I fly constantly for work, and this is my skin hydration cheat code that works every time
After taking hundreds of flights, travel writer Lydia Swinscoe shares the dehydration-busting buys that work best at 39,000 feet
Passport, check. Boarding pass check. Aeroplane skincare regime, check. This is how my packing list goes these days.
As a travel writer, I’m often found jetting around the globe for assignments, waiting hours on end in airports, and on sleepless long-haul flights without much notice. This never used to be a problem with my low-key skincare routine of wash, moisturise and go before I turned 40. But these days, as the collagen plumpness of my skin starts to lessen, paired with the desert-dry air of airline cabins, highly salted foods served on board and lack of sleep, I often land looking tired, pale and sallow, the result of severely dehydrated skin.
Luckily, as I started to play with new products and formulas, I realised there’s a cheat code to nipping my flight-wearied skin in the bud, and it involves flooding my face and body with moisture. Now, I stick with my perfected combination of products, drink as much water as I can manage and avoid alcohol at all costs when flying.
The only products that keep me hydrated and fresh when flying
RRP: £22
Ideally, boarding a flight with a cleansed, un-made-up complexion is the best way to begin a long journey, but if you’re travelling later in the day after work, meetings or catch-ups with acquaintances, chances are you’ll already be wearing some make-up.
To remedy this, I like to use jojoba oil at the airport to remove my foundation and favourite mascara before getting on the plane. I never use single-use makeup-removing wipes as they always smell strongly of alcohol and strip my skin of moisture, which is never a good thing just before a flight, regardless of how handy they are. Instead, natural jojoba oil swept across the face with a cotton pad cleanses without stripping the skin, providing the perfect base for the rest of my aeroplane skincare regime.
RRP: £11.99
I used to feel a bit self-conscious wearing pimple patches on a plane, but I see more and more people wearing them these days, and not just Gen-Zers.
With an oily T-zone and dry cheeks, I get breakouts on my chin, forehead and sometimes around my nose, so now I pop on patches before or during flights to calm redness and shrink spots before I land. The pink and yellow hydro-stars by Starface are my favourite for no other reason than I like the colours and shapes. Housed within a handy compact case along with a mirror, it’s super easy to use them on the plane without having to leave my seat. The nifty patches also stop me from picking or touching spots during long journeys.
RRP: £28
The creme de la creme of in-flight beauty, eye patches are one of my favourite elements of my aeroplane skincare regimen. Easy to use, fuss-free and nourishing, I prefer the brands that offer cooling eye patches like Rhodes Peptide Eye Prep. Enriched with peptides, amino acids and caffeine, these patches reduce puffiness and brighten the eyes almost instantly.
I’ll either pop them on under a facial sheet mask or use them around 30 minutes before getting off the plane for a quick wake-up shot that’s always much needed, especially on the red-eye flights I take often.
RRP: £28
On shorter flight routes, if you only have time for one element, a face mask is your best bet. Just like eye patches, I adore face masks simply because they’re so easy to use and feel amazing any time I use them (not only on planes).
I’m not fussy when it comes to brands, but I do like the hydrogel versions. These Cryo Rubber Moisturising Hydrogel Masks with Hyaluronic Acid by Dr.Jart+ are available to buy in a two-pack and come with a small ampule filled with serum to really quench parched skin. The rubber material lowers the skin's temperature, too, so it feels amazingly refreshing while flying.
RRP: £40
Once I remove my eye patches and face mask and the serums have sunk deep into my complexion, I like to seal it all in with an extra layer of moisture in the form of a toner mist. A toner that you can spritz like this delightful-smelling option by Grown Alchemist is ideal to use all flight long, especially whenever skin starts to feel a little tight.
The weightless mist is infused with many powerhouse ingredients like Reishi Mushroom and Ashwagandha, and it smells incredible thanks to a blend of ylang ylang, geranium and cedarwood.
RRP: £20
Most of the time, I don’t need to use lip balm, but I’ll always carry one in my carry-on luggage when I’m travelling, as the minute I step foot inside an airport, my lips become dry and horribly chapped and that only gets worse once I’m inside a plane.
Packed with shea butter, winged kelp to aid moisturisation and pomegranate flower oil that’s known for its antioxidant properties, this Superskin Superlip Balm from Liz Earle is one of the best lip balms in the business.
RRP: £29
Not forgetting my scalp, which can get incredibly uncomfortable during flights due to supremely dry air, I’ve started using this cool Matcha scalp serum. The nifty applicator bottle helps avoid spillages, meaning I can apply it directly to my dry hair while watching a movie on board. The silicone tips also ensure the product can be massaged directly into my scalp without even having to touch the product, and it feels so good, especially after being on a flight for a few too many hours. As well as squalane, the formula includes an array of nourishing oils, including rice bran oil and Japanese Camellia Seed oil, which is great for strengthening hair.
RRP: £39
The final step in my aeroplane skincare regime is always a tinted moisturiser, not only because it adds a final touch of moisture, but it also helps me look and feel fresh before disembarking.
Laura Mercier’s iconic tinted moisturiser adds a touch of colour to help revive sallow-looking skin, is available in 20 shades from silk to mahogany and adds a dewy sheen instantly. With UVB, UVA and PA protection, it also ensures my skin is protected when touching down in tropical climates.
In addition to topical beauty products, I never travel without my glass water bottle because staying hydrated is key to great skin. Plus, those tiny cups handed out on planes never cut it. And I know what you’re thinking, ‘a glass water bottle, for travel? Surely that’s just an accident waiting to happen!’ But I honestly swear by them; you just need to make sure the glass is extra thick.
RRP: £25.27
The glass water bottle I never fail to travel without was actually gifted to me while I was staying at Vivamayr, one of the world’s best health retreats, hidden beside a lake in Austria. I’ve travelled with it constantly for the past three years, and I love it, not only because it’s heavy-duty, but it means I can swerve drinking from plastic bottles, which can release microplastic particles into your body.
You can buy my exact glass bottle on Vivamayr’s website, or you can pick up very similar versions online. I incorporate drinking plenty of water into my aeroplane skincare regime simply because it’s the best base for healthy skin. But easy bathroom access is a must, so you’re going to want to stick to aisle seats.
