Flight Skincare Essentials

Disclaimer: this post contains affiliate links which are marked with *

I’m writing this blog sat in Kota Kinabalu airport, in Malaysian Borneo, about to take my ninth flight of this trip. All those hours of recycled air can play havoc with your skin so here are my favourite products to combat dryness and fatigue. These help keep me looking and feeling as fresh-faced as possible when I land.

Garnier Moisture Bomb Lavender Hydrating Face Sheet Mask*

I’m a big fan of all the Garnier Moisture Bomb masks to be honest, but I love that this one is specifically for fatigued skin. I’m sure anyone who’s taken a red-eye or long flight knows just how tired and dull your skin can feel. Yes, you do feel a bit weird wearing a sheet mask on the plane but wear it with pride – or wait till your row mates are asleep. Either way, your skin will drink it up and thank you for it. 

Glamglow Thirstymud Hydrating Treatment

For those of you who don’t want to brave wearing a sheet mask on a plane, here’s a much more subtle mask, I was so kindly gifted this by my previous employer as a leaving work/off on my travels present – they know me so well! I absolutely LOVE this mask! I can’t believe I’d never heard of it before seeing as it’s a bit of a cult product but I can tell it’s going to be a staple in my skincare routine.

First things first it smells divine! A bit like cake batter or some people say Baileys. It aims to deliver instant and intense moisture and I’ve noticed a visible difference in my skin every time I use it.

It can be applied to the neck and decolletage too. If you’re using it in the daytime then apply a layer to clean, dry skin and leave it on for 10-20 minutes. This will allow the mask to absorb, you can then wipe off the excess and continue with your normal beauty routine. When using at night (like I do) simply leave on overnight, it absorbs fairly quickly so you don’t feel too greasy and you’ll wake up with glowy, hydrated skin.

For in-flight use they recommend applying at the beginning of the flight and leaving it on for the duration.

I use it on every flight, the night after a night of drinking, if my skin is feeling particularly dry from the sun and whenever my skin needs a boost. Glamglow recommends using it two to three times a week or whenever needed.

I’ve got the 15g pot which is the perfect size to take in your carry-on luggage, when I’m settled in NZ I’ll definitely be purchasing the full-size pot.

Claudalie Beauty Elixir*

This was another treat from my work, I’ve got the 30ml bottle which can is great for carry-on luggage and keeping in your handbag for instant skin hydration throughout the day. It smells divine and has so many uses. I use it after I cleanse and before I moisturise just to add extra hydration to my skin, it really helps me achieve a dewy look. It acts as both a toner and face serum as well as a make-up setting spray.

On flights, I tend to spritz this on whenever my skin needs a boost. It’s great to use in the morning too as the scent is very uplifting with grape, citrus flavours and mint

Coco Calming Face Mist*

As you can see I’m a big fan of face mists, they’re just such a great way to instantly hydrate and soothe your skin. I love that this face mist focuses on calming the skin and contains coconut water and aloe vera which are both great for refreshing the skin. This is the ideal size to take in your carry-on, just spritz your face periodically throughout the flight whenever it starts to feel dry.

Neals Yard Wild Rose Beauty Balm

This is one of my favourite multi-purpose beauty products, in fact, I’ve waxed lyrical about how much I love it before. It has so many uses and I primarily use it as a cleanser, moisturiser and lip balm. It’s great to take in your carry-on and dab on any dry patches of skin you have – especially lips, which always get so dry on planes. Or if you’re wearing makeup or on a long flight use it as a cleanser to refresh and soothe your skin, just rub a small amount between your fingers until it melts, massage into your face and wash off with warm water.

So those are the go-to products you can find in my carry-on, all of them come in aeroplane-friendly sizes and are small enough to carry around day to day too. Do you have any go-to products to combat dry/fatigued skin? Let me know in the comments. 🙂

Love, Sarah x

A word about affiliate links: should you click on them and make a purchase I receive a small percentage as a referral bonus. This does not affect the price you pay and helps me with the costs of maintaining this blog.