Skincare When Flying: Your In-flight Routine
We all love a good getaway, but let’s be honest, flying can do a number on our skin. Dry cabin air, recycled air conditioning, and salty airplane food can leave our skin feeling dehydrated and dull. There's nothing worse than arriving at your holiday destination with dry skin that's in need of a vacation of its own.
Long haul flights, in particular, pose significant challenges to maintaining skin hydration and health due to the extended exposure to dry, recirculated air.
But fear not, frequent flyers! Here at London Skin Company, we’ve got your in-flight skincare routine sorted for all skin types. Follow these tips to arrive at your destination with a complexion that’s as fresh as your sense of adventure:
Pre-Flight Skincare Routine
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate: Start your journey well-hydrated by drinking plenty of water in the hours leading up to your flight.
Cleanse and moisturise: Before boarding, cleanse your face to remove any makeup or impurities, and follow with a generous layer of hydrating moisturiser.
Use a hydrating serum containing hyaluronic acid for added hydration.
Skip the makeup: Try to give your skin a break, and if you must wear makeup, opt for a tinted moisturiser or BB cream for light coverage.
Apply face oil as a final step to lock in moisture.
In-Flight Essentials for Cabin Air
Hand sanitiser: Planes are breeding grounds for germs. Keep a travel-sized hand sanitiser handy and use it frequently, especially before touching your face.
Hydrating face mist to the rescue: Combat the dry cabin air with a refreshing facial mist. Spritz throughout the flight to keep your skin feeling dewy and hydrated. You might even consider bringing a couple of sheet masks along with you to use in-flight for that extra hydration factor.
Moisturiser is a must in our list of in-flight products: Apply a nourishing moisturiser to keep your skin hydrated, minimise the appearance of fine lines.
Gentle exfoliation: Use a gentle exfoliant to buff away dead skin cells and refresh tired skin during the flight.
Don’t forget your lips: Dry, chapped lips are a common in-flight woe. Keep a lip balm with SPF handy to protect and moisturise your pout.
Sensitive skin: Choose products tailored for sensitive skin to avoid irritation, such as soothing face masks and calming cleansing routines.
UV rays: Protect your skin from harmful UV rays by applying a broad-spectrum sunscreen of at least SPF 30, especially if you're occupying a window seat as this puts you closest to the sun's rays. Your skin will thank you for that extra sun protection.
Keep moving! Keep your blood circulation going by standing up and walking down the aisle as often as possible. You can also try calf exercises and stretching your legs while sitting. It helps if you've managed to secure an aisle seat with extra leg room. As well as being a top skincare tip to keep blood flow moving to the face, this can help combat other risk factors such as blood clots.
Post-Flight Revival
Gentle cleanse: Once you’ve landed, give your skin a gentle cleanse to remove any impurities and dead skin cells that may have accumulated during the flight. This helps in revealing smooth, baby-soft skin that better absorbs moisture.
Sheet mask to the rescue: Treat your skin to a hydrating sheet mask to replenish moisture and restore radiance.
Hydrate from within: Continue to drink plenty of water throughout your trip to stay hydrated and keep your skin looking its best.
With a little TLC, you can step off the plane looking and feeling refreshed, no matter how long the flight! Remember these skincare tips: use a gentle cleanser to remove dead skin cells, hydrate with a sheet mask, and drink plenty of water to maintain healthy skin post-flight.