Tips to Look Fresh Even After a Long Haul Flight

Long-haul flights can take quite a toll on the body, and therefore, it’s rather normal to see people who’ve been through them arrive at their destination in less-than-ideal conditions. At times, though, people may need to attend events right as they land, and for that, they need to look their best. Did anyone see Taylor Swift showing signs of jetlag courtesy of her flight from Japan straight to the Super Bowl? She was even spotted looking fresh at the after-party! How do people manage this? A Qatar Airways crew who’s accustomed to being on these long flights revealed some of the secrets they and some A-listers, as well as business moguls, use to look their best even after these tiring flights.

Dress Right & Pack Accordingly

Woman sit by window of airplane during flight
Image Credit: Shutterstock / Vasin Lee

This tip could literally be called “bring pajamas.” At least, that’s one of the direct recommendations made by the cabin crew. That can be easier said than done, particularly for passengers in the seats near the back of the plane. What anyone can do, though, is make sure they don’t wear their contacts on a long trip. Stick to regular glasses so that your eyes don’t dry up. Another tip here is to bring a hoodie or a jacket with you on board to stay comfortable. If you need an extra blanket, that could be a good idea as well.

Get Enough Sleep

Woman sleeping in airplane.
Image Credit: Shutterstock / kudla

Another tip that’s going to be easier said than done, and it actually helps a lot if you’re sitting near the front of the plane. Regardless of all this, anyone is going to benefit from getting enough sleep on a long-haul flight. It’s harder to look well-rested and fresh when you aren’t well-rested. Therefore, this is one of the most obvious tips out there. Following the first tip about packing accordingly can help out a ton to ensure that you can get more rest.

Freshen Up If & When You Can

Passenger woman sitting on a chair and doing makeup in airport.
Image Credit: Shutterstock / PONG HANDSOME

Anything you can do to freshen up during the trip and when you arrive is going to help a ton. If you have a regular skin routine that you go through at night, try and make sure that it stays the same even as you’re cruising 10,000 feet in the air. Once you arrive, giving yourself at least a splash of cold water in the face could help with the bags under the eyes. Lip balm is another one of those unsung heroes in this department as well.

Try To Stay Comfortable in Your Layovers

Hotel sign with a reflection of an airplane on the windows.
Image Credit: Shutterstock / Photobank.kiev.ua

Layovers can be tougher on the body than being on the plane itself. Sure, you’ll have more room to stretch out when you’re on a layover. The problem is seating is usually incredibly uncomfortable, and things get progressively worse if you’re trying to sleep with those same arrangements. If you can access any premium lounge, that’s obviously going to be an ideal scenario – especially one with adequate spaces to rest. But if you can’t and you need to be look fresh when you arrive, you might want to consider renting a space in one of those capsule hotels that most airports feature these days.

Get Some Sunlight

Back side of traveler girl looking at the flying plane above the sea.
Image Credit: Shutterstock / Kite_rin

This works on and off the plane. On some flights, you’re traveling through the night so it’s obviously going to be hard to get enough sun. Plus, it’s very common for pilots to dim the lights in the cabin. In that case, what you’ll deal with is about seven or eight hours of darkness. When you arrive at your destination, you’re going to look and feel like you’ve been in a movie theater for that amount of time. That means it’s going to be harder to open your eyes; contact with sunlight could even physically hurt. If you’re squinting all the time, you’re naturally not going to look all that fresh. That’s why if you can let some light in from time to time during the flight you should try and do so. Once you arrive, try and stay in the sun a little bit longer, even if it hurts, until you get used to it.

Stay Hydrated

Woman drinks water during flight in an airplane.
Image Credit: Shutterstock / BLACKDAY

This is a must if you want to arrive at your destination looking good. One of the reasons why people refrain from staying hydrated during flights, however, is that they don’t want to get up to go to the bathroom repeatedly. That’s a very understandable reason to want to limit your liquid intake. If you want to look as fresh as you can, however, you have to find a balance here.

Lay Off the Booze

Girl drinks alcohol from duty free in the plane.
Image Credit: Shutterstock / More Than Production

Staying hydrated is a good idea, but it’s also important to remember that not every drink out there is going to “hydrate” you the right way. Having too much to drink on land, when you can move around and even get enough sleep, is enough to have you looking terrible, so imagine those same effects in a metal tube where you can’t go anywhere. That’s not to say you can’t have a couple of cocktails to help you sleep. Once you start feeling sleepy, though, put the glass down and get some rest!

Mario Perez

Author: Mario Perez

Bio:

Mario is a seasoned journalist who’s worked with multiple publications over the years. He has a passion for looking for that story within the story itself. When he’s not actively looking for breaking news, he enjoys playing and watching sports.

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