Unless you’re a Hadid, there are few things less glamorous than a long haul flight.
Between all that sleep deprivation, the moisture-sucking air, and shitty headphones, plane trips can be The Worst. And a sure-fire way to land yourself tired, pissed-off skin.
While you can’t stop that kid near you from crying, I’ve found you absolutely can stop your skin from becoming aeroplane affected.
THE MORNING OF…
You wouldn’t run a marathon without stretching first, right? No way! And flying is exactly the same. (Sorta.) Just like stretching pre-run will help to prevent injury, prepping your skin in your AM routine will seriously help to prevent Pissed-Off Plane Skin.
But before you can protect, you should know what it is about planes that ravage your skin...
Skin Ravager #1:
The higher you fly (i.e. the closer you get to the ozone layer), the more harmful the sun’s rays become, and the more susceptible to UV damage you are. Also: plane windows don’t protect you from UVA (ageing) rays. Ick.
Skin Ravager #2:
Humidity on planes usually gets down below 20%, and the combo of recycled air and cabin pressure will relentlessly zap your skin of moisture. Yikes.
Stop them by:
Thoroughly applying SPF (yknow, as you would every other day) for any AM flights to prevent UV damage. And always use a moisturiser with long-lasting hydration. This will provide a barrier from dehydration and keep your skin lush, not lizard-y when you land.
Too much work? Do less and combine those steps by using a hydrating SPF (ahem, like our very own Nifty Fifty) for morning flights. This will moisturise and defend at the same time. Genius.
ON THE FLIGHT…
Some very useful items to pop in your carry-on:
– Peanut M&Ms
– Rollerball fragrance
– Deodorant
– More M&Ms. Maybe Crispy ones.
– A pack of gum/mints
These things are never not a good idea. Use the hand cream and lip balm liberally to stop Plane Air robbing you of all moisture mid-flight, and make use of your fragrance, deodorant, M&Ms, and mints as often as needed, and definitely before landing, to keep you fresh. (The guy sitting next to you vehemently agrees.)
YOU’VE LANDED! NOW WHAT…
You made it! And you’ve obviously followed every single tip so your skin is already feeling terrific.
But should you need a quick hit of hydration or a glow-boost, grab a sheet mask. They’re designed to allow concentrated ingredients to penetrate deeply over 10 minutes, rather than just sinking in over 10 seconds, which makes the results so instant-y. Pop it on post-flight (or towards the end of a flight) to transform sad skin in a few tiny minutes.
Go for one with hyaluronic acid for supercharged hydration, or niacinamide or kakadu plum for a whole lotta glow.
Rejoice! You’ve done it! Now get out there and enjoy your holiday! That Insta Spam isn’t gonna post itself.
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