The cabins of airplanes have extremely low humidity, which cause the skin to get extremely dehydrated (lack of water). The dry air looks for moisture where it can get it, and that means robbing it right from your skin!
Dry skin will become drier, but did you know that oily skin gets even oilier during flying? When the skin has no water, it attempts to compensate for the dehydration by producing more oil—which is the last thing that oily skin needs. For dry skins that have no oil glands, the skin will be depleted of its water content.
Bottom line: Airplanes can wreak havoc on the skin!
Here are helpful tips before, during and after flight to keep your skin healthy and balanced: …
GET YOUR SKIN FLIGHT-READY
Use a skin serum under sunscreen
Since the airplane cabins have low humidity, you must load your skin up with as much hydration and protection as possible. Apply a skin serum under sunscreen to deliver moisture deep within the layers of the skin while providing an occlusive seal to help the skin retain its moisture. Look for serums using ingredients like Dimethicone, Cyclomethicone and Hyaluronic Acid. Renée Rouleau Intensive Firming Serum uses these ingredients and is ideal while flying.
Make sure to apply sunscreen over skin serum
Did you know that when you are in an airplane, you’re closer to the sun so UV damage is at its greatest? The windows on an airplane don’t filter out damaging UV rays, so even though you are not in direct sunlight, you are still exposed to the harmful rays. And we all know, UV rays = skin aging and wrinkles. Wear a minimum of SPF #15 on the face, neck and sides of the neck. Also, makeup foundation containing SPF is not enough. The sunscreen must be built into your moisturizer. Try our best-selling Daily Protection SPF 30.
CARING FOR YOUR SKIN WHILE ON THE PLANE:
Choose aisle over window seats when flying in an airplane (and shut the shade)
Not only are you getting massive amounts of sun exposure since you’re closer to the sun, but when sitting in the window seat you’re subjecting your skin to more UV rays. If you do have a window seat, just shut the shade!
Do NOT mist your skin with a hydrating spray.
For years, skin care experts have suggested to mist your skin with a hydrating spray to keep it moist. This is a no-no, for sure! The worst thing you can do is spray those misters on the skin. Why? Because since the air is so dry, it looks for water wherever it can get it and since water attracts water, when you spray the skin it takes all the water from the deep layers in the skin and gets evaporated into the dry air! The result is even drier skin. Your best bet is to leave the skin as is.
Drink plenty of water.
It’s always beneficial to keep your body hydrated while flying, so drinking plenty of water is important. While it doesn’t benefit the skin as much as you would think, it’s still important for your body.
POST-FLIGHT CARE
Use a mild facial scrub
When arriving at your destination (hotel, home or other), cleanse your skin and use a mild facial scrub to remove surface dry skin cells caused from flying. Be sure to avoid facial scrubs containing natural grains such as apricot kernels, walnut husks and almonds as the sharp edges can scratch and irritate the skin. Instead, use scrubs containing polyethylene, jojoba beads or micro-beadlets. We love our Mint Buffing Beads.
Treat your skin to a hydrating mask post-flight
After exfoliating with a facial scrub, it’s important to add back essential hydration and brighten the skin from post-flight dullness. I prefer gel masks because they have the highest water content. Renée Rouleau Azulene Gel Mask is both calming and deeply hydrating to ensure your skin gets the moisture it needs. It feels so cool and refreshing on the skin after traveling. Leave on 15 minutes, rinse well and apply moisturizer.
I have read in the past that dimethicone and cyclomethicone (which are silicones) smother the skin like plastic wrap and cause breakouts. Yet you recommend it for hydration. I’m confused. Have you read that or heard that before?
Posted on Wed, 10th Mar 2010 10:34 am by Cheryl McCoy
Silicones (those found in makeup primers and skin care products) create a barrier (like plastic wrap) to prevent water from evaporating out of the skin when in a dry environment, like an airplane. No, silicones do not cause acne and are very breathable.
On the other hand, Petrolatum and Mineral Oil also can have the same plastic wrap effect but we find them not to be breathable and find they can cause breakouts.
–Lydia
Posted on Thu, 11th Mar 2010 8:04 pm by Lydia Noel
Would you recommend putting on a hydrating/moisturizing mask on DURING the flight?
Posted on Wed, 31st Mar 2010 6:16 pm by kathy wong
That’s a great question. If you are on a long flight (over 6 hours of traveling time) then it could be beneficial to use a cream-based mask. If it’s a shorter flight, I would just leave the skin as is, and treat it post-flight.
Posted on Thu, 1st Apr 2010 9:04 am by Renée Rouleau