I personally love being on a plane & travelling but my skin absolutely hates it. Here I share my routine for mid/long haul flights to mitigate the damage.
Firstly, why does your skin hate airplanes?
The cabin air is very dehydrating for your skin due to the low humidity levels, which can leave you looking a bit lacklustre and not so fresh. Also any form of public transport is not very hygienic - at least not in economy class!
What do I take on my carry-on?
I know this bit is a bit tricky with all the rules & regulations - you have a tiny plastic bag and can't have any containers over 100mL. This means you have to be quite savvy with what you take, and opt for mini versions - here I love to use testers.
o Mini micellar water + round cotton pads - this is a much better option than face wipes
o Mini moisturiser
o Mini SPF
o Neutralising gel (from Dr Sam's)
o Toothpaste - I have to brush my teeth when flying
o Mini perfume (optional - but does make me feel more alive)
The Routine(s):
There is no "one size fits all" with this one, as it is totally dependant on how long your flight is & when it leaves (AM or PM flight). Below are just some guidelines, but in all cases I avoid makeup and got for a tinted SPF.
NIGHT FLIGHT
I will do my evening skincare routine as normal, board the flight and try to get some sleep ASAP (sleep heals the skin)!
Then when I wake, I will go to the bathroom, brush my teeth, use micellar water all over my face, neutralising gel on my T-zone, moisturise, then if it is day time where I arrive I will use SPF
DAY FLIGHT
Skincare routine as normal in the morning – cleanse, treatment if needed, moisturise, SPF
Then after 5 or 6 hours of flying, I will micellar my face, and apply neutralising gel on my nose to control shine then moisturiser & SPF if it is daytime.
Food & Drink?
Avoid alcohol & caffeine on flights (hard I know). They're both diuretics & cause dehydration, so with the low humidity level on board you're exacerbating this skin dehydration issue. If you can't resist try and keep the booze/caffeine to a minimum and make sure you're drinking plenty of water in-between!
That's it! I hope you enjoyed this post - let me know if you implement anything for your trips away.
Lots of love,
Madeleine xoxo