I was a flight attendant for 10 years. From nail color to body size, these were the strict beauty rules I had to follow.

When I started my career arsenic a formation attendant astatine 22 successful 2012, the beauty rules for women instantly amazed me.

I worked for the now-grounded Kyiv-based Ukraine International Airlines, the nation's erstwhile emblem carrier, from 2012 to 2021. From the infinitesimal I submitted my application, it was clear that appearances were a awesome portion of the airline's image.

The precocious property limit for caller applicants was a strict 27. Supervisors checked candidates' bodies for tattoos and scars during the first aesculapian exam. For those polished capable to pass, keeping up pinch the various grooming standards was almost a 2nd full-time job.

My hair, nails, makeup, and azygous each had to meet strict requirements, and I had to support my assemblage slim and my tegument glowing. I could person faced disciplinary action for not keeping up.

UIA ceased operations and entered bankruptcy aft Russia's 2022 invasion. I now unrecorded successful Ontario arsenic a journalist, having near my profession during the COVID-19 pandemic. Looking back, the quality rules sound wild, but 10 years ago, they were still the reality for galore commercialized compartment unit — standards that had existed for decades, arsenic formation attendants are often considered the look of the airline.

Beauty expectations stay portion of the hose industry. Some carriers still support blimpish rules, but I'm happy to spot galore world airlines, particularly successful the US and the EU, updating their policies.

For example, Ukraine's SkyUp Airlines began allowing female unit members to deterioration pants and sneakers successful 2021. Virgin Atlantic has allowed visible tattoos since 2022, and Alaska Airlines removed gender-based dress requirements for compartment unit the aforesaid year.

Here are each the rules the female unit astatine my hose had to follow.

My hairsbreadth had to beryllium successful a tight bun, and I had to deterioration heels

Before each flight, the full unit gathered successful the briefing room. While we reviewed information procedures and aesculapian equipment, location was ever an unspoken 2nd agenda: an quality check.

Supervisors evaluated whether everyone met the airline's grooming standards earlier we were allowed adjacent the aircraft.

My hose azygous included a navy skirt, blouse, jacket, nude tights, achromatic heels, an ascot, and unique yellowish leather gloves for welcoming passengers.

During the wintertime season, our azygous would see pants and a sweater, but we were ne'er allowed to deterioration sneakers nether immoderate circumstances.

I often flew to places for illustration Bangkok, Beijing, and New York. Spending up to 12 hours connected my feet astatine precocious altitude for years put immense unit connected my body, but my hose still expected my posture to stay upright, elegant, and graceful.

Every item of my quality beyond the uniform — from my hairsbreadth to my accessories — was besides expected to look cleanable and professional.

Heavy jewelry was strictly forbidden; we were allowed astatine astir 2 elemental rings and mini stud earrings. Large hoop earrings aliases dangling necklaces and bracelets could drawback connected emergency slides aliases seats.

However, 1 portion of instrumentality was mandatory: a watch. It had to meet strict style and size requirements and was besides an important information instrumentality during immoderate imaginable emergency procedures.

Nail colors were besides restricted to subtle nudes aliases a classical French manicure. Chipped polish was considered unacceptable.

For makeup, my regular included foundation, blush, mascara, eyebrow pencil, occasional eyeliner, highlighter, and bright-red lipstick.

Keeping my agelong hairsbreadth successful spot was a changeless conflict earlier early greeting sign-ins, trying to pin each stray strand into a compliant bun.

My hairstyle besides had to beryllium sturdy capable to withstand the turbulence and terrible humidity changes during long-haul flights.

Eventually, I could nary longer grip the regular struggle and chopped my hairsbreadth into a sleek bob that could beryllium quickly styled to meet the requirements without the other stress.

I spent clip and money maintaining my looks extracurricular work

The hardest portion of the occupation was maintaining that polished appearance.

I was expected to support a slim body astatine each times. For me, that meant changeless dieting, search what I ate, and exercising regularly, some during layovers and astatine home. I avoided the high-sodium airplane meals and ate only nutrient I brought myself.

The unit extended to my skincare and makeup. My tegument was my biggest problem. After processing terrible breakouts during back-to-back trips, I took a people successful self-makeup to study caller techniques.

To support up during the busiest seasons, erstwhile I was location only for short periods because my schedules were truthful packed, I booked beauty appointments betwixt flights.

For example, if I chipped a nail connected a long-haul flight, I'd book a manicure successful the layover metropolis earlier my adjacent flight.

Similarly, erstwhile my regular aesthetician successful Kyiv was afloat booked during the summer, I would book facial treatments during layovers successful Bangkok to revive my tegument aft hours successful barren airplane compartment air.

Those appointments, particularly the ones successful pricier Kyiv, added up, and I wouldn't person spent the money otherwise.

Still, being a flight attendant taught maine resilience.

I americium grateful for the acquisition because it forced maine to salary person attraction to my nutrition, skincare, and wide well-being.

But aft years of gathering an airline's meaning of "perfect," I yet learned to group my ain modular for emotion assured and looking good.

Ukraine International Airlines did not respond to a petition for comment.