If your commute suddenly feels longer than your last Sephora receipt, you’re not imagining it. Dubai traffic is officially back. Sheikh Zayed Road standstills have become the city’s unofficial social club, and surviving rush hour now takes the same level of planning as a weekend brunch reservation.
While we all try to channel our inner zen through gridlock chaos, a few smart self-care hacks can make the whole ordeal feel a little more…luxurious. You might still show up on the brink of a breakdown, but at least you’ll look totally put together. Because if you’re spending half your day in the car, it might as well feel like your own personal wellness retreat.
Beat the heat
First things first: the Dubai sun is not your friend when you’re idling on Sheikh Zayed. Sure, blasting the AC helps, but a cooling facial mist is an instant saviour. A spritz of Mario Badescu’s Facial Spray with Aloe, Cucumber and Green Tea keeps your skin calm and refreshed, almost as if you’d actually slept your eight hours.
And when your steering wheel is hotter than a flat white at Alserkal, don’t forget that your hands are catching just as many rays as your face. SPF hand cream is the underrated essential we always forget about. Fenty Skin’s Hydra Vizor SPF 15 Hand Cream protects against sun damage while keeping your hands hydrated and soft – plus it smells like a tropical holiday, ideal for when you’re daydreaming in traffic.
Makeup emergency kit
Sometimes you just can’t face another hour crawling through traffic, which means impromptu plans are inevitable. Keep a mini beauty survival kit stashed in your glove compartment for those “might as well go to to dinner” moments. A trusty lip liner, blotting powder, and PHLUR’s Vanilla Skin Body Mist can take you from carpool chaos to cute in seconds.
Pro tip: skip anything that melts. Powders, balms, and glosses are your best friends in the Dubai heat (creamy products, not so much).
Hair on the go
Driving doesn’t have to be wasted time. Pop in a satin heatless curler before you leave, mist your hair lightly with water, and by the time you reach your destination, you’ll have effortless waves ready to go. Prefer something low-maintenance? Keep silk scrunchies handy for quick updos when the traffic (or humidity) gets too real.
Gadgets that don’t feel like junk
Your car can absolutely double as a mini sanctuary with the right tools. A back-massage seat insert turns any jam into spa time, while Diptyque’s car diffusers in Baies or Roses keep your cabin smelling like a five-star suite. Add a foldable sun shield, a mini clip-on fan, and your emotional-support water bottle, and you’re basically thriving in gridlock.
When all else fails? Queue up your comfort podcast or blast some early-2000s Taylor Swift and remind yourself you’ve survived worse. Dubai traffic might test your patience, but at least your glow (and your Spotify Wrapped) will thank you for it.
If there’s one way to make a commute feel like a party, its with a banger playlist. Here’s what we are listening to: Where have you been if you’ve not added these Middle Eastern artists to your playlist?