Your skin on a plane: the driest air of your trip
By Jeremy Fain, founder of Restelys. Updated 17 October 2026. 2 sources cited.
In flight, cabin air is often drier than desert air. Your skin feels it on arrival, and your hotel shower can make up for it.
Studies of air quality on airliners report very low relative humidity during long-haul flights, often well below what is found in a home.
Dermatology research has established that low humidity reduces skin hydration and weakens its barrier. After several hours in flight, it is no surprise that skin looks dull and feels tight.
On arrival, the right reflex is a lukewarm shower followed by lotion on still-damp skin. And for the journey itself, our toiletry pouch keeps the essentials at hand.
Sources
- Nagda N.L., Hodgson M. “Low relative humidity and aircraft cabin air quality”. Indoor Air, 2001.
- Engebretsen K.A. et al. “The effect of environmental humidity and temperature on skin barrier function and dermatitis”. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2016.
The studies cited concern the ingredient or the skin, not our finished products.
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