After years of traveling, I have recently begun to experience very dry sinuses and a headache the day following my flight. Since this never really happened to me before, I was a bit perplexed about what was going on. It was particularly bad after my recent 14-hour flight from New York City to Japan a few weeks ago.
It is probably no surprise that the air in the cabin of an airplane is extremely depleted of moisture. According to some statistics that I have seen while searching the Internet, it may be as low as 3 percent. This can quickly lead to excessive dryness in skin, hair, eyes and sinuses. I have also heard that the low moisture can be a contributing factor to jet lag.
Well, I guess my prayers were answered. On my return flight from Japan just days ago, the airline gave all passengers in business and first class a water based spray mist to use during the journey. I can honestly say it was the first time I was ever given this type of product (thank you Korean Airlines!) Like a kid with a new toy, I immediately had to try it out.
All I can say is “Magnifique!” The minute I misted my face and nose with this product, I knew I had just found a very important travel “must have” that would accompany me from this day on. I felt an immediate relief in my skin and my nasal passages. It left my face so soft and smooth that I quickly became addicted to it, and had to have a spritz every hour.
Given this new inspiration, my wheels began to turn—and I came up with an idea to further boost the moisture in my nasal area, which was starting to hurt. So, I took a cotton swab and drowned it in some cool water from the bathroom sink and placed it into my nostrils. It was so refreshing, I almost felt like I had gotten 10 hours of sleep! I ended up repeating this routine every hour or so for most of the flight.
In addition to all these new techniques, I drank more water than I usually do—and kept away from too much caffeine, which is a weakness of mine. This magic formula worked wonders, and I am happy to report that I felt quite well and suffered no headache after my long journey! In fact, I had no jet lag the following day. Is this a coincidence? I’m not sure.
Wasting no time, I have already searched online and purchased the facial water spray from Evian in a set of three travel-sized 1.7 ounce bottles for $20. Although it is a bit expensive, it seems like a worthy investment—especially since I will have a 15 plus hour excursion in a few weeks from New York to Mumbai, India.
If you too suffer from symptoms of excessive dehydration while flying, I urge you to try the facial water spray, and be sure to stay away from soda, alcohol, and caffeine during your flight.
As always, I wish you all happy travels!
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