Flying can cause havoc with your skin. Here’s how to keep it looking fresh

There’s no doubt flying can cause havoc with your skin. The best way to combat the drying cabin air, where the humidity is low, is to have your on-board skin kit ready.

But for international travellers departing from Sydney Airport there’s also the option of the private pod in the new La Prairie Art of Beauty Lounge. It’s the perfect place to prep your skin for the onslaught that comes with hurtling towards your destination in a metal tube. A 45-minute treatment ($270) hydrates skin by starting with a deep cleanse, following it with a facial massage and finishing with a hand and arm massage.

If this pre-flight pampering isn’t an option, remember that skin gets so dehydrated when flying that it sucks moisture out of your make-up, leaving it looking dull. For this reason, be sure to clean your face straight after take-off. We love Scott + Sullivan’s The Cleansing Pad ($60 for 60).

Once cleansed, the trick to keeping skin hydrated is to use a hydrating serum – try Medik8 Hydr8 B5 Intense ($108) – then seal with a face oil. The Ordinary’s 100% Organic Cold Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil ($19) or Vaseline ($4.29) work well.

To give yourself a treat (and keep fellow passengers amused), masks are a must. Try Lano Face Base Aussie Flyer Recovery Mask ($26) for your face, and Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Concentrated Recovery Eye Mask ($150, pack of eight) for your eyes.

And don’t neglect your lips. We recommend Ole Henriksen Pout Preserve Peptide Lip Treatment ($29), a peptide-rich balm that helps to boost collagen and to smooth and hydrate parched lips.

To combat fluid retention, apply Legology Air-Lite Contouring Leg Cream ($129) before and during your flight (airline crew swear by it). Also, flex your feet back and forth as you sit. This will keep lymphatic fluid moving and help avoid puffy feet. As a final fix, and with your flight under way, dab Aromatherapy Associates Inner Strength Roller Ball ($42) under your nose to help with any in-flight wooziness.

Now, for the exit strategy. We suggest spritzing a refreshing mist such as Clinique Moisture Surge Face Spray ($52) to pep up your skin as you come in to land. For a finishing touch, puff up dull, flat hair with Klorane Dry Shampoo With Oat Milk ($17). You will arrive feeling human again.