Long haul flight beauty essentials for a blissful voyage

You’ve picked your destination, you’ve packed your suitcase,  you’re now on the plane ready for take off. Travelling by plane is truly amazing: you can hop from one continent to the next without any traffic slowing you down. Nonetheless, even if planes go at about 885 km/h, a 14-hour flight or even a 7 hour one still feels interminable. If you’re the kind of person who steps out of the plane looking like the driest of raisins, why not follow a proper long haul flight beauty routine to keep your skin looking healthy and hydrated as well as keep you entertained during your never-ending flight. Follow these 10 beauty steps to ensure you get off your flight looking more relaxed and healthy than ever before.

Makeup-free face

Firstly, it’s best not to get on a plane with a full face of makeup. The air in the airplane is so dry that wearing heavy foundation will create flaky, dull and breakout prone skin. Also, do you really want a big foundation stain on your sweater, pillow or on your neighbour? No one wakes up looking #flawless when they have a full face of makeup. You’ll feel much better makeup-free and if you absolutely want to step off the plane with some makeup, apply it right before the seat belt sign comes on for landing.

Antibacterial wipes

Antibacterial wipes are a great item to have on vacation since you never know when you’ll get to wash your hands. You can wipe the porthole, your tabletop, screen and armrest to eliminate germs (or at least think you’re eliminating them) but they can also be used to clean your hands if you don’t feel like getting up to go to the bathroom.

Compression socks

Thought compression socks were only for runners or bikers? Think again! In the air, your legs and feet usually swell because you’re sitting down for such a long period of time. This phenomenon is called gravitational edema, a very normal but bothersome condition passengers experience. Compression socks are perfect for long flights because you can stay seated for a long time without walking out of the plane with gigantic cankles. Planes are always very air conditioned anyway so wearing these socks will also keep you cozy.

Face mist

After you’ve wiped all the surfaces in your vicinity and put on your compression socks, it is time for your in-flight beauty routine. Start with a gentle and calming face mist to wake up your skin and refresh it. As mentioned previously, planes are extremely dry environments so the more hydration you provide your skin, the happier it will be. There are tons of face mists out there, from drugstore ones to more expensive ones or you can even make your own. Try to pick one with rose water, lavender or witch-hazel. Spray this as many times as you wish on your face, just remember a 100 ml bottle is the maximum for any liquids in your carry-on bag.

Sheet mask

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Feel like looking like a mummy for a few minutes? Creep out your seat neighbour by applying a soothing, energizing, nourishing or hydrating sheet mask on your face. The other passengers might look at your weirdly but you’ll have the last laugh since you’ll be the one with glowing skin. Even though the instructions say to leave the mask on for 10-20 minutes, you can keep it on until it dries out completely and don’t forget to spread the product on your neck to fully benefit from the properties.

Moisturizer

Now that your skin is dewy and plumped, spray your face mist again to add a bit of hydration before you apply your face moisturizer. Try to choose a moisturizer you love and have used before that is thick since you want to add a maximum of hydration to your skin. Massage the product on your face and neck with your fingers by making circular motions in upward strokes. This will help drain all the toxins from your skin and soothe your skin if ever you have any puffiness. Enjoy this mini self-massage, take your time and stay gentle!

Lip balm

Your lips will also dry out so you need to take care of them and keep them hydrated. If you want to go one step further, you can even buy yourself some lip masks for a deep hydration. Choose your favourite lip balm and keep it close to you.

Water

You can’t keep yourself hydrated if you’re not drinking water! Water is super important on a flight. Bring your reusable water bottle (but remember you can only fill it up after you’ve passed security) and once you’ve finished your water, ask the flight attendant to fill your bottle so you don’t use plastic cups. Have as much water as you can even if this means you have to get up to go to the bathroom often.

Hand cream

Now that you’ve hydrated your face, it’s time to keep your hands hydrated too! Buy a non-greasy cream so you can read your book without ruining the pages. Also, a delicious smelling cream will relax you and allow you to drift off to sleep or at least to your happy place.

Essential oils

Essential oils are a great addition to make your long haul flight more bearable. If you have a fear of flying, adding a few drops of a lavender or chamomile essential oil to your pillow, eye mask, sweater or behind your ears. You’ll automatically relax and essential oils are known to improve brain function, boost your skin and hair health, reduce stress and support digestion.

You might find this long haul flight beauty routine a bit ridiculous but we assure you that simple pleasures like a nice smelling cream or a mini facial can totally boost your mood and make your flight a little less boring. Just remember to stay hydrated by drinking a lot of water and to make sure all your beauty essentials are 100 ml or smaller. Who knows, you might make a few new friends on the flight who are curious about your products or not but at least you’ll smell good and feel even better once you step off the plane! Bon voyage!

Cover photo: @verenayunita/Instagram