Here's what I do for my skin on a flight

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I have seen dozens of "here's what I do for my skin on a flight" tutorials and—while some of these ideas are really fun to watch—I can’t sign up for packing all those products and gadgets into a small carry-on bag. I believe the best way to care for your skin on a flight is to PREPARE it in advance. With the right habits leading up to the flight you can set your skin up to better endure the fluctuating oxygen levels, the dryness of the air, the questionable airport cuisine, and the inevitable reduction of water intake. 

We can be sure that most marathon runners do not show up to run 26 miles without first preparing for a few months. Olympic athletes do not train light all year and then hastily workout really hard on the day of their competition. Skin "performance" is no different, we have to prepare so that on the day it's going to be under the most stress it knows how to handle the environmental trauma and reduced nutrient intake.

In general I start preparing my skin about a week before my flight. Now, I care for my skin on a regular basis, so when I say prepare, what I mean is that these are the "extras" and some of the most important steps I focus on in my pre-pre-flight routine. 

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Flight Prep - These are the things I recommend doing about a week to two weeks before your scheduled flight 

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Red algae is the most slippery of all seaweeds, it has a gel like texture, making this formulation very soothing to the skin. 

Boost your fluid consumption and add ionic minerals to your water, like the Beauty Water drops  from Sakara Life (use code XOBEAUTYSHAMANS for 20% off). This helps to hydrate cells and collagen from the inside because of the abundance of minerals which are essential for proper cell metabolism and respiration. You should aim for a minimum of 2L a day, and 3L or more if you're physically active. 

Preparing your body in this way ensures you're hydrated from the inside out and prevents cells from dying off prematurely or becoming shriveled when there's a prolonged lack of oxygen (such as during a flight). 

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In the week leading up to your flight, massage your face with oil for at least 3 minutes every day (5 minutes if you can manage). We use oil on the skin for many reasons but here are what I think of as the 3P's that can help you remember why oil is so beneficial: protection, pH balance, and preventing water loss. 

Find an oil that you like for your skin. If you're oily, you'll want a thinner oil, or what is known as a "dry" oil because it absorbs quickly. Examples of this are argan oil, sunflower, or grapeseed. If your skin is combination, look for a medium bodied oil like jojoba or rosehip. And if you're on the dry side, you may want a "wet" oil, something that is thicker and won't allow any cracking of the skin. Look for avocado or hemp seed oil. Remember, you never need to keep a massage oil on your skin. A few minutes of massaging the oil in with the heat of your hands is enough for your skin to receive the moisturizing and anti-inflammatory benefits so your skin can handle future "trauma." You can remove excess oil with a warm damp cloth after you're finished massaging. I typically just use my Cleansing Beauty Oil to massage my face, it has a combination of dry, medium bodied and wet oils combined and has citrus essential oils for antibacterial support. 

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No one really wants to touch their face during a flight, right? Face yoga poses are a great way to increase circulation and improve lymphatic flow without ever needing to touch your face, not to mention, there is no tool or gadget involved, nothing to pack. You can literally sit in your seat and improve flexibility in your fascia and muscles while enjoying that movie after eating your in-flight snack (I hope it's healthy). If you feel self conscious about making silly faces, just put on a clean mask. Try this simple sequence to get started: Facial Yoga

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When we cool things, they tend to move slower and/or harden. When your body is cold, the muscles and fascia tighten, digestion slows, and blood vessels constrict, reducing the warmth and oxygen flowing to your face and skin. I always wear a scarf on a plane (even in the summer), it really helps keep my neck muscles warm, which prevents the tightening and wrinkling that would otherwise occur as the chill sets in. When it comes to drinks, I always choose room temperature water or even hot tea on the plane. By the time I'm getting off, my skin has a really warm glow. An obvious extension to this idea of skin-friendly consumption is to ditch the soda and coffee in-flight too. I guarantee it’s not the best quality coffee and is dehydrating your skin with each sip. The added sugar in soda does a number of bad things in the body but as it pertains to the skin, excess sugar leads to the breakdown of collagen, read more about the glycation process in this other article I wrote here: 

If there is one product I have in my bag on a flight, it's a hydrating mist. Sometimes it's nice to FEEL refreshed after or during a flight, and for that I use Mermaid Face. It's a solution of seawater, white tea, and plankton algae so it immediately soothes the skin and re-ups my glow. It smells amazing too so it completely uplifts my energy. It can be sprayed over sunscreen, makeup, or on bare skin. It's one of my favorite products for all skin types and especially great for adding a quick and easy boost of hydration anytime you need it (not just in flight). 

So there you have it, my "here's what I do for my skin on a flight" tutorial. I'm not saying to not bring a suitcase full of products and tools for your inflight experience, if you love doing that then don't stop what you're doing. Just know there are ways for you to prepare in advance so you can fully relax and enjoy your flight, confident that your skin is going to look great when you touch down. Like anything in life, the more prepared you are the easier things will be. 

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For travel friendly skincare, I recommend checking out our Travel Bundles which are all fly-friendly and compact. You can see our bundle options here: Travel Bundles 

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And for a bit of extra fun, here are some of my personal non-skincare travel tips: 

 

• Check the seat assignment the night before. If there are open middle seats, change your seat to be next to those to increase your chance of having an empty seat next to you the next day!
• Place your shoes on the security conveyor belt first. That way when your luggage comes through, you can already have them on before your last bag makes it through.
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• Use the first stall in the terminal bathroom, it is often the stall least used.
• If you suspect the gate agent will make you check your bag, consolidate everything into 2 carry-ons, fit your food and drinks into your bags somehow so you appear “lighter”. When you walk up to scan your boarding pass, have your roller bag behind you and SMILE at the gate agent and say hello. They won’t even notice your large carry-on bag.
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• Always pack: headphones with the appropriate jack for an airplane and an orange with a napkin (loads of vitamin C and the citrus oil naturally cleans your hands).
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• When in flight, use the bathroom 45 minutes before landing.
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• If you still need to use the bathroom after deplaning, never use the first one you see. There will always be a line. Walk to baggage claim/ground transport - those bathrooms are never busy.
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• Always thank your pilots. Even though it’s their job, they got you there safely. Plus its beautiful to show gratitude.