I’ve always had really sensitive skin that’s prone to redness and reacts to what feels like almost everything. For as long as I can remember, I’ve had to be thoughtful about the products I use because my skin can be unpredictable.
Travel tends to make things even more challenging. Between airplane air, changes in climate, stress, and being out of my normal routine, my skin can quickly become dry, irritated, or just not feel like itself.
To be honest, my skin still isn’t perfect — if that even exists — but over the years I’ve learned that finding products that work well for my skin makes a huge difference. After dealing with dryness, redness, and the occasional stress-related reaction, I’ve found a handful of products that I consistently come back to, especially when I travel.
These are the skincare items I pack every time I fly.
Aestura Atobarrier 365 Cream
One of my absolute must-haves in my carry-on is the Aestura Atobarrier 365 Cream.
Aestura is a Korean skincare brand known for products designed with sensitive and dry skin in mind. This cream is formulated with ceramides, fatty acids, and cholesterol to help support the skin barrier.
I use this every day and have noticed that my skin feels much more resilient when I’m consistent with it. I love that it comes in a travel size, and I always pack a few extras in my suitcase. They also make a travel-size cleanser and serum, which I love bringing along.
To save space (and honestly sometimes even at home), I use it as an eye and neck cream too because it works so well for me. I also love that it has no noticeable fragrance.
If I could only bring one skincare item with me while traveling, this would probably be it.
Lux Unfiltered Iced Latte Cooling Under Eye Patches
I love a good face mask and eye mask, but I’ll admit that I don’t usually do a full skincare routine on a long flight. Between my fear of flying and not wanting to be out of my seat too long, I tend to keep things simple.
That’s why I love these under-eye patches. There are so many options out there, but some slide around, feel awkward to wear, or leave too much product behind. These are easy to apply from the (semi)comfort of your airplane seat.
The Lux Unfiltered Iced Latte Cooling Under Eye Patches are formulated with caffeine, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid and are designed to help with the appearance of puffiness, brightness, and hydration.
They’re one of those little travel comforts that make a long flight feel a little more refreshing.
Lanolips Lanostick Moisturizing Lip Balm Stick
I never travel without lip balm because dehydration shows up on my lips almost immediately.
One lip balm I keep reaching for is the Lanolips Lanostick Moisturizing Lip Balm Stick. It’s one of those easy, no-fuss products that I can toss in my bag and reapply throughout the day without thinking about it.
It’s formulated with lanolin, castor oil, jojoba oil, and shea butter, which makes it especially nice when my lips feel dry, tight, or cracked from flying. I also like that it feels comfortable on the lips without being sticky or messy, which is always a plus when I’m traveling.
After trying so many lip balms over the years, this is one of the few that I genuinely keep coming back to. It may not be the cheapest option, but sometimes it’s worth sticking with the product that actually works.
Tower 28 SOS Daily Rescue Spray
This next product has been a game changer for me.
Maybe it’s not a true breakout, but when I’m anxious or stressed, my neck can become red, irritated, and sometimes even develop little bumps. This spray has been incredibly soothing.
The Tower 28 SOS Daily Rescue Soothing Hypochlorous Acid Spray is marketed for the face, but I personally use it all over. I love it after workouts as a calming body spray as well because it feels refreshing and gentle on reactive skin.
This is one of those products I didn’t know I needed until I tried it.
Thayers Cranberry Orange Witch Hazel Facial Mist with Aloe Vera
This one is lightly scented, but it has still earned a place in my air travel favorites.
The Thayers Cranberry Orange Witch Hazel Facial Mist with Aloe Vera is one of those products I’ve loved for years. In fact, I’ve been using Thayers products for over 15 years, so I may have a little bit of a brand weakness.
I know it may seem like overkill to travel with two sprays, but I use them very differently.
I use the Tower 28 more as a treatment when my skin feels reactive, while I use the Thayers mist more as a refresher. I’ll spray it on during travel, press in my Aestura cream afterward for extra hydration, and I even use it as a makeup refresher or setting spray.
My Must-Pack Sensitive Skin Travel Checklist
If you want the quick version, these are the essentials I always make room for in my bag:
- Aestura Atobarrier 365 Cream — My go-to moisturizer for keeping sensitive skin hydrated, calm, and comfortable in dry airplane air.
- Lux Unfiltered Iced Latte Cooling Under Eye Patches — A simple way to help tired, puffy under-eyes feel more refreshed during travel.
- Lanolips Lanostick Moisturizing Lip Balm Stick — Essential for preventing dry, cracked lips when flying dehydrates everything.
- Tower 28 SOS Daily Rescue Spray — My calming spray for redness, irritation, and stress-related flare-ups.
- Thayers Cranberry Orange Witch Hazel Facial Mist with Aloe Vera — A refreshing mist I use to wake up my skin and add a little extra comfort on the go.
Final Thoughts
There are definitely more skincare products that come along with me when I travel, but these are the true tried-and-tested favorites that help keep my skin calm and comfortable.
It’s taken years of trial and error to figure out what works for my sensitive skin, but I’m so happy I finally have a routine that makes traveling feel a little easier.
Because sometimes the little comforts we pack with us are what help us feel most at home — even when we’re thousands of miles away.