The cabins of airplanes have extremely low humidity, which will cause skin to get extremely dehydrated (lack of water). They dry air looks for moisture where it can get it and that means robbing it right from your skin!  Dry skin will become drier, but did you know that oily skin will get even oilier when flying on a plane? When the skin has no water, it attempts to compensate for the dehydration by producing more oil—which is the last thing that oily skin needs. But for dry skins that have no oil glands, the skin will be depleted of its water content.

Bottom line: Airplanes can wreak havoc on the skin!

Here are a few helpful tips from Plano’s own skin care expert, Renée Rouleau, to help maintain gorgeous and glowing skin, before, during and after flying in an airplane. 

Get your skin flight-ready:

Use a skin serum under sunscreen
Since the cabin of airplanes have low humidity, you must load your skin up with as much hydration and protection as possible. Apply a skin serum under sunscreen to deliver moisture deep within the layers of the skin while providing an occlusive seal to help the skin retain its moisture. Look for serums using ingredients like Dimethicone, Cyclomethicone and Hyaluronic Acid. Renée Rouleau Intensive Firming Serum uses these ingredients and is ideal while flying. 

Make sure to apply sunscreen over skin serum
Did you know that when you are in an airplane, you're closer to the sun so UV damage is at its greatest? The windows on an airplane don't filter out damaging UV rays, so even though you are not in direct sunlight, you are still exposed to the harmful rays. And we all know, UV rays = skin aging and wrinkles. Wear a minimum of SPF #15 on the face, neck and sides of the neck. Also, foundation makeup containing SPF is not enough. The sunscreen must be built into your moisturizer.

Caring for your skin while on the plane:

Choose aisle over window seats when flying in an airplane (and shut the shade). 
Not only are you getting massive amounts of sun exposure since you're closer to the sun, but when sitting in the window seat, you're subjecting your skin to more UV rays. If you do have a window seat, just shut the shade!

Do NOT mist your skin with a hydrating spray. 
For years, skin care experts have suggested to mist your skin with a hydrating spray to keep it moist. This is a no-no, for sure! The worst thing you can do is spray those misters on the skin. Why? Since the air is so dry, it looks for water wherever it can get it and since water attracts water, when you spray the skin it takes all the water from the deep layers in the skin and gets evaporated into the dry air! The result is even drier skin. Your best bet is to leave the skin as is. 

Drink plenty of water. 
It's always beneficial to keep your body hydrated while flying, so drinking plenty of water is important. While it doesn't benefit the skin as much as you would think, it's still important for your body.

Post-flight care:
Use a mild facial scrub.
When arriving at your destination (hotel, home or other), cleanse your skin and use a mild facial scrub to remove surface dry skin cells caused from flying. Be sure to avoid facial scrubs containing natural grains such as apricot kernels, walnut husks and almonds as the sharp edges can scratch and irritate the skin. Instead, use scrubs containing polyethylene, jojoba beads or micro-beadlets. Try Renée Rouleau Micro Crystal Cream.

Treat your skin to a hydrating mask post-flight.
After exfoliating with a facial scrub, it's important to add back essential hydration and brighten the skin from post-flight dullness. Rouleau prefers gel masks because they have the highest water content. Renée Rouleau Azulene Gel Mask is both calming and deeply hydrating to ensure your skin gets the moisture it needs. It feels so cool and refreshing on the skin after traveling. Leave on 15 minutes, rinse well and apply moisturizer.

Visit www.reneerouleau.com for more information.