In-flight skincare routine. What happens to your skin during a flight.
Flying may get you to your destination, but it can wreak havoc on your skin. From dehydration to inflammation, the unique environmental stressors of air travel can leave skin feeling dry, reactive, and unbalanced. Here's what really happens to your skin mid-flight—and why your skincare routine needs to adjust at 30,000 feet.
1. Dehydration: The Number One Skin Stressor in the Sky
One of the biggest challenges for your skin during a flight is low cabin humidity, which typically ranges between 10–20%—and can drop as low as 5% on long-haul journeys. By comparison, skin functions best in humidity levels of 40–60%.
In this dry environment, moisture is rapidly pulled from the outermost layers of your skin. Over time, the skin draws hydration from deeper layers to compensate, leading to trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and deeper dehydration. This leaves skin feeling tight, dry, and uncomfortable, and can also weaken your skin barrier, making it more prone to sensitivity and irritation.
2. Collagen Breakdown and Oxidative Stress
The drying effects of flight don’t just impact hydration, they can also accelerate premature ageing. As hydration depletes, the fibroblast cells responsible for producing collagen and elastin become less efficient. At the same time, flying increases your exposure to free radicals and oxidative stress, which contributes to the breakdown of collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid. These very components provide the scaffolding to the skin, keeping it firm, smooth, and plump.
3. Inflammation and Increased Sensitivity
The significant drop in humidity can leave even the most balanced skin stressed and inflamed. As your skin struggles to maintain moisture levels, it may become red, irritated, and more reactive, especially if you already experience dryness or sensitivity. This stress response can also lead to an increase in inflammation, resulting in a dull, fatigued, or blotchy appearance mid- or post-flight.
4. Breakouts and Congestion
Air travel can also trigger breakouts, and for multiple reasons. As the skin becomes dehydrated, it may overproduce oil to compensate, leading to clogged pores. Combine that with increased contact with bacteria (from seat belts, tray tables, or touching your face), reduced water intake, and often a higher intake of sugar and salt, and your skin can become more congested.
Wearing makeup during a long-haul flight can also trap sweat, oil, and environmental pollutants, further increasing the risk of breakouts. And for those who find flying stressful, a spike in cortisol (the stress hormone) can also stimulate oil production, exacerbating congestion and inflammation.
Skin Expert’s Ultimate Guide to In-Flight Skincare
Now that you know how flying affects your skin, here’s your step-by-step plan to prevent dryness, dullness, and post-flight flare-ups.
Long-Haul Flights: Why Travelling Makeup-Free Is Best for Your Skin
If you can, opt to travel makeup-free, especially on long-haul flights. This gives you the flexibility to respond to your skin’s needs as the cabin air begins to dehydrate and stress the skin. For short flights (under two hours), a rich, nourishing skincare routine before and after flying is often enough. But for anything longer, it’s important to keep your routine adaptable mid-flight, and that’s much easier to do without makeup sitting on your skin.
That said, if you don’t feel comfortable travelling bare-faced (we get it!), a smart workaround is to bring a travel-size micellar water and some cotton pads in your hand luggage. It’s a quick and easy way to cleanse once onboard, especially when paired with hand sanitiser, since micellar water doesn’t require rinsing. It also makes freshening up before landing effortless, giving you the option to reapply makeup onto clean, hydrated skin.
Don’t Skip SPF When You Fly
Research shows that pilots flying for just 56 minutes at 30,000 feet were exposed to the same amount of UVA radiation as a 20-minute session in a tanning bed. While airplane windows do filter some UV rays, they don't block them completely. UVA light still penetrates through, and at high altitudes, UV exposure is even more intense.
That’s why applying a broad-spectrum SPF before you board is a must. Make it part of your pre-flight skincare routine, and reapplication is important too, especially if you're sitting by the window. Personally, I always take the aisle seat and keep my SPF on until the blinds are down and cabin lights are off. Only then do I switch into full skincare mode.
Your Skin Needs a Drink, Too
One of the biggest skincare challenges during a flight is keeping your skin hydrated. Airplane cabins have extremely low humidity, often drier than the Sahara Desert, which means your skin loses moisture quickly. To combat this, I recommend applying a hydrating sleep mask during the flight. Sleep creams and masks are specifically designed to support the skin when water loss is at its peak (like during the night, or on a long-haul flight). Opt for a clear gel-based formula, and no one will even notice. Your skin will simply drink it up.
If a mask feels like too much, a high-performing hydrating serum is your next best option, especially one containing humectants like glycerin or hyaluronic acid to draw in moisture, plus barrier-supporting ingredients like ceramides to lock it in. Not only will this help limit transepidermal water loss, but it’ll also deliver immediate comfort and keep your skin feeling fresh throughout your journey.
Skip the Sheet Masks
As tempting as they are, sheet masks are not the best option for in-flight skincare. Cabin air is notoriously dry, with humidity levels significantly lower than your skin is used to, causing sheet masks to dry out quickly, often within just 5 minutes. Once they dry, they can begin pulling moisture out of your skin rather than delivering it.I put this to the test on a long-haul flight, comparing a traditional sheet mask with a hydrating gel mask. The results were telling: while the sheet mask offered a quick hit of hydration, it faded fast. The gel mask, on the other hand, kept my skin moisturised and comfortable for over four hours.
If you're flying and looking for sustained hydration, a gel or cream-based mask is your best travel companion, delivering nourishment without drying out mid-flight.
The Truth About Collagen Masks at 40,000 Feet
You've probably seen the viral trend with the opaque collagen sheet masks that turn transparent after a few hours. While they may look impressive on camera, I tested them in real-life conditions, mid-flight, at 40,000 feet, and here’s what you need to know.I measured my skin’s hydration level after wearing the famous collagen mask for 4 hours. My hydration levels came in at 41%, which is considered normal. Not bad, but when you consider how dry and moisture-depleting the cabin air is, “normal” simply isn’t enough. This is the time your skin needs all the extra support it can get. I compared this to a hydrating sleep gel mask under the same flight conditions, and the results were staggering. The gel mask pushed hydration levels to the maximum measurable limit a clear winner.
So, if you're torn between the “viral” collagen mask and a hard-working sleep mask gel formula, go with the gel. It delivers deeper, longer-lasting hydration and gives your skin the real support it needs while flying.
Avoid Hydrating Mists — Unless You Do This One Crucial Step
While hydrating mists can feel refreshing in-flight, especially in a dry, recycled cabin environment, they may be doing more harm than good, unless you follow up properly.
Here’s why: When you mist your face and let it air dry, the moisture doesn't just evaporate; it also takes some of your skin’s natural hydration with it. It’s the same effect as when you step out of a pool on a hot day and air-dry in the sun. The droplets of water from the pool are connecting with the deep moisture in your skin, allowing it to be more easily drawn out. As the water droplets evaporate, your skin becomes even more dehydrated. To truly benefit from a facial mist mid-flight, you need to lock it in. After spritzing, apply a hydrating serum or, even better, a ceramide-rich serum while your skin is still damp. This seals in the moisture and helps prevent trans-epidermal water loss, giving your skin the hydration boost it actually needs.
So yes, you can absolutely use a mist in-flight, but never mist and leave, mist and seal.
Essences Over Mists — Here’s Why They Work Better In-Flight
While hydrating mists can offer a quick refresh, they’re often not the most effective option when you're 30,000 feet in the air. In the ultra-dry environment of the cabin, moisture evaporates rapidly, and unless you’re following up with the right products, that mist may leave your skin feeling like it didn't do much. As a skin expert, my recommendation is to opt for an essence. Think of it as a more potent, longer-lasting way to flood your skin with hydration. Essences are typically more powerful than mists, allowing them to deeply penetrate the skin and provide lasting moisture, exactly what your skin craves in dry air.
Pro tip: Apply a generous layer of essence, let it soak in, and then follow immediately with a hydrating serum or ceramide-rich moisturiser to seal in the benefits. It’s like giving your skin a tall glass of water, and then putting a lid on it to keep it from evaporating.
For long-haul flights or even daily travel, an essence is a true in-flight saviour.
Spots Love to Travel Too
If you have oily or combination skin or you’re breakout-prone, don’t be surprised if a few unwelcome spots decide to join you on your journey. Changes in climate, cabin pressure, stress, and a lack of humidity can all disrupt your skin’s balance, making it more prone to congestion.
Pro tip: Always pack a few spot stickers or hydrocolloid patches in your travel bag. Even if you just feel a blemish brewing beneath the surface, applying a patch early can help stop it in its tracks. Trust me, what feels like a small bump before take-off often becomes a full-blown breakout by the time you land.
These discreet, travel-friendly heroes not only help reduce inflammation, but also protect the area from bacteria and prevent you from picking (especially when you’re bored or anxious mid-flight).
Final Thoughts
The cabin environment places your skin under a unique set of pressures, from dehydration and inflammation to oxidative stress and oil imbalance. Understanding how your skin reacts in-flight is key to choosing the right travel skincare routine—hydration, barrier support, and protection are non-negotiables. Invest in some travel skincare sets to really protect your skin this summer.
Click here for my pre-flight at-home facial routine to prep your skin and give it everything it needs to minimise in-flight damage
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