Review
Skin care in the air? These are my favorite under-eye patches when I’m traveling
We tested and reviewed expert recommended products to ensure healthy, glowing skin during, before, and after your flight.
By Andriana Kourkoumelis
A travel-friendly, step-by-step routine is a must for me to feel refreshed while en route to my destination.
I am a frequent traveller who loves to do skincare while flying — but I have broken out more times than I would like to admit. As someone who has tested many skincare products over the years, I wanted to see if under-eye patches were something I could add to my in-the-air beauty bag.
In this article, I reviewed different under-eye patches and expert recommended products to finally perfect my travel skincare routine.
Hailey Bieber’s brand, Rhode, released peptide eye prep under-eye patches — quickly becoming the hottest travel accessory. Their portability and mess-free application make them perfect to throw in a personal item or carry on.
Competitors like Topicals and Dieux launched campaigns over the past few years displaying under-eye patches as part of your look on travel days or running errands as well, marking this a trend in the skincare space.
Why is skincare important while flying?
The skin barrier may suffer while flying, due to low humidity and high altitude, leading to breakouts, dryness, swelling or eczema. Travel friendly skincare products and a proper routine can prevent or aid these issues.
As someone with acne prone skin and skin texture, the harsh conditions of air travel have often led to flareups — and the last thing I need on vacation is a huge pimple.
Potoula Anagnostakos, a licensed esthetician at Feel Wellness Spa, explains how airplanes and airports are a breeding ground for bacteria, so it’s important to make sure your hands are clean before applying any product to your face. That’s one of the reasons why single-use products that don’t require too much skin to skin contact, like Rhode’s peptide eye prep, really shine when traveling.
“The one-time use things are helpful, also so you’re not having to carry so much of it back,” Anagnostakos says. She explains that people go wrong when doing airplane skincare by not considering the fact that the cabin recycles air throughout the flight, thus not necessarily making for the ideal environment to apply cleanser, moisturizer, SPF, and eye cream all in your seat.
“When you get out of the plane, you can go into the bathroom in the airport and you can do your skincare from there,” she says.
With that being said you can also prepare for your flight by washing your hands well, doing your skincare at the airport you are departing from, bringing along travel sized skincare in a carry-on, and using single-use products or sprays on the actual flight.
Dr. Kalliope Kyriakides, DO of Astoria Dermatology explains that the under-eye area is an extremely sensitive, and delicate part of the skin.
“The under eye area is very stubborn, and often there are genetic and lifestyle factors that contribute to puffiness and dark circles. It's important to keep that in mind before you break the bank on an expensive product,” Kyriakides says.
I am prone to puffiness when waking up —and it’s usually worse when I’m traveling.
After testing, I saw an immediate difference and looked more awake after use. For me, I was convinced that under-eye patches would be my new travel staple.
What’s on the inside? These are the most common ingredients in under-eye patches
- Peptides: A trending ingredient, peptides work to build collagen and elastin that help smooth the skin, strengthen the skin barrier, and reduce inflammation.
- Caffeine: Temporarily reduces eye bags and puffiness, according to Kyriakides. “It works by constricting the blood vessels in the area and taking down swelling, but it is not a long-term fix,” she says.
- Niacinimide: Seen in a variety of different skincare products and often recommended for acne-prone skin types, this ingredient helps regulate oil production and helps lighten dark spots. “Some people do have irritation or sensitivity to it so make sure to test a spot first before applying to a large area,” Kyriakides recommends.
- Hyaluronic Acid: Can help reduce fine lines and hydrate the skin. This ingredient also works very well with Niacinamide, according to Anagnostakos. “They work beautifully together, because hyaluronic acid really focuses on hydration and plumping your skin. Niacinamide is helping to really make that barrier on your skin stronger. The two of them together give a really nice brightening effect,” she says.
- Hydrogel: This is what the patch itself is made of, and how it sticks to the skin. Patches are made up of water, active compounds, polymers, and different additives that work to heal the skin barrier. Hydrogel is also known for its soothing, cooling effect.
Below, I compiled a list of the best under-eye patches I tested to bring on your next flight — followed by an expert recommended skincare routine perfect for on-the-go to use in conjunction with your single-use products.
The best under-eye patches for traveling
Best overall
These hydrogel under-eye patches work best on clean, dry skin and have a cooling effect. In my experience, they grip very well on the skin and stay on for about 30 minutes upon first use.
It’s recommended you keep them on for 15 minutes, however, they are so lightweight I forgot I had them on. When removing I found that the patch did not tug on my skin, which is a plus.
The main ingredient, peptides, are found across other Rhode skincare products. I found my skin looking smoother after a week of consistent use, so I asked Kyrikiades if the ingredient could be behind this effect.
“Peptides are compounds that are made up of amino acids — aka the building blocks of proteins — that are currently being used across many different medical specialties. In skin care, they can help boost collagen growth and slow its breakdown, and repair the skin to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
Since peptides are fairly new to the dermatology space, their absorption properties and overall efficacy are still being optimized so I recommend doing your research into the specific peptide before purchasing,” she says.
When it comes to travel, my third use was actually on a three hour flight to Florida from New York. Following all the skincare tips for travel prior to use, I decided to test the patches after an hour-long mid-flight nap. The single-use package was extremely convenient and easy to dispose of and immediately after removal I felt and looked refreshed.
Darkness under my eye was minimized significantly, likely due to the caffeine. Overall this product lived up to the popularity, and certainly established itself as a travel must for me going forward.
Best for brightening
Topicals Faded Under Eye Masks include caffeine and kojic acid, an antioxidant that reduces the appearance of dark spots, these under eye patches can make you look awake even on a red-eye.
I put these to the test after I pulled an all nighter and I kept them under the eyes on my way to grab my morning coffee. Aside from the cute pink and red design, these hydrogel patches worked extremely well to diminish sunken, dark eyebags instantly after 15 minutes.
Pro tip: If you are using these at home, for a nice cooling effect leave these in the fridge for a bit before applying.
If you struggle with acne scarring, Topicals Faded Dark Spot Patches also work great on a long flight since they take 6-8 hours to go into effect. According to the brand, these work to fade the look of hyperpigmentation and dark spots from past breakouts.
Best for acne-prone skin
One of my personal favorite skincare products of all time are Hero’s Mighty Patch Invisible Patches, so naturally trying out these under-eye patches was a must. With a focus on hydration, Hero's Mighty Patch for Tired Eyes is also a great option if you are prone to dryness during long flights. My under eye area felt bouncy and less textured after a single use.
The great thing about this product is that the patches include both niacinamide and hyaluronic acid, a desirable combination for all skin types, especially those who are acne prone.
This product should be left on for about 30 minutes, or until the patch turns clear making them perfect to use during an airplane power nap.
Best reusable
For a more environmentally conscious option, these reusable under eye patches by Dieux are not only extremely chic but they can be used with any eye cream or serum.
They are made from 100% medical grade silicone which encourages any product applied to the under eye area to fully sink in, according to the brand. The Forever Eye Mask comes in a reusable tin and the patches themselves are super easy to clean with soap and water, making them a great travel accessory.
Kyriakides recommends Eucerin's new Radiant Tone Eye Cream which contains thiamidol to reduce dark circles. I found that the patch really helped the cream to absorb into the skin barrier, leading to better results.
Best before applying makeup
Considering the name, testing these Jet Lag patches by Summer Fridays basically invited themselves on this travel skincare roundup. Perfect for on the go, they are a must to prepare for my pre-landing makeup routine.
Like the Rhode patches, these also include peptides and caffeine, which help the under eye area to look plump and refreshed.
I recommend you keep these in your makeup bag because after applying to clean skin for 10 minutes, then patting in the serum, and finally applying SPF, I found my concealer laid beautifully after blending. There was no creasing or product settling into fine lines. If you also like to do eyeshadow in your daily routine, leave these on to block fallout from the pigments and do your concealer and foundation after.
Other products for your travel skincare routine
Here is an expert recommended and tested skincare routine that works for all skin types, listed from first step to final step. All products are TSA friendly.
Best gel cleanser: Prequel Skin Gleanser
Prequel’s Gleanser works great for even the most sensitive skin. The formula is gentle and non-stripping, reinforces hydration, aids breakouts, and minimizes redness, according to the brand. Before getting on your flight it's important to use a cleanser to remove all build-up, leftover makeup, or impurities on the skin according to Anagnostakos.
Best serum: SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic Serum
“I’ve seen really great results from the clinical studies that were done. SkinCeuticals makes a point to really publish their findings,” Anagnostakos says. A vitamin C serum before a long travel day is a must, and recommended by experts to use in the day time. This serum is fast absorbing and works great for all skin types to minimize fine lines, brighten your complexion, and firm your skin.
Best moisturizer: Vanicream Moisturizing Skin Cream for Sensitive Skin
Anagnostakos recommends this moisturizing skin cream for all skin types. It’s hydrating, fragrance free, great for sensitive skin, and can also help with eczema flareups. This is the ideal second to last step to protect the skin barrier from any environmental factors that may affect the skin surface on a flight. “If something’s marked for sensitive skin, It’s really for everyone,” Anagnostakos says.
Best SPF: Supergoop Play SPF 50 Mineral Stick Sunscreen
Listen up frequent flyers: If you’re sitting at a window or close to one on the airplane, sun rays are actually extremely strong and can affect the skin. The number one point experts made when going over the best on the go skincare routine is that ending with SPF is a non-negotiable.
This sun stick by Supergoop is a great mess free option that works well on my sensitive skin, and the packaging makes it super easy to reapply anywhere. It’s recommended to apply every two hours for best results, plus there is no stubborn white cast.
Meet the experts
- Dr. Kalliope Kyriakides is a board-certified dermatologist at Astoria Dermatology. She received her bachelor of arts degree from Barnard College of Columbia University and her medical degree from NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine. Kyriakides participated in research studies and published on multiple topics, and now specializes in psoriasis and hair loss. She also performs various cosmetic procedures, including botox, fillers, and platelet-rich-plasma or PRP injections.
- Potoula Anagnostakos has over a decade of experience in customer-facing roles, and brings a client-centered approach to esthetics, specializing in acne treatment and personalized skin health. Her expertise includes skin analysis, microdermabrasion, LED therapy, microneedling, and extractions, helping clients achieve clearer, healthier, and more confident skin. She is currently an Esthetician at Feel Wellness Spa.
This article is written and edited by a writer who selects the products and ensures the information provided is accurate. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the publication date. We may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases made through these links.