3 Flight Attendants Reveal the Products That Help Keep Their Skin Moisturized at 36,000 Feet

If you want advice on how to make the perfect roasted chicken, you turn to Ina Garten. If you want advice on how to keep dehydrated skin moisturized, you turn to a flight attendant, the unlikely expert when it comes to perpetually dehydrated skin. Why? They spend anywhere from 65 to 90 hours a month in one of the world’s driest environments: an airplane.

What makes the air in planes so dry, you may ask?

When you’re at an elevation of 36,000 feet, the increased ozone concentrations at this high altitude result in lower humidity levels (around 20 percent humidity versus the 40 to 70 percent that our skin is comfortable with), which makes the air quality significantly drier. These conditions can result in dull, itchy skin combined with an uneven complexion and overall tightness. And let’s be real: Nobody wants that.

Try as we may to combat this by drinking water and applying our favorite sheet mask no matter what our seatmates think, most of us still exit the plane looking like a shriveled up raisin. Yet flight attendants, somehow, always seem to look glowy at the end of each flight. What gives?

We spoke with three flight attendants and a dermatologist to get to the bottom of how to take care of dehydrated skin (which, BTW is different from dry skin—more on that below) for a plump, glowing complexion, no matter the environment. Fasten your seatbelts, we’re ready for take-off.

Dry vs. Dehydrated Skin

Before we dive into the best in-flight products, it’s important to understand the difference between dry and dehydrated skin. As Dr. Lian Mack explains, “dry skin is a skin type,” meaning that it’s something that can affect you no matter the environment. Those with dry skin lack naturally occurring oils or lipids in the skin, making them more prone to chronic dryness and flakiness. Dehydrated skin, on the other hand, is a temporary condition that anyone can experience. “Dehydrated skin usually means there is a lack of water in the very top layer of skin known as the stratum corneum,” adds Dr. Mack. “It’s important to know you don’t need to have dry skin to have dehydrated skin. Oily and combination skin types can be dehydrated as well.” So fear not, while you may experience dehydrated skin while traveling, it is often temporary and can be treated with a few simple steps.

How to Treat Dehydrated Skin

For long-term moisturizing benefits, Dr. Mack also recommends adding a hydrating serum to your daily skin care regimen. “Its concentrated hydration benefits will instantly soothe dry skin while also offering a deep and long-lasting moisturizing experience,” she says.

To help keep your skin supple during long flights, Josie Vasquez, a flight attendant with United Airlines for more than ten years, swears by using a moisturizing face mask the night before take-off and after landing. She even travels with a mini humidifier that easily plugs into any USB port to keep her skin glowing. Vasquez also avoids salty foods and heavy meals before flights because the high altitude makes it harder for the body to digest, resulting in bloating and an overall dull complexion.

Now that we know why the air in planes is so problematic for our skin, keep scrolling to read how three flight attendants combat this and their favorite go-to products for keeping skin moisturized at 36,000 feet.

Shop the Best Hydrating Skincare Products

Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation® Perfecting Moisturizer

Ask any flight attendant his or her best tip for staying hydrated and the number one recommendation is drinking plenty of water. A close second is the Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation Perfecting Moisturizer. Maureen Kirkland, a flight attendant of seven years with Delta Airlines, tells us that she uses this moisturizer every time she flies without fail. She also uses the brand’s serums as well, but notes that the Sheer Transformation Perfecting Moisturizer is the one product she continuously repurchases. It has a whipped, silky texture that, according to Kirland, “feels like a cool blast of water on the skin.” Pro tip: Kirkland swears by putting the product in the fridge before applying and adding in a small drop of face oil for extra luminosity.

Weleda Skin Food Original Ultra-Rich Cream

“We are constantly washing our hands”, says Vasquez, which is why she turns to Weleda’s Skin Food to keep her hands moisturized and free from deep cracks that can lead to bleeding. “It’s the only product that keeps my hands hydrated, even after I’ve washed them for the 100th time,” she says. Nickell agrees, noting that he always has a small bottle of hand lotion at the bay. Weleda’s Skin Food is ideal for ultra dry skin thanks to the essential fatty acids—along with vitamin E—which moisturize and soften while also working to restore stressed skin. You can apply this anywhere on your body that is in need of extra TLC, including your face, elbows, legs, and even feet. For overnight flights, Vasquez likes to generously apply the cream to her hands and cover them with cotton gloves. “Trust me, it’s a game changer,” she says.

Epicuren Discovery Protein Mist Enzyme Toner

Kirland discovered this mist from another flight attendant who had just returned from Asia. “She let me have a mist or two and I was hooked,” she tells us. Combined with aloe vera and amino acids, this refreshing toner helps to combat dryness and dehydration, while the added biotin helps to create a healthy, youthful glow. And because this is a water-based toner, spraying it before applying your moisturizer (or any products infused with hyaluronic acid) will help the products absorb more easily. “I spritz this on my face and neck multiple times throughout a flight. It has a slight grape scent that gives a little pick-me-up,” adds Kirkland.

Original Post: https://editorialist.com/beauty/flight-attendant-skincare-products/