8 Tips to Protect Your Skin While Flying

I love flying to exotic bucket-list destinations but if I’m honest, the toll it takes on my body and skin make me wonder if these long haul flights are actually worth it. Really? No. Who am I kidding? Of course it’s worth it. I love to travel and wander around new cities but… I hate that dry recycled air in airplanes. The low humidity means it’s going to dry your skin out faster leaving you feeling itchy, dehydrated and uncomfortable. Luckily I’ve managed to compile a list of things that should be done to counteract these effects, so we can arrive at our destination feeling refreshed and ready to explore.

 

  1. PREPARE YOURSELF

The night before your flight, gently exfoliate your skin and apply a moisturizing mask. The exfoliation helps clear out any dead skin cells and the mask will deeply hydrate your skin.

 

  1. PACK YOUR ESSENTIALS

Ensuring that you have the right products with you when you fly means you can apply them as often as you like. Carry with you a hand cream, face cream, hydrating mist and lip balm. Just be sure that they are packaged properly and under the allowed limit for the specific airline that you’re flying on.

 

  1. EAT HEALTHY FOODS

Foods that are high in fats, sugar, and salt will dehydrate your skin faster. Eat a healthy organic meal and take some fresh fruit as snacks on the plane.

 

  1. STAY HYDRATED

Avoid any alcohol and caffeine when on the flight and drink lots of water. This will help keep you moisturized from the inside out.

 

  1. USE LESS MAKEUP

Avoid using too much make up like foundations and powders as these may become flaky and dry your skin out even more. Apply some light make up and ensure that they are cream based and have a high moisture content.

 

  1. USE A HYDRATING MIST

Carrying a good branded hydrating mist means that you can spritz some moisture onto your face should your skin start to feel tight. Buy a good branded one and don’t use plain water as a spritz. If you do, as soon as it evaporates it will dry your skin out even more than before.

 

  1. TURN OFF THE AIR BLOWER

The air blower usually dries your skin and eyes out even more so unless you are really warm and need a gust of air, it’s a good idea to switch it off.

 

  1. USE CLEAN HANDS

Your hands are full of oils, bacteria, and germs so to avoid increasing the risk of acne and infections, put only clean hands and fingers on your face.  Carry a small pack of cleansing wipes in your bag. This way you can wipe down grimy hands or easily take off your make up should you need to.

How do you protect your skin while flying? I’d love to hear your tips!

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I'm Shalinee - a Geminian scientist who loves to travel, write, draw and eat chocolate. I've visited over twenty countries, published a Environmental Science encyclopaedia and somewhere along the way started a science communication company to help students and corporates translate that hard-to-read data generated in a lab. Other than that, I'm just searching for the magic still hidden in the world.

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