Flying this summer? You might be missing a crucial step in your travel beauty routine – and your skin could pay the price.
While most of us remember our passport and lip balm before boarding, Cult Beauty teamed up skincare expert Elizabeth Japal from The Derma Lab warns that SPF should be just as essential in your hand luggage, even when flying.
“Many people don’t realise that UV exposure actually increases at altitude, and airplane windows don’t block out all UVA rays, which are the primary cause of premature skin ageing,” explains Elizabeth. “You’re essentially sitting next to a magnified sun bed, especially in the window seat.”
Pair that with the low humidity in cabin air, and your skin becomes more vulnerable to dehydration, dullness and damage even on short flights. “It’s not just about how you look stepping off the plane, regular exposure to this kind of environment can really take a toll on skin health over time.”
To help travellers land glowing and protected, Elizabeth shares a flight-ready skincare routine that works for both short- and long-haul journeys:
1. Cleanse (Before Flying)
“Starting with clean skin is essential,” says Elizabeth. “Your face will already be exposed to the drying effects of cabin air – leftover makeup, SPF, or pollution will only clog pores and contribute to inflammation.”
Opt for a gentle, non-stripping cleanser like Jordan Samuel Skin – The Matinee Gel Cleanser. It’s ideal for travel thanks to its antioxidant-rich formula with green tea and chamomile, which helps calm and balance skin pre-flight.
2. Hydrating Mist (Pre-Flight & Mid-Flight)
The recycled air on planes can sap your skin of moisture within minutes. Spritzing a hydrating face mist before takeoff and throughout the flight helps prevent dehydration and delivers an instant glow.
Try Zelens – Provitamin D3 Fortifying Mist, which reinforces your skin barrier with provitamin D3 and antioxidants, providing a refreshing boost and helping skin stay resilient mid-air.
3. Hydrating Serum
“Serums are your skin’s drink of water,” explains Elizabeth. “Layering a serum underneath your moisturiser maximises hydration while boosting antioxidant protection.”
A travel-friendly option is decree – Perfect Elixir Serum, packed with niacinamide and vitamins C and E. It brightens the complexion, calms inflammation, and shields against oxidative stress – perfect for fending off free radicals during flights.
4. Moisturise + SPF (Yes, Even Indoors!)
“People assume SPF isn’t needed on a plane, but UVA rays penetrate clouds and glass – and they’re the aging ones,” says Elizabeth.
Ultra Violette’s Supreme Screen SPF 50+ does double duty as a nourishing moisturiser and high-level sun protection. It sinks in easily, doesn’t pill under makeup, and offers broad-spectrum defence against harmful rays – even at 35,000 feet.
5. Onboard Top-Ups
Pack essentials in your clear bag for top-ups such as:
- Face Mist: Odacité – Hydra Mist Vitalize Rose + Neroli instantly revives tired, tight skin while balancing oil and sebum. A couple of spritzes every few hours will give you that “I just landed glowing” look.
- Lip Balm: Nourish lips with LANEIGE – Lip Sleeping Mask that acts like a moisture seal, leaving lips soft, smooth and chap free.
- Hand Cream: Airplane soap and air-con can dry out your hands too. Grown Alchemist – Restorative Hand Cream contains nourishing ingredients for silky, soothed skin without greasiness.
- SPF Touch-Up: It’s important to top up sun protection even at 30,000ft with Ultra Violette – Preen Screen SPF50 Reapplication Mist. “It’s weightless and designed to go over makeup or bare skin, so you can stay protected without mess,” says Elizabeth.
6. After Landing (recovery routine):
Once you’ve arrived, cleanse again to remove plane grime and bacteria, and apply a calming serum like Paula’s Choice – Calm Repairing Serum to reduce redness. Follow with a barrier-restoring moisturiser and always reapply SPF before stepping out into the sun.
“Your post-flight skin ritual is just as important – it resets and supports your skin as you move into a new climate or time zone,” Elizabeth advises.
For more information on in flight skincare please visit: https://www.cultbeauty.co.uk/blog/in-flight-skin-care-routine/
