They say nothing great happens overnight, but I am here to tell you, that is simply not true. If you are in a floating tube in the sky, you can quite literally wake up in a different country after a (often very grueling) night. There are also a whole range of beauty products that are made with the ‘sleeping beauty’ concept in mind. These all soften, smooth and plump while you get your precious zz’s. I actually wrote a whole blog on which ones work best while you are at cruising altitude here, so now it’s time to focus on what to do after the flying ordeal is said and done.
If you are someone who has done a fair amount of long-haul travel, you are probably pretty caught up on how your skin will respond to the whole affair. This is probably particularly true if you have ever been absolutely humbled by the hospital-esque lighting in the airport bathrooms that makes (my skin at least) resemble that in-flight dinner roll I just hoovered down with reckless abandon.
For some, it comes with some textbook dryness, for others it leads to breakouts that can last weeks. So, everyone’s priorities post-flight will be slightly different depending on your specific needs, but there are some universal truths. Your skin needs hydration, you need to be prepared for some breakouts, and, most importantly, be kind to your skin. While the post flight hiccups can be irritating to deal with, it's important to remember that you have just put your skin through hours of recycled air, questionable sleep, and potentially a few too many sky gins.
So, whether you have just hopped off a red-eye from Europe, or you are planning an upcoming escape, here is how to best look after your skin post-flight.
How long-haul flights affect the skin
Before we know how to fix it, we must first understand it.
Aircraft cabins have humidity levels of about 10 to 20 percent, and for reference, your skin prefers something closer to 40-60. That difference might not sound that dramatic, but your barrier, particularly when subjected for long periods of time, would beg to differ.
In that dry environment, water evaporates from the skin faster than usual which can lead to a host of unwelcome issues like tightness, flaking, more prominent fine lines, and dehydration. Add in sleep disruption and fluid retention to the mix and suddenly you are left with puffiness, congestion and a general ‘that cannot be me’ moment in the aforementioned bathroom mirror.
And if you have ever thought you had ballooned in size while you were on the plane, you are actually not imagining things. Your lymphatic system slows down when you sit still for hours, circulation drops and all of this can make your skin appear grey, puffy and tired. If you are acne-prone, this is also known to flare up congestion. So, all-and-all it’s like, not great?
This is why what you do to reset really matters.
Step one: try not to immediately attack it
Look, it takes everything inside of me to not go full force at my skin as soon as I step off the plane. I always get this feeling after travelling that I am really dirty for some reason, and I want to almost shed my skin and just start afresh in an effort to become pure again. This can increase the desire to get home and try to exfoliate your skin back to civilisation, but, please refrain.
Post-flight skin is already stressed, your barrier is already compromised, and going in with strong actives or aggressive exfoliants is not going to get your skin where you want it. In fact, it’s more likely to launch it into full irritation mode.
The first 24 to 48 hours post flight should be all about restoration, not correction. Reach for your more calming and hydrating ingredients rather than your activities, scrubs and peels.
Step two: cleanse gently
Use a creamy, non-stripping cleanser to remove any sunscreen, plane skincare or general travel build up you have no doubt accumulated. The goal is not to make your feel squeaky clean (as much as you may want to) it’s to ensure the skin is clean and ready to recover.
Go for something like the Murad Heartleaf Soothing Face Cleanser, and the Murad Hydrating Toner for a duo that will absolutely get your skin clean and fresh, without stripping it of moisture. Massage the cleanser in properly, let it relax on the face, breathe and then rinse off thoroughly.
Step three: rehydrate with intention
Now it’s time to layer up those barrier-loving serums. Look for ingredients like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and glycerin to give your skin the healthy dose of hydration it will so desperately be seeking. If you have been using the Skinsmiths B12 range, that would also slot in perfectly here.
Whenever the words ‘restore’ or ‘replenish’ are on the agenda, I simply cannot go past recommending the Murad Revitalixir Recovery Serum. As someone who appreciates having a face, and as a result, applies a lot of things to it, I can tell you with absolute certainty that this is my favourite product in my arsenal. I honestly don’t think there is much this serum couldn’t do, beyond maybe filing my taxes for me? But I actually wouldn’t put that past it either at this point. It has everything you could ever want to replenish your post-flight skin.
Step four: mask it
Of course, it wouldn’t be a very good post-flight skincare guide without suggesting that you apply some style of mask to your thirsty face. Whether you are a sheet mask, under eye mask, or a traditional cream mask kind of girly, get it out and put it on.
Caci have a great selection no matter which camp you sit in: the Skinsmiths Hydration Booster Facial Mask for our sheet mask lovers, the Murad Cellular Hydration Barrier Repair Mask for the traditionalists, and the Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Eye Masks if you just want to refresh your tired peepers.
Step five: time to bring in the professionals
If you want results a little faster, or if your skin is refusing to play ball despite doing all the right things with your at-home skincare, then it might be time to look into some in-clinic skin conditioning treatments.
A professional skin conditioning treatment can sometimes achieve things that you and your bathroom simply cannot. And, at Caci, there are treatments aplenty that will help get your skin back to its pre-flight self. The Sonophoresis Skin Infusion, which uses advanced technology to push active ingredients deeper into the skin, will make a visible difference.
LED Light Therapy is another hero. It works to calm inflammation, support healing and revive tired-looking skin which pretty much sums up the laundry list of post travel skin concerns. So, if your skin is feeling reactive, LEDs can gently bring it all back to balance.
As always, we recommend doing a combination of both at-home skincare and in-clinic treatments if you are looking for the best results.
Other tips: try some lymphatic drainage massage
Long periods of sitting can cause fluid retention in the face. That soft, puffy look around the jaw and eyes is classic post-flight.
Gentle massage makes a noticeable difference.
Use your moisturiser and work upward and outward (either with or without a gua sha), encouraging drainage toward the lymph nodes. Or book a treatment that includes professional massage techniques to restore circulation and contour.
The dry vs dehydrated reality check
Because dry and dehydrated skin can look and feel similar, it can be difficult to know the difference and spot it on your skin. But distinguishing between dry and dehydrated is crucial to ensure you’re getting the right treatment, as they are actually quite distinct from one another.
The basic theory is: dry skin lacks oil and dehydrated skin lacks water. Long-haul flights often cause dehydration, even if you’re normally oily. That’s why people who rarely feel dry suddenly experience tightness and flaking, which can often be confused with having dry skin, but they are actually fundamentally very different things.
Hydration-first formulas are key here. Ingredients like hyaluronic acid, panthenol and B12 help replenish water levels and soothe.
Take a holistic approach to your skin
Your skin will always act as a mirror of what is going on inside, no matter how many expensive serums you throw at it. This means that you need to focus on healthy habits that go beyond your topical skincare. Hydrating properly (not just coffee and airport wine) is the number one way you can help to support a healthy complexion, and post-flight is no exception.
Eating a colourful, antioxidant rich diet will also help to combat any oxidative stress from travel. And of course, moving your body will help to restart your circulation.
While we can’t cure your post-holiday blues, we can help make post-holiday skin one less thing you need to worry about.
