I know what it takes to maintain your daily skincare routine, when you’re fighting hard to get a few extra minutes in bed in the morning or all you want to do is snooze on the sofa at the end of a very long day. But the hardest to look after the skin is when you’re on a 12-hour flight to the other end of the planet, crammed in a tight Economy seat and stuck to your neck pillow. Sadly, this, right here, is one of the most crucial moments when you should actually try your hardest to cleanse, tone and moisturise, as dry cabin air, pollution, bacteria and dirty hands, dust, lack of sleep and physical exhaustion are most likely to wreak havoc on your complexion. Because when you feel jet-lagged, you can already be certain that it will show on your skin in no time – and will take a while to heal.

Step 1. Gather your best samples and minis

This is the right time to pack all those samples that have been kicking around your cosmetics bag or any small packs and minis of your favourite cleansers or moisturisers. I recently discovered Tropic Skincare, who do a simple range of basics in a travel-size version, including a beautifully aromatic 50ml Smoothing Cleanser and a lightweight 30ml Vitamin Toner mist, plus a handy bamboo cloth that can easily be used on the plane to freshen up. If you’re wearing eye make-up you can pack some of your micellar cleanser in a small container (Boots do a complete set for only £3), as well as some no-fuss cleansing wipes. I like my Knours. In-Bed Cleansing Wipes – they’re mostly natural and quick to use without leaving your skin too wet.

Step 2. Arm yourself with a high-quality skincare oil

After double cleansing and toning, preferably with a refreshing mist to help jumpstart the moisture process, the best product you can introduce to your in-flight routine is a dry  oil that can counteract the harsh plane environment. Massage it in gently and slowly, allowing your skin to soak it up and create a protective lipid layer to prevent further moisture loss. I love my mini Herbivore Botanicals Lapis Balancing Facial Oil – it smells great, it’s easy to apply with its handy pipette and it really works for my acne-prone skin. I recommend reapplying the every 3-4 hours, whenever you take a quick toilet break. This trick has been working wonders during my last few flights, keeping my skin looking less tired than usual.

Step 3. Give your skin the best recovery time with an overnight mask

After a stressful long-haul flight, when you’ve travelled over numerous time zones and faced the adversities of urban life at its maximum, the best way to help your skin wind down is to start with a thorough cleanse (I love NIOD’s Sanskrit Saponins, with a distinctive plant-heavy smell and a rich balm texture reducing inflammation while removing any trace of impurities). For a quick re-texturising step after the cleanse, I like using Juice Beauty Stem Cellular Exfoliating Peel Spray, which is the fastest acting plant-based acid – just a brief spritz and massage will remove dead surface cells and soften skin. I also fell in love with Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask, which I prefer to use as an overnight mask and not rinse off till the morning. It’s moisturising and dense enough to act throughout the night, yet not too heavy to clog up the pores and result in more inflammation. Believe me when I say I deeply hate the fact that Kim Kardashian and I love the same face mask, but I’ve learned to embrace it! Plus it still looks damn pretty and instagrammable even by the time it’s half empty…