The 9 Beauty Products You Need for Your Next Flight, According to the Pros

Our obsession with skin care doesn’t stop once we’re wheels up, so it’s little wonder that in-flight skin care routines on social media have ballooned to some 42.9 million posts at press time. Of course, you can pop on a face mask, headphones, and eye mask, and fall asleep without doing anything else. But if you enjoy a little self-care during an especially long trip or have some time before takeoff, you might want something extra. So which products are worth our time when on board, much less precious room in our carry-ons? For that, we polled five beauty experts on how to maximize skin and hair health while flying the friendly skies.

1. Sunscreen

Chief among our queries: Should we really wear SPF on planes? Celebrity esthetician Renée Rouleau (whose clients include Demi Lovato and Sabrina Carpenter) shares her golden rule: “If in daylight, sunscreen should be worn on land or at 35,000 feet,” she says. She recommends booking the window seat and shutting the shade after boarding.

But not all sunscreen guidelines apply when in the air. “My belief is that SPF doesn't need to be reapplied on the plane because it should hold up for a longer period of time when you're not in direct sunlight,” she says. We love Renée Rouleau’s Weightless Protection SPF 30 because it’s lightweight and feels like nothing on the skin.

2. Waterless Cleansers

Dr. S. Manjula Jegasothy, M.D., a Miami-based dermatologist and clinical associate professor of dermatology at the University of Miami, loves to start each flight with a quick facial cleanse, but hates bringing “precious toiletries into the nasty bathroom” — and we couldn’t agree more. To avoid that, the derm suggests packing micellar water-infused wipes to quickly remove makeup and cleanse skin, but with a formula that’s soothing and not abrasive. 

Fig 1 Micellar Oil Cleansing Wipes, drenched in the brand’s widely loved micellar oil cleanser, do the job spectacularly and with zero single-use waste: They biodegrade in the trash within 14 days or instantly under running water.

Another waterless way to clean skin? Lipid-free cleansing lotions, such as Cetaphil Travel Size Gentle Skin Cleanser. “These non-lathering, hydrating cleansers are great to use on the airplane because they effectively remove dirt from the skin without the need for water,” says Joshua Zeichner, M.D., a New York-based, board-certified dermatologist and associate professor in the department of dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital. He calls this option “the prototypical example,” adding, “Believe it or not, it can be applied to the skin, then wiped off with a paper towel. Plus, it leaves behind a hydrating film to protect the skin.”

3. Sheet Masks

If you’re the type of flier who loves to create a conversational shield from talkative seatmates, earbuds and a sheet mask frequently do the trick. Social cues aside, Dr. Zeichner calls these TSA-friendly masks “a great option for use in flight” and suggests packing hydrating and calming options to moisturize and soothe the skin. Patchology Calm Soothing No Mess Mud Mask is ideal for sensitive and dry skin types, thanks to redness-reducing pink calamine, colloidal oatmeal, and niacinamide. Plus, it won’t make a mess, as the solution it’s soaked in is far less slippery than most.

4. Lip Treatment

“We all know how badly cabin air dries out the lips,” Dr. Jegasothy says. That's why she recommends packing an emollient lip balm for the ride. We’ve recently fallen in love with Primera Retinol Volume Lip Serum, which acts more like a treatment than a balm. With plant-derived collagen, ceramides, and hyaluronic acid, this non-sticky formula wraps your lips in cushiony hydration and line-minimizing retinol, and colors them in the most flattering your-lips-but-better pink, all while building volume and moisture over time.

5. Hydrating Serum

“We know that humidity on flights is typically low, which can contribute to dryness,” Dr. Zeichner says. To help restore hydration, he suggests applying a hyaluronic acid serum to clean skin, then sealing hydration with an occlusive moisturizer. “Hyaluronic acid is good at grabbing onto water, but it’s not as good at holding it in place,” he says, “which is why it’s important to use it under a traditional moisturizer that can form a protective seal on the surface of the skin.” Shani Darden Skin Care Moisture Boost Plumping Serum features a trifecta of proven hydrators: hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and snow mushroom.

6. Occlusive Moisturizer

There’s a reason LanoLips Face Base Lanolin and Vitamin E Day Cream is a TSA-friendly bestseller: It works as an overnight mask for in-flight use, restoring and deeply nourishing skin, no matter how many hours of moisture-robbing air pressure you face. 

7. Do-It-All Eye Cream

One of Dr. Jegasothy’s onboard skin care must-haves is a soothing eye cream with brightening qualities that can double as a facial and neck moisturizer while in flight. Said eye cream must also come in an airless container — because the last place traveling fingers should touch is the inside of a jar of skin care. Element Eight O2 Caffeine Eight Active Eye Cream is an oxygen-powered eye cream that ticks all the boxes: It’s made with firming peptides, brightening caffeine, and a novel mechanism that encapsulates and delivers liquid oxygen to skin cells (something that promises to boost blood flow by 70%). The resulting hydration boost makes for skin that looks hydrated and feels alive even after a grueling long-haul flight.

8. Silk Pillow or Wrap

Whether it’s static buildup from hair being pressed against headrests or a dent in your hair from wearing an elastic for hours on end, your tresses are destined to look a mess after a flight. That’s why Mark Townsend, a celebrity stylist who works with Dakota Johnson and Riley Keough, suggests bringing your own silk or satin pillowcase for in-flight use. (We’re partial to the Lunya Washable Silk Travel Pillow.) “Doing this and putting hair in a loose topknot can reduce or prevent [unwanted] frizz and tangles,” he says. Don’t want to lug a travel pillow with your carry-on? A silk wrap can achieve the same results.

9. Spray-In Bond Builder

Add this to your list of pre-flight prep: After shampooing hair, spray a bond-building hair treatment, such as Epres Bond Repair Treatment, from the midsection to the tips of the hair. “It’s great to have in while flying to treat damaged and color-treated hair and protect it from [the] drying effects of cabin air,” says celebrity hair colorist Matt Rez, whose clients include Hailey Bieber and Dua Lipa. Rinse out after landing for a boost in hair shine, health, and strength.