From takeoff to touchdown, keep these in flight skincare tips in mind for your next trip.
– KEYS SOULCARE
Long travel days can feel like a marathon — not a sprint — for our body, soul, and our skin.
It can also feel disruptive for our routines to change up our environment and our cherished skincare rituals, especially when you’re in a groove.
Plus, there are so many unanswered questions about how flights affect your skin, like: how do we protect ourselves from post-flight breakouts? Does the plane really dry our skin? And, how should we prep for getting skin back in balance once we land? Let’s clear the air about in-flight skincare.
Read on for some essential guidelines to help your skin stay grounded and glowing, even at 10,000 feet.
WAIT…WHAT DOES FLYING DO TO OUR SKIN?
Flying can wreak havoc on our skin and seriously dehydrate your glow! This is thanks to reduced humidity in an aircraft cabin, which is 20 to 50 percent lower than what the skin is used to. Air travel will often leave our skin in desperate need of hydration. (Opting for a mid-flight cocktail does not help the situation either!)
Salty plane food can also contribute to water retention along the lower eyes, and being cooped up on a plane can leave the body craving either rest, movement, or extra care. To minimize post-flight discomfort, stay hydrated throughout the flight and try to walk around the plane every 20 to 30 minutes.
PREPPING YOUR SKIN BEFORE A FLIGHT
As you pack, don’t forget your travel-sized skincare! Contrary to popular belief, you can bring skincare on the plane; just follow TSA’s essential rules for having liquids in your carry-on.
Keep liquids in a quart-sized, clear plastic bag, and make sure your skincare comes out to 3.4 ounces or less (or 100mL). You can either stock up on sample or travel-sized skincare, or transfer your favorite essentials to a travel-sized container.
Pre-hydrating and drinking water during flights is always helpful. Before you’re destination-bound, follow these three simple tips to help your skin feel its best on the flight:
1. USE A GENTLE CLEANSER
Before you head for the airport, give your face a gentle wash with your favorite cleanser, like the Golden Face Cleanser, which features ingredients like Manuka honey, turmeric, and chamomile. Think of this as hitting a “reset” button before takeoff — it’ll remove dirt and impurities while the comforting sage and oat milk scent soothes the mind.
2. APPLY A HYDRATING SERUM
Because of the dry air and low humidity, your skin can feel much drier during and after your flight. To combat that dry skin feeling, add in a hydrating serum on the day of your flight.
The Promise Serum With Niacinamide is a good choice, especially for oily skin types. Zinc PCA helps to control excess oil while niacinamide helps brighten and balance skin’s appearance. Simply massage 3-4 drops of the Promise Serum onto the face and neck in a gentle, circular moment. Allow the serum to absorb before moving on to your moisturizer or sunscreen step.
3. PUT ON SUNSCREEN BEFORE YOU TAKE OFF
Even at 10,000 feet, sunscreen is a must-have. If you are flying inside a vessel in the sky — especially in a window seat — you’re also closer to the sun, making your skin more susceptible to the sun’s damaging UV rays.
As you get comfortable and ready for takeoff, generously apply Protect Your Light Daily Sunscreen with SPF 30 to help with broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection, and be sure to re-apply at least every two hours.
IN FLIGHT SKINCARE TIPS TO FOLLOW
1. SPRITZ WITH FACE MIST
When you start to feel the in-flight dry skin creep in, spray on our Reviving Aura Mist with Rose of Jericho. It functions as both a face mist and a toner, and contains antioxidant-rich rosewater and glycerin to help revive and hydrate the skin.
To use, spritz generously from about six inches away, then gently pat the mist into your face and neck using your palms.
2. KEEP THE UV LIGHT OUT
Be sure to keep your shade down and don’t forget to reapply your sunscreen. Plus, airplane windows are also not engineered to block out both UVB and UBA rays, which leaves you unprotected no matter where you’re sitting. Remember, sunscreen only lasts two hours at the most.
3. DRINK LOTS OF WATER DURING YOUR FLIGHT
On a long flight, your reusable water bottle can quickly become your best friend. Staying hydrated will help you dodge uncomfortable side effects of mild dehydration like headaches or dizziness.
Consider adding in an electrolyte beverage, packing fresh fruit, or snacking on pre-sliced vegetables, which are more hydrating than other sugary airplane snacks.
4. MOISTURIZE EYES, HANDS, AND LIPS
Hand cream is also a must after washing hands, especially if you are often using harsh or alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Apply our Comforting Balm with Camellia Seed Oil to cuticles and lips prior to a big nap to help renew the look of dry skin.
Some of us experience red, irritated eyes, too — which are due to the dry climate and air inside the plane — so having eye drops on hand can keep dry, scratchy eyes and irritation at bay.
5. GET YOUR BLOOD PUMPING
For long-haul flights and red-eyes, remember to get up and walk around a little bit each hour or so to help keep your blood pumping. Some like to wear compression socks to help with circulation. Overdoing it on caffeine or alcohol can be extra dehydrating, so make sure to prioritize water intake to improve circulation while you’re mid-air.
Applying skincare products with a circular massaging motion can help to increase blood flow and help promote a healthy-looking glow post-flight. Gently glide your knuckles along your jaw and neckline, or in circular motions at your temples and eyebrows to relieve tension.
YOUR POST-FLIGHT SKINCARE RITUAL
After a long flight, you might be tired and tempted to skip your skincare ritual entirely. Instead, keep your steps simple and focus most on hydration to make up for the lack of humidity from the flight.
1. REACH FOR AN EXFOLIANT.
If skin is feeling dull post-flight, use Be Luminous Skin Exfoliating Powder with Lactic Acid to help reveal your true radiance. Formulated with kaolin, plus Hojicha powder, lactic acid, and mung beans, this exfoliating powder transforms into a creamy foam once combined with water. The formula gently buffs away dullness and helps promote touchably soft skin texture.
2. APPLY A HYDRATING FACE MASK.
Encourage a moment of stillness and relaxation with the Harmony Charcoal Face Mask. As the clarifying charcoal and hydrating Manuka honey dries down, take relaxing, full-body breaths and relax into the warm, sweet sandalwood scent for 10-20 blissful minutes.
3. FINISH WITH A NOURISHING NIGHT-TIME MOISTURIZER.
Flights can also increase oil production due to the low humidity levels. Translation? Your skin can try to overcompensate for the dryness and increase sebum production. If you have post-flight oily skin, give your skin a good cleanse, followed by a toner like our Tranquil Essence Soothing + Hydrating Toner, which helps replenish dull, dry skin.
Finish things off with a lightweight moisturizer like The Skin Transformation Cream with Bakuchiol, which hydrates, nourishes, and plumps the look of skin.
For an luxurious, spa-level treatment after your flight, pair your favorite moisturizer with the energizing and cooling Obsidian Facial Roller for a relaxing moment of facial massage.
There you have it. Return to these simple tips and give yourself an extra boost of self-care — even mid-air — on your next busy travel day.
What’s your skincare flight plan? Share your favorite tip or questions in the comments!
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