As I sit here on my flight from Florida back to New York, I thought it would be the perfect time to blog. I travel a lot, it's a great perk having a sister who is a flight attendant. Thanks Allison. Planes are filthy. I read an article that made me think twice about everything I touch on a airplane. It said the seat back pockets are the dirtiest part, that second to the tray table. If you travel on the best airline, Jet Blue, you have the TVs at every seat. With the TV comes the little bacteria filled remotes on your armrest. Basically I sit in my seat, don't touch anything, and don't get up the whole flight. I could go on and on about other dirty parts of an airplane but let's stay on track here.
Let's talk about what you should do while traveling.....
1. Stay hydrated - one of the best things you can do for your skin during a flight is to drink a lot of water. Cruising at 36,000 feet in recycled air does a number on your skin. Whenever the environment is moisture-free (i.e. recirculated air in a plane) the air actually draws moisture from wherever it can, including your skin. I keep a glass water bottle in my travel bag. Most airports have water bottle refill stations by the gates. You can fill up before you board so you have lots of water for the flight. You should also try to avoid coffee and alcohol on the flight as it dries out your skin even more. This might be hard, especially since Jet Blue sells splits of champagne now..
2. Bring a hydrating mist - your skin produces more oil trying to battle the dehumidified air while on a plane. Hydration sprays will help absorb the oil and help the skin stay hydrated. Rose water helps hydrate, revitalize and moisturize the skin. My favorite is Cortas, which is a product if Lebanon and sold at most European stores. It's $2 and comes in a large glass bottle that i just transfer it to a smaller spray bottle. The Vitamin Shoppe also sells this Heritage Store Rose Water. Tarte also has great one, Rainforest of Sea 4-in-1 Setting Mist. A portable, multipurpose setting spray that primes, sets, hydrates, & refreshes skin while locking down makeup for 12 hours. It's important to spray right before you board. Spraying inflight is useless as the dry air pulls out the moisture right after its applied.
3. Bring lip balm - low cabin humidity dries out your lips. The average comfortable humidity level for humans is 40-70 percent; most airplane cabin humidity levels are at around 20 percent. You should bring a chemical free, oil-based, lip balm that actually locks in moisture. Some great ones are, Dr. Bronner Lip Balm, Beautycounter Lip Conditioner, Badger Balm, and Eco Lips.
4. Bring hand sanitizer - revert to the first paragraph, planes are dirty. Bring hand sanitizer and use it often. If you must use the tray table, spray some sanitizer on a napkin and wipe it down first. You should also wipe down the armrest with the remote. Do you know how many fingers have been on that per day? Yuck! Try Dr. Bronner Hand Sanitizer or Everyone Hand Sanitizer.
Safe travels xoxo
