- Airplane cabins can cause skin to appear dull and dehydrated due to low humidity, recycled air, and high altitude.
- Prep your skin before the flight to counteract dryness. Layer hydrating serums and moisturizers rich in calming ingredients.
- For in-flight skincare, use a lightweight moisturizer, lip balm, hand cream, and eye patches. Apply nourishing masks after reaching your destination.
Ever wondered why your skin looks like it has aged five years after a flight? Is it just the stress of travelling, or is it something about being 30,000 feet above ground that’s stealing your glow? The answer will surprise you.
Many travelers don’t realize that flying isn’t just tough on their bodies but also harsh on their skin. And if you’re jetting off to a vacation or a business meeting, the last thing you want is to arrive looking dull and dehydrated. Good thing there’s a fix for that!
This guide breaks down the science of what happens to your skin on a flight and what steps you can take to make sure you land with your glow intact. Let’s dive into it!
Why You Need an Airplane Skincare Routine
Airplane cabins are one of the least friendly places for your skin. With humidity levels often dropping below 20%, the air inside is drier than most deserts. This extreme dryness sucks the moisture right out of your skin in a process known as Transepidermal Water Loss (TEWL).
If you have oily skin, this sudden lack of moisture triggers overproduction of sebum, leading to clogged pores and breakouts. This is only exacerbated by the constant flow of recycled air, the pressure of high altitude, and being confined in a cramped space for long hours. So clearly, you need an in-flight airplane skincare regimen to protect your bright complexion in the sky!
Pre-Flight Skincare Prep
The way you treat your skin before you board matters just as much as what you do mid-flight. Following a hydration-focused skincare routine is the only way to build up your skin’s resilience against the hours of dry, recycled air. Here’s what to do!
1. Cleanse Gently
Wash your face with the Lea Black Beauty® Skin Revitalizing Daily Face Wash a few hours before travelling. This gentle cleanser removes excess oil and other impurities without stripping the skin’s natural moisture barrier. It’s also infused with soothing aloe vera and grape seed oil for protection, making it an essential part of airplane skincare.
2. Layer Hydrating Products
Once your skin is freshly cleansed, jump straight to hydrating skincare for dry skin. Start with a balancing toner that contains calming and protective ingredients like witch hazel, vitamin C, or CBD. Next, apply a lightweight serum or face oil rich in humectants to attract water and emollients to lock it in.
We recommend the Lea Black Beauty® Anti-Aging Face Serum with 250mg CBD and the Lea Black Beauty® Sudden Youth® 1000mg Nourishing Cannabis Sativa Oil. These two airplane skincare products are packed with barrier-strengthening botanicals, antioxidants, and fatty acids that create a protective layer to protect your glow throughout the flight.
Follow these up with a moisturizer, like the Lea Black Beauty® Sudden Youth® 500mg CBD Intensive Moisture Renewal Cream, to seal all the hydration!
3. Don’t Forget the Sunscreen
Airplane windows can’t fully block out UVA rays that are responsible for cell oxidation and premature aging. So, apply and reapply a high-quality broad-spectrum mineral sunscreen every 2-3 hours, even if you aren’t in the window seat. This is a must-have skincare travel essential.
In-Flight Airplane Skincare
Once you’re in the air, the focus shifts to maintaining your skin’s moisture levels. You don’t need an elaborate skincare routine for this because a few simple products used consistently add up to visible results.
1. Reapply Moisturizer
The cabin air constantly pulls moisture from your skin, so you need to reapply moisturizer every few hours. The Lea Black Beauty® CBD Daily Face Moisturizer is a lightweight, non-greasy formula that absorbs quickly and is compact enough to slip into your carry-on for quick airplane skincare. It’s enriched with powerful botanical ingredients like green tea extract, CBD, and aloe to reinforce the skin barrier and deliver long-lasting hydration.
2. Protect Your Lips
Lips are the first to show signs of dehydration at high altitudes. A nourishing lip balm, like the Lea Black Beauty® CBD Lip Balm Treatment, containing vitamin E, shea butter, and CBD, is ideal as it shields against both dryness and environmental stressors.
3. Care for Your Hands
In this post-COVID world, using a sanitizer while traveling is second nature. So naturally, your in-flight airplane skincare routine needs to protect your hands from drying out. A hand or body lotion, like the Lea Black Beauty® Natural Youth® 200mg CBD Hand & Body Lotion, with restorative ingredients like jojoba oil and kukui seed oil, is perfect for the job.
4. Hydrate Your Eyes
The fatigue of long flights is always evident around the eyes, as skin is the thinnest there. A natural eye cream or cooling hydra-gel eye patches can help counteract dryness, puffiness, and dark circles, so you look refreshed on landing. We recommend checking out Lea Black Beauty® Premium Hemp Soothing Eye Cream and Lea Black Beauty® Hyaluronic Hydra-Gel Eye Patches.
Post-Flight Recovery With Lea Black Beauty®
Your skin needs some extra TLC once you reach your destination. Begin by clearing away the build-up of oil and dirt using a gentle exfoliator, like the Lea Black Beauty® Moisturizing Skin Renewal Exfoliant. Then, follow up with a face wash. From there, lean on Lea Black Beauty®’s toners, serums, face masks, and moisturizers to restore hydration, calm irritation, and revive your glow.
Our natural skincare solutions are enriched with nourishing ingredients that help your skin bounce back quickly from the stress of travel, making them the best extension for your airplane skincare routine. Not sure which products are suitable for you? Take our skincare quiz for personalized recommendations!
