Latest news with #DukeArmitage
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
I'm a pilot - these 10 carry-on essentials make flying a first-class experience
The summer holiday season has officially landed, and so has the annual rush through crowded airports and cramped plane cabins as millions of jetsetters take off for a much-needed break. Seasoned flyers will know the excitement of the journey often comes with a host of all-too-familiar discomforts at 35,000 feet: dry skin, dehydration, jet lag, and head and body aches. Many of these issues are largely caused by a combination of dry cabin air, low pressure, recycled air, and shared surfaces - so, what exactly does one need to survive flying in a confined space at high altitude for an extended period of time? Duke Armitage, pilot and aviation enthusiast, revealed to Yahoo! Shopping the must-have items passengers should use to arrive at their destination looking fresh and feeling well-rested. Brimming with essentials, the expert's 'comfort kit' includes everything from pilot-approved skincare and tech to hydration boosters. Read on to discover Duke's top ten picks for an upgraded flight experience... Beats Studio Beats Noise is one of the biggest disruptors of in-flight comfort, and a good pair of earbuds can make all the difference. Armitage advised travellers to invest in compact, wireless earbuds such as Beats Studio Buds, which deliver impressive sound quality and active noise cancellation without the bulk of traditional headphones. With more than 57,000 five-star reviews on Amazon, they're praised for their secure fit, customisable ear tip sizes, and user-friendly transparency mode - which allows you to quickly tune in to announcements or chat with flight attendants. Available in red, black or white to match your travel vibe. £69.00 Shop Systane Preservative-Free Eye Drops The ultra-dry air in airplane cabins - which can often be drier than the Sahara - can leave your eyes red, itchy, and irritated, especially on longer flights. These Systane Eye Drops are preservative-free and designed to entrap water to promote greater hydration, lubrication and provide prolonged, long-lasting symptom relief. It also allows restoration of the damaged cells in the ocular surface. £14.99 Shop Humantra Lychee Electrolyte and Antioxidant Drink Mix Air travel is notorious for causing dehydration, which can lead to headaches, fatigue, and a general feeling of sluggishness. Humantra's plant-based, sugar-free electrolyte and antioxidant drink mix is formulated to ease these symptoms with the help of all six essential electrolytes and 100% natural ingredients in a 20-serving pack. It's a completely clean, artificial-free formula that hydrates four times more effectively than water alone. Naturally sweetened with Stevia leaf extract, which means no aftertaste, no sugar crash and no harm to your gut health. £28.00 Shop La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Soothing Hand Cream Cabin air is a recipe for dry, cracked skin — especially on hands exposed to repeated washing and sanitiser use. La Roche-Posay's Cicaplast Soothing Hand Cream is a cult favorite among those who need deep hydration without the grease or scent. Its 4% Niacinamide and 30% Glycerine formula draws moisture into the skin and creates a protective barrier to lock it in. TSA-sized at 50ml, and highly effective, it's the go-to cream for travelers who want to avoid post-flight flakiness. £9.00 Shop Mavogel Cotton Sleep Mask Whether you're on a red-eye flight, or just want to tune out the bright cabin lights, a good sleep mask is essential. This Mavogel mask is made of soft cotton and features a patented nose wire design that blocks out light without applying pressure to your eyes. Its wide band keeps it in place without pulling your hair, and it folds into a compact pouch that tucks easily into any carry-on. With over 63,000 glowing Amazon reviews, it's a budget-friendly sleep solution travelers swear by. £9.49 Shop Aloh Sweet Orange Bergamot + Aloe Sanitizing Hand Wipes - 3 Pack Even with HEPA filters in place, airplanes are still germ hotspots, especially on high-touch surfaces like tray tables, armrests, and seat belts. These alcohol-free hand wipes kill 99.9 per cent of bacteria while moisturising your skin with aloe and essential oils. The refreshing scent blend - including sweet orange, bergamot, eucalyptus, and peppermint - adds a calming aromatherapy boost, perfect for easing in-flight anxiety. Plus, the biodegradable plant-fibre wipes are a more sustainable alternative to traditional sanitisers. £27.99 Shop Vapur Collapsible Wide Mouth Anti-Bottle Staying hydrated in-flight is crucial, but lugging around a bulky water bottle isn't ideal when space is tight. The Vapur Anti-Bottle is a lightweight, foldable, and flexible water container that holds up to one litre, but flattens when empty. It's BPA-free, dishwasher safe, and has a wide mouth for easy refilling at airport water stations. A built-in clip makes it easy to attach to a bag or seat pocket - perfect for sipping throughout your flight without sacrificing precious carry-on space. £11.50 Shop Buffway Slim RFID-Blocking Leather Wallet Knowing your personal data is protected can give you serious peace of mind whilst travelling. This sleek, minimalist wallet features built-in RFID-blocking technology to protect your cards from digital skimming - a growing concern in crowded airports. It's thin enough to fit in your front pocket, passport holder, or travel pouch, and comes in dozens of colours and finishes, from classic black to bold metallics. Over 83,000 five-star ratings have praised its practicality. £36.66 Shop Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream If there's one thing your skin needs mid-flight, it's moisture - and Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream delivers it in spades. This lightweight yet deeply hydrating formula includes squalane (a plant-based emollient), glacial glycoprotein for skin barrier support, and hyaluronic acid to lock in moisture. It absorbs quickly without leaving a greasy residue and is gentle enough for sensitive skin. Available in a TSA-friendly 28ml travel tub, it's a must for keeping your face soft, hydrated, and photo-ready when you land. £18.00 Shop Cliganic USDA Organic Lip Balm 6-Pack Lips are especially vulnerable to cabin air, since they lack oil glands and lose moisture faster than other parts of your skin. Cliganic's organic lip balms are made with beeswax, vitamin E, and essential oils to protect and hydrate. This six-pack comes in a variety of natural flavours - including coconut, mint, citrus, and vanilla - so you can stash one in every bag or share with loved ones. With clean ingredients and no artificial additives, it's a gentle and effective solution for dry, chapped lips. £0.00 Shop
Yahoo
16-03-2025
- Yahoo
These pilot-approved 10 carry-on essentials deliver a first-class experience
When I'm packing for a trip, I'm planning for the destination and the journey — especially when I'm flying. Few people fly more frequently than pilots, and though they're typically the ones doing the heavy lifting (as it were), they're also experts on the topic of in-flight comfort — and they certainly rub elbows with frequent flyers almost daily. So, with a new year of travel plans officially kicked off, I decided to chat with pilot and aviation enthusiast Duke Armitage about how to pack properly for a commute at 30,000 feet, where the air is rarefied (and very dry), perfect strangers are packed into close quarters and legroom is at a premium. Now, if you're flying first class, you're already ahead of the game — but if not, Armitage suggests packing a "comfort kit" (a fanny pack, cosmetics bag or dopp kit will do) filled with TSA-friendly essentials like the ones below. If you have Amazon Prime, you'll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $35 or more.)
Yahoo
23-02-2025
- Yahoo
This pilot-approved lip balm 'keeps lips moist all day' — grab six for $10
Right about now, our lips are feeling the winter blues and they are crying out for not just a balm but a deeply hydrating remedy. If there's anyone who knows something about curing dry skin and chapped lips, it's someone who works at a high altitude where the air is always cold and dry. Our aviation pro's pick? Cliganic USDA Organic Lip Balm and right now, you can get a pack of six for just $10 at Amazon. This set of lip balm goes on sale throughout the year, but we don't expect the price to drop again for a few months. But if winter is making your lips thirsty now, you might want to jump on this deal. We had a chat with pilot and aviation enthusiast Duke Armitage. He gave us the low-down on everything he considers essential when he's working above the clouds, and he listed Cliganic USDA Organic Lip Balm as a must-have. It's packed with good-for-lips ingredients like coconut oil, sunflower seed oil, shea butter and cocoa butter for long-lasting moisture. All blended together, they nourish and shield against chapping, cracking and other signs of dryness. This pack comes with six tubes of flavors: Mint Burst, Citrus, Beeswax, Eucalyptus Mint, Vanilla and Coconut. More than 21,000 shoppers' lips are already on the mend, thanks to this balm. "During winter, my lips get choppy and dry," shared a five-star fan. "I use this lip balm during that time and my lips stay hydrated and moisturized. If you happen to taste it it is not pleasant but the smell is incredible. My favorite is citrus and eucalyptus mint." "Love how long it stays on your lips even if you're a lip licker like me," raved another fan. "Keeps lips moist all day." "I've been trying to heal my lips as well because they're always dry and peeling," another rave reviewer wrote. "Since I've been consistent with using this product during the day, my lips look and feel so much better. Overall, it's a great product. I'm so glad I found this because none of the other lip balms I use ever seemed to help until this one." "This is, hands down, the BEST lip balm that I have ever used," gushed a convert. "I have been using it for less than 12 hours and my dried, cracked lips are healed and feel better than they have in a very long time! It goes on smoothly without dragging and feels amazing!" Some shoppers say this balm could use some adjusting. "The only peeve I have is I wish they had an easier way of peeling off the part around the cap to open it," wrote one shopper. "Other than that I love this!" Another shopper shared: "I feel like they could be a little more moisturizing but overall, I'm super satisfied." If you have Amazon Prime, you'll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $35 or more.) The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.
