Plane Edition – Travel Beauty
Don’t get me wrong, I love my job. But if I get the opportunity to sneak away on a travel excursion, you can bet I’ll take it. In fact, my very first flight was to St. Thomas USVI when I was three months old, and I’ve been plane hopping ever since. You could say I’ve become a bit of a travel junkie. From quick flights to my home town Detroit, to seventeen hour flights to Shanghai, I’ve had the privilege of sailing through more clouds than most. With the excitement of air travel, however, can come more than a few inconveniences: crowded airports, cancelled flights, racing through customs… you get the idea. Your skin and body can take a serious toll during air travel as well. So I’m here to give you some of my tried and true, can’t live without travel beauty and health air travel tips from someone who had had enough jet lag to last a life time.
Water for the inside…
Drinking water is definitely one of the most important things you can do for your body while traveling. Aside from maybe Death Valley CA, I can promise you, that an airplane is quite possibly the driest place on earth. So please, do me and your skin a huge favor, and drink plenty of water before, during, and after your flight. I usually up my hydration game the day before my flight, using drinking water tracking apps to remind me to drink up in between clients. Since water is a big “nope” at security, I always pack in my carry on a glass water bottle that I can fill at any refill station once I make it to my gate. Its one of my travel beauty essential secrets. Almost all airports in the US, and quite a few internationally offer refill stations so you don’t have to try and refill with a drinking fountain. Some, like Seattle, even have locations marked on their apps or websites. Bonus points if you pack a bottle of food grade Lemon oil to add to your water for flavor, hydration boost, and detoxing. Don’t let a small bladder stop you from drinking water! I aim to book isle seats, especially on long flights, and use the bathroom breaks as an excuse to stretch after being crammed in my seat for way too long.
… and water for the outside
Like I said, planes tend to have an insanely dry environment. And my skin is always begging for moisture while I’m flying. So, if I’m on a long flight, I don’t wear any makeup on the plane, I just make sure that on travel day, I give myself a mini facial with my toner, serums, moisturizer, eye cream, lip salve… the works. I even use my thicker night cream just to make sure I stay moisturized. then, somewhere in my flight, I pop on a hydrating sheet mask, and catch some Zzz’s. (If a sheet mask is just too wild of fashion statement for your seat, do what I did, and put one on when in the bathroom freshening up. If its a short flight, with no time for an in-flight facial. Another travel beauty secret? Bring along our carry-on TSA approved skincare travel set for convenience and all the nutrition your skin will need!
✈️ Plane Edition – Travel Beauty Tips for Glowing Skin at 30,000 Feet
There’s nothing like the thrill of takeoff—whether you’re headed to a remote island paradise or just flying home for a weekend reset. I’ll be the first to say it: I love my job, but give me the chance to sneak away on a travel excursion and I’m already packing my bags.
In fact, my very first flight was at just three months old (destination: St. Thomas, USVI), and I’ve been hooked on plane hopping ever since. From quick hops to Detroit to long-hauls across the globe—yes, even seventeen-hour marathons to Shanghai—I’ve learned a lot about how travel affects your skin and body.
Between crowded terminals, dry cabin air, long customs lines, and inevitable jet lag, your skin can take a beating. So here it is: my tried-and-true travel beauty routine to help you stay glowing, hydrated, and fresh no matter where you’re flying.
💧 Hydration Starts From the Inside Out
The number one travel beauty rule? Drink more water than you think you need.
Airplanes are notoriously dry. Seriously—besides Death Valley, I’d argue an airplane cabin is the driest place on earth. That parched air pulls moisture from your skin, lips, and even your eyes.
✈️ Pro Tips for Travel Hydration:
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Pre-hydrate the day before your flight. Use a water-tracking app to stay on track.
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Bring a reusable water bottle (glass or stainless steel) and fill it after passing security. Most U.S. airports and many international hubs now have refill stations—some even listed in their apps (shoutout to Seattle!).
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Add food-grade lemon oil or slices for an extra detox boost and flavor.
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Book an aisle seat for easy bathroom access—you’ll thank me after drink #3.
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Don’t skip hydration just to avoid restroom breaks. Your body (and your skin) needs it more than ever at 30,000 feet.
🧴 Skincare Survival Tips While You Fly
Rule #1: No makeup on the plane. Your skin needs to breathe and soak in moisture—not battle dehydration under a layer of foundation.
Instead, I prep my skin on travel day with what I call my Mini Facial Flight Ritual:
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Toner – to balance pH and remove any residual product
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Serum – ideally with antioxidants or hyaluronic acid
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Eye cream & lip balm – to protect delicate areas
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Moisturizer or Night Cream – a richer formula locks in hydration against dry cabin air
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Facial mist (optional) – refreshing and replenishing mid-flight
On longer flights, I’ll even throw on a hydrating sheet mask once I settle in. It’s a game-changer for overnight flights or when you land in a totally different time zone. (Feeling shy? Apply it in the lavatory while freshening up—no judgment here.)
🧳 Travel Skincare Essentials You Shouldn’t Board Without
Flying with skincare doesn’t have to mean cramming full-sized products into your suitcase or worrying about TSA confiscating your favorite moisturizer.
That’s why we created the ästhetik skincare Travel Set—a perfectly curated, TSA-approved skincare kit with everything you need to nourish your skin on the go. Packed with hydration, antioxidants, and barrier-loving ingredients, it’s one of my absolute travel must-haves.
Whether you’re boarding a two-hour flight or crossing oceans, this set keeps your skin balanced, bright, and breakout-free—even in recycled cabin air.
🛬 Final Thoughts: Arrive Glowing, Not Grimy
There’s no denying air travel can be exhausting—but with the right prep and a few beauty travel hacks, you can step off the plane feeling refreshed, not wrecked.
So the next time you pack your passport and neck pillow, don’t forget to prep your skin too. Trust me, your future jet-lagged self will thank you. (Pro Tip: get a good facial when you get back to re-balance and hydrate your skin like nothing else!)
✈️ Ready for Takeoff?
Pack your glow and go. Shop our Skincare Travel Set and make radiant skin part of your carry-on routine.
Your in-flight skincare essentials—TSA-approved and glow-ready.
This curated set features our best-selling clean skincare formulas in convenient travel sizes, designed to keep your skin hydrated, nourished, and protected no matter where your travels take you. Perfect for carry-ons, weekend getaways, and long-haul flights. Includes:
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Ocean Cleanser
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Vitamin C Serum
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Ocean Moisturizer
🌿 Clean | TSA-Approved | Esthetician-Approved
Whether you’re crossing time zones or heading out for a quick escape, this set ensures your skin stays fresh, radiant, and selfie-ready—wherever you land.
Lastly, Stay Clean!
About 44,000 planes carry almost 3 million passengers everyday. That’s a lot of people… and a lot of germs! So keep your body pretty and clean on the inside by killing as many of those little flu starters as you can. As soon as I sit down, I wipe everything I could touch (tray, seat belt, and buttons above my seat) with my hand sanitizing spray on a tissue. That way, I have the spray to use for my hands, and I’m not wasting space in my bag or damaging the environment more by using non-biodegradable disinfecting wipes.
HAPPY TRAVELS! ✈️
