By Melani O’Meara, Founder of JetSet Botanicals
I’ll start by saying that “I love to travel” is an understatement. I live for every stamp in my passport. I get a dopamine hit every time I see a border agent flip through the pages of my passport to find an empty spot to stamp it. So, while the title of this blog looks a little aggressive...it made ya look. And it’s actually true. I didn’t wake up one day and decide to start a skincare line. It was born in airport lounges, multiple weekly flights, red-eye long hauls, conference life and back-to-back meetings where my skin never caught a break. And I didn’t want to stop.
I used to think I had it all figured out: a quick routine, a good moisturizer, and plenty of water. But weekly corporate travel is its own beast.
The stress. The recycled air. The time zones. There’s nothing that hits the vanity like going from flawless in a conference to kinda scaly by the time you land.
The Hidden Toll of Travel on Skin
Most people think jet lag only affects your energy.
The truth? It shows on your face first.
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Cabin humidity is >10%—drier than the Sahara.
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Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) strips your skin of moisture within hours.
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Pressure shifts and stagnant air trigger puffiness and inflammation.
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Constant hotel AC? Barrier damage and unpredictable breakouts.
And here’s the kicker: drinking water isn’t enough.
Why I Got Fed Up With “Travel-Friendly” Skincare
For years, I lived out of a carry-on. I made my own rule that if the trip was less than 2 weeks, I carried-on. No checked luggage. Which means that all of my toiletries has to pass airport security. Here’s the problem... The skincare I got from my esthetician didn’t come in a travel size. I’m a firm believer in using skincare that supports our aesthetic procedures. Let’s be real, I’m on the botox and lip filler train too. We spend so much money at home on facials, gadgets, procedures, etc. We HAVE to use skincare at home to support these habits. What about when we’re on the go? I tried every travel-size lotion and mist under the sun. Then I tried transferring product into travel containers that would inevitably leak. That was beyond aggravating but not more than the occasional confiscation by the TSA gods.
Nothing was designed for life above the clouds and the grind of constant flights.
That’s when it clicked:
If no one else was building skincare for flyers like me, I’d build it myself.
From Corporate Road Warrior to Founder
I spent years as a corporate traveler. Bouncing between cities, always packing light, but never compromising on performance.
I needed products that worked as hard as I did, so I started studying what actually happens to the body, particularly skin, when you fly:
- How cabin pressure slows circulation
- Why most moisturizers fail in dry air
- Which ingredients really hold moisture when humidity is at zero
The result?
JetSet Botanicals — skincare built on real science, not marketing fluff.
Formulas that hydrate, calm, and protect wherever your passport or laptop takes you.
The Corporate Traveler’s Skin Ritual
I designed our line to work in-flight, in hotels, and in high-stress environments.
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Adapt Repair Toning Serum Crème prepares your skin before every red-eye or marathon workday and works under makeup.
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Altitude Adapt Barrier Recovery Crème cushions your skin against cabin dryness.
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Take Off Balm Waterless Makeup Remover melts the day away while protecting your skin barrier and is a double hitter when paired with our enzyme mask for the superior double cleanse.
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Altitude Recovery Enzyme Mask exfoliates and soothes as an everyday cleanser and does double duty as a mask.
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Carry-On Bundle is your TSA-approved skin survival kit that contains all 4 core collection in one travel ready bag.
Why I Believe Skin Resilience = Career Confidence
In business, showing up polished matters. Putting your best face forward. The most influential female C-Suite executives I know and admire embody this polish and show up present every time. Their confidence and grace combined. That comes from how they show up for themselves and treat themselves. Part of that is a morning routine. Getting ready in the morning sometimes feels like preparing for battle. (We're not even going to talk about rolling out of bed before a Zoom call.) One ingredient to confidence comes from knowing you're putting your best face forward because you use products you can rely on. Skincare built to perform. Your skincare should keep up with you — even when your schedule doesn’t.
Ready to Fly Better?
Grab the Carry-On Bundle designed for frequent flyers like us.