Hitting the tarmac with breakouts and tired, dull, dry skin is less than ideal ahead of a jet-setting holiday or an important work trip.
Taking care of your skin while flying is no easy feat, with harsh air conditioning pulling the moisture out of your cheeks and the circulation of bacteria threatening to tarnish your skin barrier.
However, while difficult, it is not impossible. While up in the air, you have plenty of time to implement a small skincare routine that can help protect your face from the toll flying takes on your body.
I personally struggle with post-flight blemishes and so, went on a mission for myself and HELLO! readers to seek expert advice on how we can all take better care of our skin while travelling above the clouds.
Why your skin acts up while flying
Taking to the skies has a grave impact on your skin, but for most of us, the reason why flying creates havoc is pretty unknown.
Road trips or train journeys don’t seem to be as detrimental, so what is it about getting on an aeroplane that makes our skin struggle as much as it does?
There are a few reasons why flying can wreck your skin, but it is mostly due to the extremely low humidity inside the cabin that causes moisture to evaporate and your face to become uncomfortably dry.
Typically, most aircraft cabins have humidity levels that sit below 20 per cent. This creates an environment that is drier than some deserts and leaves skin feeling tight and flaky.
If you are someone who suffers from oily skin, the dryness in the air can trigger your skin to start overproducing oil to compensate for the lack of moisture, resulting in breakouts and clogged pores.
Elsewhere, the reduced oxygen levels and pressure changes on a flight mean that less oxygen is circulated to your skin, causing it to appear dull and tired.
Stress and an early morning departure time can also contribute to washed-out skin as your body battles being awake at a frighteningly early hour of the morning or an equally late time at night.
© Getty ImagesMake sure your products adhere to the airline’s guidelines
Pre-flight – cleanse, hydrate, and ditch the makeup
Before you even get on the plane, there are some things you can do to prep your skin for the journey ahead.
This includes cleansing and applying a heavy moisturiser before leaving the house and heading to the airport, and leaving your face makeup-free.
Dermatologist Dr Anna Andrienko told HELLO!: “I always tell patients to treat a flight the way they’d treat a nighttime routine.
“Start with a gentle, non-stripping cleanser, then apply a humectant serum containing hyaluronic acid or glycerin, followed by a ceramide-rich moisturiser to lock that water in. Avoid wearing makeup, which can mix with bacteria and sweat during a flight and increase congestion.
“At Dr Ducu Clinics, we remind frequent travellers that good pre-flight skin prep is more effective than anything you do in the air because it stabilises the barrier before it’s exposed to extreme dryness.”
Travel grooming expert Abel Disla added: “The night before you fly matters more than the hour before boarding. Do a gentle cleanse, light exfoliation, then a hydrating, non-greasy moisturiser on face and scalp. Think ‘well-sealed skin’, not ‘glazed doughnut’.”
During the flight – mist, moisturise, and protect
Once in the air, you’ll be left to your own devices, so the products you pack are vital if you are interested in maintaining your skin as you soar above the clouds.
Melanie Brownlow, founder of St. Moriz tan, highlighted the importance of SPF when sitting in a window seat. She said: “It has been said that sitting in a window seat with the blind up during a flight for an hour has the equivalent UVA radiation as twenty minutes on a tanning bed, so missing this step is a no-go.
“If you can, try to stick to an oil-free sunscreen as oil-based products can interfere with the self-tanning process. Avoiding this will help you achieve an airbrushed, streak-free finish.”
She also suggested: “Once your SPF has had time to settle on the skin, it’s important to keep the hydration up – especially if you’re on a long-haul flight.
“The best way to do this is by using a light face spritz. Spritz your face with a water-based facial mist every 30-40 minutes to prevent any dryness from occurring. Just make sure it’s under 100ml so you can bring it into your cabin bag!”
Dr Anna warned against the dangers of over-hydrating your face, to ensure excess product doesn’t clog your pores.
She said: “On board, focus on maintaining hydration, not over-treating. A hydrating mist with thermal water or hyaluronic acid adds surface moisture, and topping up your moisturiser every few hours helps prevent barrier disruption.
“Avoid applying active ingredients such as retinol, AHAs or BHAs mid-flight. In such low humidity, these can easily lead to irritation.
“Don’t forget lips and hands. They lose moisture fastest due to the thinness of their skin and constant washing on planes.”
© Getty ImagesThe low humidity in the cabin is what causes extreme dryness
Post-flight – cleanse again, apply serum, calm your skin
The work doesn’t stop once you have descended the plane’s steps. What you do for your skin once you have reached your destination is just as important as all the other steps.
Abel recommended: “As soon as you get to your hotel, treat it like a mini reset: cleanse off cabin grime, use a calming serum with niacinamide or centella, then a simple moisturiser. No new activities on landing day, your skin is already stressed.”
What to pack in your carry-on
Something to note before you zip up your cabin bag is the liquid restrictions enforced by the airline and the airport.
There’s no point in bringing all your best products along with you if they are only going to get taken off you while passing through security before you reach departures.
Dr Anna put together a list of things suitable for your carry-on that could save your skin from take-off to landing.
She reminded flyers that “all products must be under 100ml” (though some modern scanners now allow more, it’s best not to risk it!), and suggested this order of application:
- A gentle micellar cleanser
- Hydrating serum (hyaluronic acid, glycerin or panthenol)
- Ceramide or peptide moisturiser
- SPF 30+
- Lip balm
- Hand cream
- A simple hydrating mist
“If you fly regularly, keep a pre-packed travel skin kit. Many of our patients do this, so they aren’t tempted to use overly strong products on board,” the expert added.
Mistakes to avoid
When it comes to caring for your skin, there are tons of recommendations and overly hyped products out there that could be making things worse, not better.
Before you take to the skies, make sure you avoid these mistakes so that you land glowing and not glowering at a usually overpriced skincare hack that has caused a breakout on your face.
Dr Anna urged people to avoid sheet masks. “They seem luxurious, but in the dry cabin air, they actually pull moisture out of your skin as the sheet starts to dry,” she said. “Sheet masks only work in humid environments where evaporation is minimal.”
She also advised that any alcohol-based products be left at home as “these increase dryness and undermine the skin barrier – exactly what you’re trying to protect”.
Her final tip was to skip using creams that have too many active ingredients: “The plane is not the place for retinoids, acids or strong vitamin C serums. Save those for home, where humidity is normal”.
