How To Look Good on a Plane

Flying the friendly skies can wreak havoc on many things: your sanity, your sleep schedule and your workout are just a few. But, for us, the most pressing problem is our skin and makeup.

Airplanes present special beauty conundrums found no place else on earth: Averaging 20% humidity, cabin air is dryer than the Sahara Desert, and acts like a moisture-sucking vacuum cleaner on the skin, leaching precious skin-plumping moisture faster than you can say "wrinkle."

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There's also the fact that we're only allowed to bring 3 oz bottles of most skincare products aboard planes, and many of us and too fickle -- and too lazy -- to deal with transferring our pricey skin creams to clunky travel bottles.

So on board a plane our skincare options are just that -- plain.

We turned to Ulta.com Beauty Expert Stella Nichols for easy tips to keep our skin healthy while traveling. With a little tender love and care (and some amazing products, of course!) we can keep ourselves looking glowing, healthy and refreshed, no matter how many miles we log in a year.

Use A Primer: To avoid the caked-on look that happens when makeup meets moisture-less cabin, prepping the skin with a hydrating primer prior to slicking on foundation. It's one of the most effective ways to enhance the durability and overall quality of your foundation, says Nichols. She recommends Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer, to smooth fine lines and pores, allowing your foundation to glide on beautifully and better withstand harsh elements.

A spritz of hydrating mist can be the difference between dry skin and gorgeous skin.

Make it Last: When you have to go straight from the airport to a big meeting, it's essential that your makeup stays put through the flight. Nichols suggests eyelid primer: "Once you apply a small amount before your eye shadow, you'll wonder how you ever lived without it," Nichols says. A good eyelid primer, will keep your eye shadow from creasing, fading, and greatly intensify the pigment payoff. But remember -- eyelid primer and foundation primer are not substitutes for one another, so don't try to use the same product for the face and lids. Foundation primer smooths and protects while eyelid primer serves as a sticker for your shadow pigment.

Good Hydrations: It may seem like a daunting task, but its important to add moisture to the skin when you are 30,000 feet above ground. As your last step, Nichols recommends lightly spraying the face with a hydrating mist after you have completed your makeup application. They'll soak skin with vitamins and minerals, while setting your makeup with a dewy finish.

Reapply, Often: Flying leaves skin thirsting for moisture. "Keep it in your purse and spray anytime throughout the day when you feel you need replenish tired, weathered skin," she says. Keeping the hydrating mist with you at all times makes reapplying often a simple task.