By Melani O'Meara, Founder of JetSet Botanicals
Let’s clear something up right off the bat. I’m not coming for your regular skincare routine.
The moisturizer you paid $100+ didn’t suddenly stop working. Flying simply changes the rules. And now, your high-end moisturizer is operating in conditions it wasn’t designed for.
Here’s what’s actually happening... It has everything to do with the cabin’s environment.
We all understand seasonal skincare. Lighter formulas in summer. More protection in winter. We adjust because the environment changes. Flying is no different. It’s just a season no one talks about.
At altitude, cabin humidity drops to levels lower than most deserts. That alone changes how skin behaves. Add reduced oxygen, altered circulation, and recycled air, and you’ve created conditions your everyday skincare was never designed for.
Here’s the part most people miss. Hydration is not the same as protection.
When you’re flying, your skin doesn’t just lose water. It loses its ability to hold onto it. This is called transepidermal water loss (TEWL), and it increases significantly at altitude.
So, you apply your moisturizer. It feels fine… for a moment. Then suddenly your skin feels tight again. Or dull. Or irritated. That’s not because your skin needs more hydration. It’s because the barrier that keeps hydration in is compromised. This is where “just drink more water” and “use a heavier cream” fall apart. Without barrier support, hydration escapes as quickly as you apply it. It’s like pouring water into a glass with a crack in the bottom and wondering why it won’t stay full.
Flying is its own season. And most moisturizers are formulated for ground-level living.
Once you start thinking this way, everything changes. You stop chasing glow mid-flight. You stop layering endlessly. You start prioritizing formulas that help skin adapt, protect, and stay resilient under pressure.
This shift (from hydration-first to barrier-aware) is the foundation of how I think about travel skincare. Not more steps. Not heavier textures. Just smarter support for what your skin is actually experiencing in that moment.
Next week, I’ll show you what that looks like in practice and how to prep your skin before wheels up so it doesn’t spend the entire flight trying to catch up.
IYKYK. And your skin will thank you,
- Melani -
Founder, JetSet Botanicals
P.S. Did you know, our skin has a circadian rhythm? Flying disrupts it. We’ll unpack why next week.