Whether you simply love visiting new places, or are required to travel long distances for your job, it’s helpful to prepare your skin before, during, and after each flight. Adjusting your skin care with rehydration, as well as calming, and reparative products minimizes negative impact on your skin. If you travel frequently, this post is a must-read for you.
How Air Travel Can Negatively Impact Your Skin
Frequent travelers know that flying often brings about some temporary changes to the skin, especially if you travel to places where the weather conditions and air quality are different from your home country. The sudden change in altitude, temperature, humidity levels, and UV exposure can definitely compromise your skins’ protective barrier.
In addition, planes have extremely low humidity levels (less than 20%), which is the first factor in dehydration…one reason the cabin crew hands out water frequently. Dehydrated skin is easily irritated due to increased. While many worry that an airplanes air system may be contaminated, in fact cabin air is circulated via HEPA filters and is actually quite clean. However compromised pH barrier caused by dryness can be a reason behind sudden blemish outbreaks and clogged pores.
The symptoms of a compromised barrier during a flight are:
- Dry or Vata Skin – dehydration, puffiness, and irritation.
- Sensitive or Pitta Skin – Increased sensitivity, dehydration, and redness.
- Oily or Kapha Skin – Oilier and dull-looking skin. May also experience sudden blemishes.
If you travel frequently and do not take the proper measures (primarily rehydration) to alleviate the issues, your skin quality can suffer over time.
Prepping Skin The Night Before & After The Flight
For the best skin of your life, a minimalist, but dedicated skin care regimen should ideally be practiced every day. The first step towards a good skin care regimen is to learn about your unique skins’ constitution/ Ayurvedic dosha. This will help you to select formulas that will be most responsive to your skin type.
Follow this skin care protocol before and after every flight:
- Use a gentle SLS-free (Sodium Laureth Sulfate in it’s many forms..in actuality an industrial strength cleaner!) Organic Cleanser to remove dirt, grime, and superficial free radicals from the skin.
- Exfoliate the night before and after every flight with enzyme-based Papaya & Honey Exfoliation Mask & Scrub (or the SBR Mask for Sensitive, Blemish-prone, or Rosacea skin).
- Hydrate with an Organic Toner.
- Next, apply the Bioscience Peptide Complex Serum made with ingredients like Argireline, Matrixyl, Hyaluronic Acid, CoQ10, and several other collagen-boosting botanicals that encourage faster cellular turnover, improve elasticity, and promote a healthy complexion.
- Protect the skin barrier with an extra layer of an Anti-aging Serum packed with antioxidants. The serum nourishes and repairs the damages caused due to oxidative stress.
Maintaining Skin Homeostasis During the Flight
Whether it is a long or a short journey, here are some tips to follow during the flight:
- Use a good mineral based makeup (if any) in order to keep pores clean and clear.
- If your skin feels dry during the flight, spritz some Organic Hydrator/Toner.
- Remember to use our SunProtect SPF 30+ Broad Spectrum sunscreen whenever prior to boarding and on arrival.
- If your eyes feel tired or dry, apply some Aloe Eye Serum to soothe the skin around the eyes and reduce puffiness.
- Try limiting alcohol intake during the flight. Instead, increase the consumption of water and other healthy hydrating alternatives like fresh fruit juices and green tea.
