Skincare Secrets of Flight Attendants

Skincare Secrets of Flight Attendants

So, what are the top Skincare Secrets of Flight Attendants? Here at Winslow Skincare, we decided to filter out the fact from fantasy and test the science behind these skin care myths!

We spoke to a number of flight attendants from British Airways and Virgin and extracted from them some of their high-flying tips!

H20 is Key

Hydration is very important during flight due to the arid cabin environment, especially on long haul flights. Hydration is key not only for your skin but also your body. Water keeps you full which means you are less likely to snack on aeroplane snacks and sweets which are full of sugar and salt (of which dehydrates you even more!) As a recommend guideline for every 4 hours you are in the air you should be drinking 1 litre of water.

 

Masque Away!

If you don’t mind showing your fellow passengers your make-up free face then masquing is a great option for any flight.

A rich, hydrating and nourishing face masque will instantly soothe and balance out the dehydration caused by flying. We recommend Dermalogica’s Skin Hydrating Masque to instantly plump out, hydrate and soothe skin.

Tone, tone and tone some more! (and we are not talking about your thighs)

A simple spritz over the top of makeup is the perfect way to keep your skin glowing and dewy. Dermalogica’s Multi-Active Toner is perfect for this. Containing Arnica and Cucumber extracts help keep skin refreshed, making it ideal for rehydrating skin after and during air travel.

Spritz throughout your flight to upkeep hydration levels and lock in the moisturiser from the otherwise dry cabin environment.

Destination makes a difference!

When considering your pre-and post-flight skin routine, also consider the place where you are travelling to.

Whether your destination is hot, humid or cold then below are your skincare essentials:

• Hot Climate: SPF is key is protecting your skin from the much stronger UV rays than you might be used to, we recommend Dermalogica Solar Defence Booster spf 50.
• Humid Climate: Try a hydrating but light and refreshing toner, we recommend Dermalogica UltraCalming Mist to soothe and calm skin.
• Cold Climate: Your skin’s natural barrier is compromised during the cold weather so Dermalogica Barrier Repair will help to rebuild the skin’s natural barrier and reduce redness.

Top Tip: If you are travelling to a big city then consider the pollution damage your skin will be experiencing. Pollution has now been scientifically linked to causing ageing and pigmentation.

Avoid that oily shine

Oily/combination skin suffers will know that the menacing oily shine can often be the downfall of your ‘perfect’ make up look however despite this oily skin is often more dehydrated than you might think! The key word is dehydrated rather than dry. Dehydrated skin lacks in water while dry skin lacks in oil. Therefore, the unique environment created in an aeroplane cabin is dehydrating for all skin types and conditions. The lack of humidity in the cabin will draw out the water content from your skin, leaving it dehydrated.

Your skin then (being the extremely clever organ that it is) will automatically recognise this reduction and over produce oil (giving you that oily shine) to rehydrate the skin.

Burning at 30,000 feet

Although it may seem insane that you can work on your tan during the flight it turns out you can! The rays at higher altitudes are much stronger and contain a higher proportion of UVA rays compared to UVB.

UVA is known as your ageing ray. It travels much deeper into the dermis causing premature ageing, pigmentation and anti-oxidant damage. UVB rays are known as your burning ray and much more superficial. Only damaging the top layers of skin.

Because of the higher percentage of UVA rays at these high altitudes, your disposition to premature ageing and skin cancer is much higher during flight. So always reapply your SPF every 2 hours and avoid sitting in the window seat.

Pilots are actually warned that they have a higher risk of skin cancer due to their continued exposure to these harsh rays (now airlines use sun shields in the cockpit to protect the pilots from the sun exposure).

More radiation exposure than nuclear plant workers!

The higher altitude that you experience during flight also means that you are exposed to higher levels of radiation. The higher the altitude and latitude, the more radiation.

Pilots are in fact exposed to more radiation than even nuclear-plant workers! However, they do spend hours on end in the cockpit and have much more exposure than we do as the occasional traveller.

To counteract the effects of the radiation you can stock up on antioxidant-rich skincare products such as Dermalogica Anti-Oxidant Hydra Mist. Also, try swapping the coffee for a green tea to rebuild the anti-oxidants in your body.

Bonus Tip: Eye Makeup!

If possible remove your eye make-up before flying to avoid dehydrating the already delicate skin around your eye area and never sleep in your makeup as it will cause congestion and blocked pores.

If you simply can’t tear yourself away from the eyeliner and mascara then always opt for non-waterproof makeup products as they are less drying on the skin.