If you’ve ever flown, you know the feeling: it’s exhausting! Carrying your luggage around and checking it in, getting through security in time, finding the right gate, all this causes stress. As soon as you sit in your seat, the stress level is already too high. Above the clouds… your skin must endure quite a lot too. Dry air, UV light and lack of sleep are just some of the factors that add stress, especially to your skin. The dry air causes your skin to tighten, and by the time you get off the plane, your entire skincare routine is already gone.

So remember: it’s not just you, but especially your facial skin that is very sensitive to air travel. Here’s how to prepare for your next trip, because with the right planning, not only will your holiday be relaxing, but so will the flight, at least for your skin! 

The perfect skincare for travel

What will turn your flight into a wellness spa for your face? By far the most important thing when traveling by plane is: sun protection. Especially above the clouds, because that’s where your skin is exposed to harmful UV radiation. Usually, airplanes are flying at an altitude of around 10,000 meters. The sun’s radiation in this range is significantly higher than on the ground.

Of course, not every flight is immediately dangerous for the skin, but those who prefer to travel long distances and prefer to sit by the window of the plane should definitely apply sunscreen more often for the duration of the flight. That’s why you should not only pack your sunscreen in your suitcase for your stay at a lovely beach, but also carry it close to you on your journey and refresh your sun protection every two to three hours – yes, even on the plane. 

Next, UV light, dry air on the plane and little sleep dry out your skin. A moisturizing mask or gel with hyaluronic acid prevents dehydration, maintains cell protection and your natural glow. Hyaluronic acid, which also occurs naturally in our body, can store and bind a lot of water – up to six liters of water per gram of hyaluronic acid! Therefore, skincare products with hyaluronic acids are particularly suitable for your travel skincare routine and should be an important part of it.

If you even wear a cream that contains both hyaluronic acid and UV protection, you are already well equipped. However, the skin can also use some refreshment from the inside, so make sure you drink enough fluids! That’s why drinks like the popular tomato juice on the plane are a good way to replenish your water balance.

Try not to touch your face

Another incredibly important thing: keep your hands away from your face! This is something we do unconsciously. We touch the nose and mouth or rub our eyes  – but watch out, nasty bacteria are lurking everywhere. Due to limited space on the plane, we often don’t know where to put our hands, so we tend to touch our face even more often… not without consequences for the skin! Bacteria lead to ugly pimples, or worse, make us even sick. One good advice is to apply light and fresh makeup so that you are less inclined to touch your face to not ruin it.

Exhausting flight schedules and the time difference – all this confuses your biorhythm temporarily. If you don’t get enough sleep, your skin will quickly respond. It also needs regeneration. So try to get as much sleep as possible during the flight, although the seats on planes are not really comfortable and restful, but every minute of sleep and rest is a blessing for the skin.

 

True, very few people can really rest on a plane, and deep sleep is out of the question anyway. However, it is only when we sleep that our skin really has the opportunity to repair itself and to boost its cell renewal. So once you’ve reached your destination, treat your skin to some relaxing wellness. A regenerating and moisturizing mask provides valuable nourishing ingredients and sheet masks are particularly pleasant after a long flight.

These are applied to the previously cleansed face and turn the care ritual into a great pampering spa programme. Simply apply the mask to your face, press it gently on, close your eyes and rest for about 20 minutes snuggled up on the bed. Such a power nap refreshes the skin and organism.