I interviewed polar explorer and scientist Felicity Aston seven years in the past. It was an unforgettable interview (for a lot of readers, too, I do know!). Final weekend, when the mayor introduced that NYC was colder than elements of Antarctica, I instantly considered Felicity’s unimaginable tales and winter pores and skin recs. Nowadays, Felicity lives together with her household on Vigur Island, a nature reserve and eiderdown farm simply south of the Arctic Circle, the place she continues to analysis and lead expeditions throughout the polar areas. All of us liked this interview, so in honor (?) of this current chilly snap, we thought we’d share it once more…
Felicity Aston is a polar explorer and Antarctic scientist. In 2012, she turned the primary lady to ski throughout Antarctica alone (!) and now travels the world main expeditions and talking about her work within the polar areas. When she’s not on expedition, she lives between Kent, England, and Reykjavik, Iceland, together with her husband and toddler son. Right here, she shares what she’s realized about worry, the strongest lip balm, and the old-school drugstore moisturizer she brings on each journey…
So, what IS a typical day like for a modern-day polar explorer?
If I’m on an expedition, my day begins by waking up in a tent, in a sleeping bag subsequent to somebody who begins out a complete stranger however in a short time turns into not so. You then spend an hour getting dressed, melting snow for water to make breakfast, and getting your stuff sorted for the day. You then pack up your camp and provides onto a sledge, and transfer on. Then about 12 hours later, you unpack, construct your own home, make meals and do every thing as shortly as potential so you will get to sleep earlier than doing it over again the following day. You spend a while taking care of your self — your ft specifically. Your ft are crucial a part of your equipment.
That is smart. How do you maintain them?
It’s wonderful how many individuals arrive with their ft in a pair of socks and don’t see them once more till the top of the expedition. Nevertheless it’s so essential to have a superb take a look at your ft daily, to see in case you’re getting sore patches or blisters, what’s occurring along with your nails, and so forth. In the event that they’re in socks, they’re at all times going to be a bit damp, and gained’t be capable of heal correctly. Some folks spend a whole lot of time placing lotions on their ft, however I simply ensure I give them time within the open air every day.
I’ve to confess, I really feel barely ridiculous asking about your ‘magnificence routine’ on a polar expedition. However then once more, skincare should tackle a complete new that means in that atmosphere.
Yeah, it’s actually essential! Within the morning, I slap on beneficiant quantities of the very best issue sunblock that I can discover. Doesn’t matter what model, however I usually wind up utilizing youngsters’s sunblock as a result of it has the very best SPF, and it’s thicker in your pores and skin (so it additionally helps defend from the chilly, wind, and excessive dryness). You need to keep in mind, in locations like Antarctica, there isn’t a ozone safety. You’re beneath the opening within the ozone layer, so that you burn shortly and severely. I’m continually placing on lip balm since you wouldn’t consider how shortly your lips undergo. I like Labello with a excessive SPF.
Okay, your pores and skin is wonderful. Let’s speak moisturizer.
Within the night, I clear my face with my luxurious merchandise: a moist wipe. I give it a superb rub to get off all the surplus sunblock, snot, and god is aware of what else I’ve obtained on my face by the top of the day. It’s at all times a bit frozen — every thing is — so it’s like utilizing a chilly compress on my face. Then I placed on a beneficiant dollop of the thickest, strongest moisturizer I can get.
What variety?!
You recognize the old style Nivea? That is available in a tin? It’s BRILLIANT. I slather it on, and it actually moisturizes my pores and skin in a single day. On many expeditions, I’m the one lady, or one in every of just some, and the blokes are likely to giggle once I get out my massive pot of moisturizer. However while you’re in a extremely dry atmosphere like Antarctica, in case your pores and skin is sore and your lips are cracking, you’re way more vulnerable to chilly accidents and severe issues. Typically I’ll persuade the blokes to attempt some they usually’ll dip a tentative finger in and dab some on their brow — and I’m like, ‘No no no, you’ve gotta get a superb handful and rub it in till your face can take no extra.’ After which on the finish of the journey, they arrive again trying like they’ve been dipped in a vat of acid, with pores and skin peeling off and lips massively swollen and cracked — and my pores and skin’s typically all proper. I really feel vindicated!
As an explorer, what drew you to the polar areas, particularly?
I’ve been on expeditions in desert and jungle environments, they usually had been immensely rewarding experiences. However there’s one thing in regards to the polar atmosphere that retains pulling me again. I ponder if it’s one thing to do with the place I grew up, in southeast England. Snow was a really uncommon, thrilling occasion. College was canceled, we went sledding, and this world that I knew was reworked into a unique place. Maybe that’s once I began equating snowy locations with journey. I believe it’s additionally one thing to do with the truth that these environments are on the edges of the globe. a map, my eyes at all times wander towards the fringes — the locations I don’t know something about. I’ve at all times been pushed by that sturdy sense of curiosity: Who’s there? What wouldn’t it really feel wish to be there? And then you definately abruptly understand the one method to reply these questions is to go there and discover out.
You’ve spent a lot of your profession in Antarctica — a spot most of us can solely think about. What did you find out about that place that you just’d need others to know?
Individuals have a tendency to consider Antarctica as this tiny place on the underside of the map. Nevertheless it’s monumental (twice the dimensions of Australia!), and it has a huge effect on our day by day lives. Whether or not it’s the temperature in New York at this time or the truth that it’s snowing right here in Reykjavik — that may be linked again to what’s occurring in Antarctica.
I guess your arms want a whole lot of TLC, too.
The primary subject I’ve with my arms in wintertime — not simply on expedition — is that the pores and skin round my nails cracks. I really feel like such a wuss once I come again from a visit and individuals are anticipating to listen to about horrible accidents and gore, and I’m saying, ‘The pores and skin on my fingers cracked and it was actually sore!’ However, you realize, it’s like that paper-cut agony. One of the best factor is zinc oxide. There are one million totally different model names, however any zinc oxide cream will do. You rub it into the pores and skin round your fingers and it really works splendidly.
Okay, this can be tremendous apparent however I’m guessing you’ll be able to’t wash your hair on expedition, proper?
No, you’ll be able to’t. It stays beneath a hat. However you realize, once I come again from an expedition, my hair is within the GREATEST form. That complete factor about washing your hair much less steadily? It’s true. My hair clearly will get tremendous greasy and horrible once I’m on the journey, however once I do come again and wash it, it’s shiny and thick and wonderful. So, even once I’m at dwelling, I attempt to lower down on washes.
I think about your magnificence routine — and all of your routines — are very totally different while you’re at dwelling.
Whereas I spend a part of my life within the outside, I’m usually dwelling in entrance of the laptop computer. It could possibly take years of planning earlier than you get to do the thrilling stuff. I additionally do a whole lot of talking all over the world, so I’m usually engaged on that (or driving to or from the airport). And I’ve an 18-month-old little boy now, so like most new mother and father, my days at dwelling are structured round him.
What does your bedtime routine appear to be?
I’m truly making the swap to natural merchandise. Once I was pregnant, I began trying on the substances in merchandise and it freaked me out. So, now I exploit Dr. Natural for every thing: shampoo, deodorant, hand cream. It simply makes me personally really feel safer. And I really like all their varieties — argan oil, aloe vera, tea tree, and so forth. I’m a complete convert.
In 2012, you turned the primary lady to ski throughout Antarctica alone — a 59-day, 1,000-mile journey. Amongst different issues, that’s a very long time to be alone. What was that like?
Sure, that half — the being alone half — was the toughest factor I’ve skilled in my total life. It hit me instantly. These first few seconds after the airplane left me, I used to be struck by the total weight of my aloneness, and the accountability that got here with it. That was essentially the most scary a part of the expedition. Individuals usually ask how I conquered the worry — however actually, I don’t assume I did. I discovered a method to maintain going regardless of it, however the worry was at all times there. I realized quite a bit about myself throughout that expedition.
Like what?
Nicely, I realized that though I’m very grateful for the expertise, it’s not one thing I ever wish to do once more. With no different folks round, each single emotion I had could be instantly, intensely expressed. So, if I felt upset, I might be bawling my eyes out in catastrophic unhappiness. If I used to be irritated by one thing, I might be livid, throwing my poles on the bottom and shouting to the sky. If I used to be scared, I’d be shaking and petrified. My feelings swung so arduous and quick that it made me really feel as if I used to be going mad. It did educate me about myself — and about folks usually. The human physique and mind are able to infinite resilience. You see that, when folks survive big traumas, and but go on to steer fulfilling, rewarding lives. You see folks in survival conditions, going past what appears humanly potential, each mentally and bodily. The distinction with my journey was that it wasn’t survival. It was my option to be on the market. I realized my restrict.
What was it like, transitioning again to common life?
Some issues had been unusually troublesome — like going to the grocery retailer. After residing in a tent with what I wanted and nothing extra, I used to be overwhelmed by all the alternatives. I’d be standing within the bread aisle looking at one million totally different sorts of loaves and actually couldn’t decide! The power of all these tiny choices sapped my power. Social interactions had been unusual, too. Though I used to be going by the motions of normal social conduct, it felt like the actual me was truly sitting at the back of my mind someplace, completely disconnected. It took a yr earlier than these two elements of me got here again collectively as one, earlier than I felt really current once more.
So, you felt like totally different variations of your self?
Earlier than that expedition, I had at all times assumed that I used to be intrinsically me. I believed Felicity was a particular, particular factor: that is who I’m, these are my values, that is how I react. However on the market, I noticed that me, my character, is the house between all of the those who have big affect in my life. When these folks and outdoors influences had been taken away, abruptly my character didn’t have a kind anymore. I felt fluid. It made me understand simply how a lot the folks in our lives assist form who we’re — and the way completely important it’s to encompass your self with others that replicate the values and the character that you just wish to have. People who find themselves good for you.
Thanks a lot, Felicity! Her e-book, Alone in Antartica, got here out in 2014.
P.S. Extra girls share their magnificence uniforms, together with an HBO author and a transgender advocate.
(Fifth picture by Katrina Jane Perry. All different images courtesy of Felicity Aston.)
