Skin Care Secrets From Women Who Fly All the Time

Who: Kirsten Lamotte, Vice President of Partnerships and Event Marketing for Sentient Jet

Mileage: 125,000–150,000 miles per year

Perfect Skin Secret: In addition to trying to make myself drink a bottle of water per hour in the air (an aisle seat is critical!), I swear by Burt’s Bees Champagne Lip Gloss ($5), which has good hydration and a little shimmer, Visine ($7) and bliss high intensity hand cream ($9). When I get to high altitude, my skin gets super dry so I use Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Moisturizer with SPF 30. It is super rich and creamy and works wonders in the dry climate. My hair also gets dry and flyaways, so I always have a little Moroccanoil ($44) on hand, which helps.

Insider Tip: One hugely helpful tip I learned to avoid altitude sickness when traveling to a high-altitude destination, is to always drink a can of tomato juice (or Virgin Bloody Mary Mix), followed by two bottles of G2/Gatorade, each filled with a salt packet, prior to landing. This is a trick I learned from the U.S. Ski Team’s Director of Sports Science, who told me that altitude sickness is caused by a lack of electrolytes. People think they should drink tons of water, which tends to just evaporate from your body at altitude, so by drinking a sodium-heavy beverage like tomato juice and then a few sports drinks with extra salt, you’re able to retain the electrolytes. I swear by this altitude regimen, especially when I have a busy schedule and need to look and feel my best.

Who: Joy Chen, CEO of H2O+ 

Mileage: 150,000 miles a year

Perfect Skin Secret: My go-to is always the H2O+ Oasis Hydrating Treatment ($36), which I put on every few hours to keep my skin hydrated. Additionally, I use Chantecaille’s Eye Mask ($195) and its Rose Oil ($185).

Insider Tip: Apply lots of hand lotion and drink lots of water both on the plane and after you land.

Who: Joanna Vargas, Celebrity Facialist and Founder of Joanna Vargas Salon and Skincare Collection

Mileage: 75,000 miles a year

Perfect Skin Secret: I like to take my Rejuvenating Serum ($100) on board and always recommend it to my clients. I also pack a homemade toner in a spray bottle. I make it with green tea, a few drops of lavender and two pumps of my Rejuvenating Serum. It’s great for maintaining moisture throughout the flight. I use it liberally because long flights are so bad for skin. I also always pack both full-face sheet masks and under-eye gel masks. Those are great for keeping my skin fresh. 

Insider Tip: When I land in LA, I make sure to stop into Glow Bio, Kimberly Snyder’s place on Melrose for her Glowing Green Smoothie. I prepare it daily at home, but I find it keeps me especially “glowing” after a long flight. 

Who: Amandine Isnard, Head of Product Development for EVE LOM

Mileage: 40,000 miles per year

Perfect Skin Secret: I have a very strict routine, which begins the minute I get on the plane. If I’ve come from the office, this begins with cleansing my skin as soon as the seatbelt signs turn off. I’ll then apply a layer of our Moisture Mask ($90), which is clear, so it doesn’t draw any attention. I tend to top it off midway through my flight or after a nap. I also slather on hand cream and some lip balm. I also like Rodin Face Oil ($170), which I really massage into my skin; it smells divine.

Insider Tip: I always pack herbal tea, usually mint to aid digestion. I also never eat plane food so I’ll help myself to healthy snacks from my bag. I’ll usually pack raw almonds, some fruit or precooked grains with veggies. Before landing, I’ll refresh my skin with another cleanse and a splash of cold water, before slathering on moisturizer.

Who: Sonia Kashuk, Makeup Artist and Founder of Sonia Kashuk Beauty

Mileage: A lot!

Perfect Skin Secret: I always get on a plane with a clean face that’s heavily moisturized with a super hydrating cream by Valmont. I travel with a million serums and continue to apply moisturizer, like my Radiant Boost Restorative Facial Oil ($16), throughout the flight. 

Insider Tip: When preparing for a flight, the one thing you must remember in regards to beauty is skin care. Air in an airplane cabin is much drier, with moisture levels anywhere from 10 to 55 percent lower than normal indoor humidity, which is why it is crucial to keep skin hydrated throughout the flight. 

Who: Terri Havens, Owner of Cal-a-Vie Health Spa

Mileage: 150,00 miles a year

Perfect Skin Secret: I always have a packed bag ready to go with samples of items that I can use and throw away. The bag has all of my necessities as well, so that I can work as long as possible and just grab my bag to go when needed. The night before a flight, I put on a heavy cream. I love Vie Accelerated Recovery Cream ($96). I also take a bath the night before in the Cal-a-Vie Vinotherapie Scrub ($26) to exfoliate and moisturize my skin, knowing that I will not have a chance again for a while. I bring Elemis Eye Treatment Patches ($85) (for a long flight) and I always get on plane with clean, moisturized skin and reapply Yonka moisturizer throughout the flight. I spray refrigerated Evian or glo minerals cucumber spray on my face intermittently—I refrigerate the spray the night before and then wrap in aluminum foil. It feels so refreshing! At the end of the flight, I clean my face with non-drying wipes. My 13-year-old daughter has me using Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Wipes ($8), which make my skin feel like it has been cleansed and sanitized with the citrus smell. Then I apply Yonka Eye Restore and Hydration Crème, and then light glo minerals makeup with sunscreen before leaving the plane.

Insider Tip: I use Barr & Co. oatmeal hand sanitizer ($4) to wipe off the tray and remote. It smells heavenly and makes the area around my seat smell like a spa the whole rest of the flight!

Who: Carol Ford, Spa Director at Joya Spa at Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia (and also a former flight attendant)

Mileage: Depends on where I vacation, but usually a few thousand per year. That count goes up when I go to Italy…love the Amalfi coast!

Perfect Skin Secret: I’m a big fan of face misting, especially during a flight and on long international trips. I like rose or anything with vitamin C water, which I put in my small sprayer because I don’t want a big anything in my bag. Spritzing my face with water is another way to keep my skin hydrated in the dry cabin environment and works great over makeup. If I have traveled to a super hot and muggy locale (Hola Mexico or Florida), I swipe a cloth over my deodorant so its clean and apply to the areas of my face that get a little too dewy…like my forehead and upper lip. The same ingredients that keep your body from sweating will work on your face. Just don’t do it every day or you could break out.

Insider Tip: My number-one tip is also the easiest: The night before you take that trip, slather an ultra-rich moisturizer on your face before bed. It increases the hydration in your skin before your flight time dehydrates it!

Who: Melanie Brandman, CEO & Founder of The Brandman Agency

Mileage: 175,000 miles

Perfect Skin Secret: I use flying as my own personal spa time. I slather on oils and serums to allow my skin to soak in as much as possible. A few of my favorite products include Shiseido Retinol Express Smoothing Eye Mask ($63)—I even ask for ice water to put the unopened packet in before using the eye mask to make them cold—Shiseido IBUKI Beauty Mask ($40), which melts into my skin, and lavender oil. I spritz the oil on my wrists, temples and pillow.

Insider Tip: I always love to drink a 1Above or take Berocca, which is packed with vitamin B and a staple that I must pick up when I travel home to Australia.

Who: Gabrielle Blitz Rosen, Chief Digital Officer of Beautiful Destinations

Mileage: 47,000 miles.

Perfect Skin Secret: I always make sure to bring plenty of moisturizing products and drink a lot of water! I love the Facial Fuel Eye De-Puffer ($20) from Kiehl’s to brighten my eyes after a long-haul flight. Their Purifying Hand Treatment ($18) is also perfect for hydrating my hands during travels. For overnight flights, I always bring sample-size bottles of Yves Saint Laurent’s OR Rouge Face ($400) and Eye Cream ($225). It’s probably no coincidence that these YSL products have gold casings—they may as well be pots of gold. They keep my skin perfectly smooth and hydrated! I always make sure to drink plenty of water and bring 3-in-1 facial towelettes from The Honest Company to remove any excess makeup before applying the creams.

Insider Tip: I couldn’t go anywhere without a good lip balm!

Who: Petra Roach, U.S. Director of Barbados Tourism Marketing

Mileage: 100,000 miles

Perfect Skin Secret: I love to treat myself to anything by La Mer when I’m flying. The SK-II masks ($17 for one mask) are perfect for when I am on a long-haul overnight flight—I apply it as soon as the cabin lights dim. Vitamin E oil is another essential product for my hands and feet whenever I’m flying.

Insider Tip: Of course, the odd glass of bubbly makes the overall experience that much more relaxing.