Glowing at 36,000 Feet: Travel Beauty Tips for Long-Haul Flights

2 min read

Travel Beauty Tips – Overseas flights can be a taxing experience for even the most seasoned travelers, regardless of their approach. However, by carefully preparing for the challenges of air travel, it is possible to relax and recharge at 36,000 feet, even in economy class. Wellness experts provide several travel beauty tips, such as staying hydrated, regulating your body clock, and taking care of your skin, to ensure you arrive at your destination feeling refreshed and looking your best.

Check these travel beauty tips to make sure you step off the plane feeling refreshed.

Watch What You Eat Before You Board

Prior to embarking on a transatlantic flight, it’s important to be proactive about what you consume within the 24 hours leading up to your departure. Dr. Shelby Harris, a specialist in behavioral sleep medicine, advises travel beauty tips against alcohol and caffeine, which can negatively affect sleep quality, and heavy or spicy meals, which can hinder rest. Instead, opt for lighter meals consisting of a combination of complex carbohydrates and protein to promote sleepiness. Snacks such as whole wheat crackers, oatmeal, bananas, low-fat cheese, greek yogurt, and cherries are recommended to help calm your nerves before takeoff. 

If you have already eaten enough, consider intermittent fasting during the flight rather than consuming the nutrient-deficient in-flight meals and salty processed snacks. This can help regulate your circadian rhythm, aid in detoxification, stabilize your metabolism, and even combat jet lag. Additionally, intermittent fasting can prevent “jet bloat” caused by increased cabin altitude air pressure, which contributes to intestinal discomfort.

Treat Your Body to a Little Preflight TLC

If you’re concerned about maintaining your skin’s radiance, booking a comprehensive professional facial is the best way to ensure it as your travel beauty tips, according to Mila Moursi, a renowned aesthetician based in Los Angeles. Moursi suggests scheduling the facial a couple of days before your trip to oxygenate your skin and unclog your pores, so that your skin is in optimal condition even before you step into the airport. 

On the day of your flight, Moursi advises cleansing your face with a mild, milky cleanser, followed by a hydrating toner and serum to support your skin’s natural barrier and shield it from environmental damage. Finally, seal everything in with a nourishing cream moisturizer.

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

It’s widely known that air travel can deplete your body’s hydration levels, but according to the Aerospace Medical Association, drinking eight ounces of water per hour during the flight is necessary to combat dehydration. 

However, this can be challenging during a long-haul flight, and increasing your water intake before the flight is a good way to prepare. To counteract the chilly cabin conditions, Tsikrikas advises against cold drinks and suggests warming liquids like hot water with lemon or herbal tea with ginger, which can soothe the stomach and improve circulation. She even brings a bag of grated ginger and an empty thermos on her travels to request hot water from the flight attendant, that’s travel beauty tips for you.

While frequent bathroom breaks may seem inconvenient, they are crucial for maintaining healthy circulation, fighting fatigue, and preventing muscle cramps.

Give Yourself an In-Flight Facial

Combat the dryness of recycled air by applying a nourishing facial oil, such as geranium, jojoba, or frankincense, to your face, lips, neck, and décolleté. According to aesthetician Moursi, these oils are rich in omega fatty acids and vitamins, which deeply moisturize, condition, and protect the skin from dehydration and oxidative stress, while also smoothing fine lines and imparting a youthful glow.

To enhance the oil’s effects, perform a facial massage to invigorate the muscles. Moursi recommends starting with small circular motions and gradually working upward and outward, towards the ears, with gentle, prolonged strokes.

Invest in Some Sleep-Friendly Accessories

In addition to warm and comfortable clothing and a good pillow, there are other ways to ensure a restful flight. According to sleep medicine specialist Harris, it’s important to minimize noise and light disturbance, and she suggests wearing noise-canceling headphones and a silk sleep mask. 

Prior to sleeping, it’s best to dim the lights and avoid engaging in overly stimulating entertainment, as well as limiting exposure to blue light from electronic devices, which can decrease melatonin production and disrupt sleep. If you must use a device, Harris recommends switching it to “night mode.”

Although air travel can disrupt even the most well-thought-out itinerary with unexpected situations like crying infants, talkative seatmates, or turbulent flights, with travel beauty tips above, nothing compares to feeling rested and having a glowing complexion to elevate your mood when you reach your destination.