The Ultimate Pre-Flight Skincare Routine: How to Avoid Dry Skin when Flying
Flying can cause myriad skin issues; whether it’s breakouts, dehydration, inflammation, or oxidative stress, this pre-flight at-home facial is designed to prepare and protect your skin before you even step on the plane. By giving your skin exactly what it needs before takeoff, you can help minimise in-flight damage and keep your complexion looking calm, hydrated, and radiant at 40,000 feet.
Skincare tips before the flight:
Hydrate Inside and Out
Dehydration is one of the most significant challenges your skin faces during air travel, often beginning within the first hour; even on short flights. I’ve personally measured skin hydration levels during a flight to Japan and saw a noticeable drop early on.
To counter this, it’s so important to hydrate both internally and externally. Drink plenty of water before and during your flight, and apply hydrating skincare to reinforce your skin’s barrier and lock in moisture before you're exposed to the dry cabin air.
Nourish Your Skin and Body Before You Fly
What you eat and drink before a flight can have a big impact on how your skin behaves up in the air. Alcohol, caffeine, and spicy foods can cause both dehydration and poor sleep, setting your skin up for stress before you’ve even boarded. Instead, focus on water-rich, antioxidant-packed foods like cucumber, berries, leafy greens, and watermelon to help hydrate from within and support your skin’s natural defences. The better you fuel your body, the better your skin will handle the flight.
Prep Your Skin Before You Fly
Prepping your skin before a flight is essential to help it withstand the dehydrating, stress-inducing conditions of air travel. This can be done the night before your journey, or if you're taking a night flight, the morning of your departure. The key is to complete your pre-flight facial as close to takeoff as possible, giving your skin the best chance to stay hydrated, calm, and resilient throughout the flight.
Your Pre-Flight Facial Routine:
Step 1 – Double Cleanse
Prepping your skin to handle the environmental stress of flying starts with an effective double cleanse. This crucial first step helps remove makeup, SPF, and impurities while creating the perfect base for your hydrating skincare.
Aim for 60 seconds per cleanse, you might be surprised how long that feels…so set a timer if you haven’t tried it before. Start with a cleansing oil or balm to gently dissolve makeup and surface debris, and then, follow with a hydrating, non-stripping cleanser to remove any remaining residue without compromising the skin barrier. This ensures your skin is thoroughly cleansed, balanced, and ready to absorb moisture before takeoff.
Step 2 – Exfoliate Gently
If exfoliation is already a regular part of your skincare routine, there’s no need to do anything too intensive before flying. I recommend using a gentle exfoliating toner, ideally one that’s also rich in humectants, to help attract and hold onto moisture while buffing away dead skin cells.
Exfoliation is a vital step because dead skin can trap impurities, sweat, and bacteria, which may contribute to congestion and breakouts, especially in the dry, recycled air of an airplane cabin. For dry skin types, skipping exfoliation can also prevent your hydration-rich skincare from penetrating effectively, making it less beneficial before and during the flight. A gentle exfoliant helps your skin absorb moisture better, leaving it smoother, fresher, and better prepared for the journey ahead.
Step 3 – Hydration, Hydration, Hydration!
Within the first hour of flying, your skin already begins to lose moisture rapidly due to the low humidity in the cabin air. To counter this, it's essential to flood your skin with hydration before you board. Think of it as giving your skin a hydration bank to draw from mid-flight.
One of my go-to favourites is the Dr. Jart+ Ceramide Mask. It’s the perfect pre-flight treat: intensely hydrating, soothing for stressed or tired skin, and formulated with ceramides to lock in moisture long after you’ve taken it off. Just be sure not to leave it on too long before it starts to dry out and pull moisture from your skin, I would say 10 minutes is ideal.
If your skin feels extra thirsty, layering a hydrating mist or essence beforehand can help. Ingredients like glycerin and panthenol act like moisture magnets, drawing and retaining water deep within the skin for that plump, cushiony feel, just what you need before a long-haul flight.
Dr Jart+ Ceramidin Skin Barrier Moisturizing Mask
Step 4 – Seal with Moisture and Lipids
Once you’ve layered in hydration, the next essential step is to seal it all in, and this is where lipids, moisturising ingredients, and products come in. Flying - especially on long-haul journeys - puts your skin under serious stress. The dry cabin air significantly increases transepidermal water loss (TEWL), the process by which water naturally escapes from the skin. Without a proper moisture seal, all that lovely hydration you just applied will quickly evaporate, leaving your skin feeling tight, dry, and uncomfortable.
To prevent this, choose a moisturiser rich in lipids, ceramides, and occlusives. These ingredients help reinforce the skin barrier and create a protective layer that traps moisture and prevents dehydration. Look for barrier-repairing ingredients like ceramide NP, fatty acids, cholesterol, squalane, and occlusives like shea butter or caprylic/capric triglyceride. These not only soften the skin, but also mimic the skin’s natural lipid structure, helping restore and strengthen its defences.
I love the Dr Jart+ Ceramidin Hello Moisture Travel Set, it contains everything you need preflight:
Dr.Jart+ Ceramidin™ Skin Barrier Moisturizing Mask (25g) x1
Dr.Jart+ Ceramidin™ Skin Barrier Serum Toner (15ml)
Dr.Jart+ Ceramidin™ Skin Barrier Moisturizing Cream (7ml)
I particularly like this collection as you get two masks! One to use pre-flight, and one to take with you and use whilst you are out there or before your return flight.
Dr Jart+ Ceramidin Hello Moisture Mix, which contains:
Dr.Jart+ Ceramidin™ Skin Barrier Moisturizing Cream (15ml)
Dr.Jart+ Ceramidin™ Skin Barrier Moisturizing Mask (25g) x2
Dr.Jart+ Ceramidin™ Moisturizing Lip Balm (7ml)
Dr.Jart+ Ceramidin™ Moisturizing Hand Cream (100ml)
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