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12 Skincare Products To Take On A Long-Haul Flight
Keep hydrated and happy with these hand luggage-friendly products.
You've managed to squeeze those three pairs of heels into your carry-on (although you know you won't wear them all) and edited your make-up kit down to three eyeshadows and six lipsticks. But have you considered your plane skincare?
Between the cabin pressure, recycled air and a lack of fresh oxygen, the artificial environment inside a plane is primed to wreak havoc on your complexion. Think dehydration, increased sensitivity and a lack of radiance, and you're on the right lines.
According to celebrity facialist Joanne Evans, the key to beating what we're officially calling 'plane face' is hydration. 'Flying not only dries the skin, but the air is rife with free radicals and the altitude restricts blood flow, giving your complexion a tired and dull appearance,' she explains.
She recommends keeping a deep-hydrating serum close, as well as her personal hydration hero, rosehip oil. 'Packed full of fatty acids, antioxidants and vitamins. it quenches, moisturises and protects the skin.'
The one thing to ditch? According to Evans, it's time to forget those sheet masks (let's be honest, you'll only startle your flight companion anyway). 'Although they've been a big recent trend, I no longer carry sheet masks because the plane's low humidity just dries the moisture out, and they can be a hot-bed for bacteria.'
If you pack anything in your hand luggage on your next getaway, make sure it's a handful of these perfect aeroplane skincare products.
Evolve's 99% natural serum is full to the brim with the good stuff: think aloe vera, plant-derived hyaluronic acid and a pomegranate extract that limits water loss. Instantly absorbed, it's perfect for parched skin, and the petite bottle is just enough to see you through a lengthy return journey.
Kate Somerville Goat Milk De-Puffing Eye Balm – £32
When puffy plane eyes get out of hand, turn to the A-list's go-to facialist Kate Somerville for the ultimate soothing balm. Formulated with soothing goat's milk and manuka honey, one pump of this helps cool the eye area and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
This is a lovely, thoughtfully crafted cream that'll soothe sensitive skin and deliver deep moisture. Squalane features heavily in the fragrance-free formula, as do bakuchiol and probiotics, so you know you're getting optimum moisture for your buck. Even better, it'll make a brilliant base for foundation once you've landed.
Milk Makeup's solid sticks are perfect for travelling – and not just because they'll flout the airport liquid restrictions. A stand-out, this one contains energising caffeine and cooling aloe. It's heaven on puffy eyes and tired temples.
Eve Lom Cleansing Capsules x14 – £20
Designed with flights in mind, these clever capsules each contain a single dose of Eve Lom's much-loved cleansing oil. Full of omega fatty acids, the silky formula is perfect for cleansing and replenishing skin mid-flight – a real treat for tired skin.
Gallinée Hand Cream - £12
Thanks to the prebiotics, probiotics and lactic acid, a little of Gallinée's heavenly smelling hand cream goes a long way to hydrate dry hands. It's intensely creamy, but somehow absorbs in seconds (so it won't leave greasy paw prints all over your phone screen).
This is the exact serum Evans takes with her on every flight. A cult hero, it works to fortify the skin barrier – preventing water loss and irritation – using a plant-based replica of your skin's very own protective proteins. It's pricey, but worth it.
Rosehip seed oil is brimming with antioxidants and fatty acids, meaning it's great for slathering onto parched skin. Keep this bargain bottle close by, applying it to your face and cuticles before lift-off.
This is without a doubt the most intensely nourishing lip treatment we've tried. Enriched with lavender and rose oils, the serum formula cocoons lips in hydration for hours on end.
It's silky, deeply comforting, and absolutely perfect for a lengthy plane journey.
If you're going to do a face mask on the plane, make it one that you can leave to linger for a few hours – or even overnight. Summer Fridays's sell-out Jet Lag Mask combines deep hydrators with brightening niacinamide, and sinks into skin so no-one will know you're even wearing it.
Elizabeth Arden Advanced Ceramide Capsules – £39
Skin in need of an intense hit of hydration? Simply twist the top of one of these clever capsules, dispense the serum into the palm of your hand and smooth it over your cheeks, chin and forehead. Ceramides plump up cells and help them to retain moisture, so skin looks pillowy and energised by the time you land.
La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 - £7.50
Chapped and easily irritated skin will welcome a generous slathering of La Roche-Posay's ultra-creamy but matte balm. It contains B5 which attracts water to improve hydration. This strengthen's the skin's barrier, making it perfect if you're sitting under moisture-sapping AC.
Roberta Schroeder is the Senior Ecommerce Editor at Harper's Bazaar, ELLE and Esquire, overseeing shopping strategy and content across fashion, beauty, and travel. Roberta has reported on everything from market-leading skincare brands to the world’s most iconic fashion pieces, while also regularly updating a range of shopping guides, including LED masks, heritage cashmere brands and niche new dress brands to know.
Roberta has more than 15 years' experience in the luxury sector, spanning editorial consultancy, trend forecasting and journalism. Over the years, she has worked for global brands including Farfetch, Chanel, and Vogue.
When not testing beauty products, trialling trends and curating content that spotlights the very best in fashion and beauty, Roberta can usually be found trawling resale sites and vintage stores for a long-coveted designer find. Follow Roberta on Instagram at @roberta__schroeder
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