How to Take Your Glow on the Go
Surely, you’ve seen our co-founders Sarah and Christine unabashedly sheet-masking on their flights to and from Seoul. They will do anything, anywhere (including sporting a sheet mask in public) if it means they’ll roll off a long-haul flight looking impossibly glowy and fresh-faced. Are you down? Thought so. Here, their top in-flight tricks that will transform your airplane seat into a mini personal spa.
1. Cleanse before boarding
Passport? Check. Neck pillow? Check. Cleanser? Double check! While you’re packing your in-flight essentials, be sure to throw a travel-sized cleanser (like a mini Blueberry Bounce Gentle Cleanser found in the Glow Box Bag, $25, and the Deluxe Pouch, $18, which also include a travel-friendly version of our Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask) so you can wash your face before boarding. It not only removes makeup, but also gently clarifies without stripping the skin of much-needed moisture. Sarah and Christine recommend doing this integral step while you’re still on the ground so you don’t have to subject your skin to recycled airplane water. Because if it’s not safe to drink, it’s not safe for skin! Follow it up with a portable mist, which can also be used to refresh anytime you’re in need of a hit of hydration.
2. Sanitize your hands before applying skincare
Not to gross you out, but your hands are germ magnets that harbor all kinds of bad-for-skin bacteria and dirt that have no business being on your face (or in your body for that matter). Stowing your carry-on luggage in the overhead compartment and buckling your seat belt only make things worse, so always wash your hands before touching your skin or applying any product. If you’re buckled in and the seat belt light is on, use hand-sanitizing cleansing wipes (and give your phone a swipe too, while you’re at it).
3. Get masking!
Now that the lights are off and you’re cruising at 10,000 feet, it’s time to slap on a sheet mask—an all-in-one routine when you’re on the go and the ultimate skin savior when it comes to combating cold, moisture-zapping plane air that holds as little as 10% humidity (even the Sahara desert hovers at about 25%!). It not only provides the lightweight hydration of a 7-skin method-worthy toner, but it also acts as a physical barrier against the stale conditions, and helps trap in all that dewy-ifying serum goodness. A heads up, though: Sheet masks dry out much faster on a plane, so for maximum glowiness, peel it off within 10 minutes while it still has some moisture left.
Our favorites: For straight-up hydrating, go for one of Make P:rem’s Double Layer Sheet Masks ($7). Need a little brightening before landing? Opt for Polatam’s Water Gel Extra Force Brightening Sheet Mask ($6) or a two-step version like Common Lab’s new vitamin sheet masks ($4) that pair a small exfoliating peeling pad and a nourishing mask in one handy packet. Mix, match, and repeat as often as you like. Our co-founder Sarah can cycle through four to five sheet masks in a single 14-hour flight!
4. #MistEverywhere
On a plane, a facial mist becomes your personal humidifier. Whenever your skin starts to feel tight, just give your face a quick spritz to refresh and reboot. We love the new pocket-sized Ausome Mini Hydrating Double Layer Mist ($15), a bi-phase formula that blends calming aloe vera extract and nourishing jojoba oil.
5. Seal it all in
That glossy, dewy feeling you get after a sheet mask only lasts for a precious minute when you’re on a plane. Don’t lose a single drop of hydration; apply a nourishing moisturizer, face oil, or even a sleeping mask as soon as you take off your mask. The extra layer will help prevent dehydration even if you fall asleep and do nothing else.