violently that I felt like I was going crazy. It taught me about myself and about people in general. The human body and brain have infinite resilience. We learn that people are able to overcome great trauma and still live fulfilling and rewarding lives. You can see people who are pushed beyond human limits, both mentally and physically, and find themselves in survival situations. The difference with my trip is that it wasn’t survival. It was my choice to be there. I learned my limits.
How was your life going back to normal?
Some things were strangely difficult, like going to the supermarket. After living in a tent with only the essentials, I was overwhelmed by the amount of options available. I was standing in the bread aisle staring at a million different breads and literally couldn’t make a decision. The energy of all those small decisions took away my strength. Social interactions were also strange. I was having normal social behavior, but it felt like the real me was actually sitting somewhere in my brain completely disconnected. It took a year for these two parts of me to come back together and feel like I truly existed again.
So did you feel like a different version of yourself?
Until I went on that expedition, I always thought I was essentially myself. I thought Felicity was specific and clear. This is who I am, this is my values, this is my reaction. But once I stepped outside, I realized that myself, my character, is the space that exists between all the people who have a huge impact on my life. When those people and outside influences were removed, suddenly my character became intangible. I felt fluid. This experience made me realize how much the people in our lives help shape us, and how essential it is to surround yourself with people who reflect the values and character you want to become. Good people for you.
Thank you very much, felicity! her book, Alone in Antarcticaappeared in 2014.
PS More women are sharing their beauty, including HBO writers and transgender advocates.
(The fifth photo is katrina jane perry. All other photos are felicity aston. )
Source: Cup of Jo – cupofjo.com
