Why Flight Attendants Wear Red Lipstick—Plus the 10 Skincare Products They Won't Board a Flight Without

Travel + Leisure

05-05-2025

As a frequent flier, from the plane aisles, it seems there are several unspoken rules that the cabin crew follow. My most pondered one is if it's required that flight attendants wear red lipstick, or is it just a coincidence that almost every stewardess does it. According to former flight attendant Deep Westacott, who still travels regularly in her current role as regional engagement development and performance manager for Cathay Pacific, her colleagues opt for the signature beauty product for a genius reason.
"When you are travelling and feeling tired, a little red gives you a little boost," she told Travel + Leisure . "Red or bright lipstick accentuates the outfit and adds a pop of color. It also makes you feel vibrant; this is especially true when you are travelling and feeling tired."
Even though I'm a travel writer, I hate to admit that I've yet to master the art of curating a portable skincare routine. Fortunately, there are gracious flight attendants, who are wealths of knowledge on all things air travel with the long hours and miles they log for their jobs. Plus, they never fail to look seamlessly glamorous at all times, which also makes them the experts on what to pack.
Whether you want to follow suit with Westacott's go-to lip from MAC Cosmetics—"It has a whipped mousse-like texture and offers 10 hours of hydration"—or are just looking for in-flight skincare tips, Westacott and three other flight attendants from around the world shared their tried-and-true beauty travel essentials below so your toiletry bag stays stocked with the best products.
In 2024, Westacott flew 16 long-haul flights; needless to say, she's got an impressive, multi-step skincare routine down to a tee. 'Effective skincare is crucial as altitude affects dehydration and high UV levels,' she shared. One of the most important steps is applying a lightweight sunscreen after her serums and before her collagen cream.
Another crucial item in Westacott's skincare routine is this Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist while in-flight. She applies it to keep her skin refreshed, as it's infused with rose extract to help improve the skin's moisture barrier by retaining moisture levels in the skin. The mist is also infused with marshmallow root extract to further hydrate and soften dry skin.
Before flight attendant Michelle Stoner applies her signature smudge-proof Fenty Beauty Longwear Lipstick on any flight, she coats her lips with this tinted Dr. PawPaw lip balm to lock in moisture. 'The tinted version is versatile,' she added, noting that it comes in handy before and after long-haul flights, 'so I can dab a little on my cheeks for a pop of color.'
Stoner says this is 'an essential' as she's prone to dry skin on board (aren't we all!?). 'It smells amazing, just like a spa, and it's not greasy at all,' she said of the nourishing formula. Plus, the 2.4-ounce (TSA-approved) tubes are made from 100 percent recycled aluminum, and the ultra-moisturizing balm is vegan and paraben-free.
'This serum is basically the Avengers of skincare,' quipped Charissa Cooper, a flight attendant of six years who's currently working for Emirates. 'Wrinkles, aging— poof , gone. It's like a superhero squad for your face.' She said she likes to apply this as a first layer to fully sink in before moving on to her next skincare step.
This cream should be your best friend before foundation, Cooper shared. 'It's like a primer that hugs your face and says, 'I've got you,'' she added. Made with Japanese purple rice, which fights off everything from stress to UV rays, this is basically your daily shield against life's pollutants: 'It's like putting an [Instagram] filter on your face.'
The cabin pressure and dehydrating nature of flying can easily leave your skin looking dull. 'This mask is like a shot of espresso for your face,' Cooper said, explaining that she uses this mask weekly to plump, hydrate, and 'make you look like you've been to a skin retreat for the weekend.'
'I know it's old school,' Cooper prefaced, 'but Vaseline is like the holy grail of lip hydration," and likes to slather it on the night before a flight to wake up with plump lips that are prepared to tackle the dry cabin air and ensure the perfect application of her Sephora Cream Lip Stain Liquid Lipstick. But, it seems to still be the holy grail for hydration, period. For Rebeca, a flight attendant for seven years, Vaseline is her hack to making her under-eyes look rested after long flights. Over at Amazon, you can get this carry-on-friendly version for $6.
As another flight attendant whose face is prone to completely drying out in the air, Rebeca has found The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% serum as the best primer for her look. 'I always apply this before applying moisturizer, and I feel my skin becoming hydrated,' she said, highlighting that the step has another benefit: 'It helps my makeup blend smoothly on my skin.'
'No matter how much water I drink, I am still prone to dry lips,' Rebeca explained. But this Caudalie Lip Conditioner 'feels like a blanket of moisturizer' under her favorite Nars Powermatte Lip Pigment that makes her look and feel "fresh and professional." She trusts it so much that, whenever she's in Paris, she purchases 'at least five' of them: 'I love the texture; it glides on my lips effortlessly, it's neither sticky nor does it have a scent, and it doesn't dry off my lips as fast as others.'
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