The long-haul flight 'hack' you should actually avoid, according to an expert

It's a piece of advice touted by influencers and airline staff alike - a good skincare routine will help you feel refreshed after a long-haul flight.

But this flight 'hack' might actually be "more harmful than helpful" according to a dermatologist.

Holiday experts Travel Republic asked expert Bella von Nesselrode if doing a full skincare routine is a good idea.

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She said it's something you should probably avoid in the cramped and less-than-sanitary conditions of an airplane.

Instead Bella advised travellers to "avoid touching their face to prevent transferring bacteria and dirt from their hands to their skin", as well as sanitising hands regularly to reduce the risk of spreading germs.

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It's no secret that planes are germy places.

Seat headrests in particular are often exposed to sweat, oil, and dirt from previous passengers, contributing to bacterial buildup that can clog pores and cause breakouts, Bella warned.

Plane bathrooms, shared by hundreds of people, can also harbour bacteria, so they're not an ideal environment to try for a full cleanse.

Bathrooms which are shared between hundreds of people can also harbour bacteria, making it a less than ideal environment to cleanse your skin.

A few other tips Bella shared, is always carrying antibacterial wipes to clean the seat headrest, tray, and phones. She also suggested to wear minimal makeup so skin can breathe.

So when should we be doing our skincare while traveller?

Bella says flyers should do it before they fly. She also recommends some face yoga after the flight.

"Lots of face yoga will help your skin recover post-flight. My favourite move: tilt head back, look at the ceiling and 'kiss the sky' eight times. Repeating this set three times will help drain the face and re-sculpt after a long period of sitting," she said.

"Adding in lots of facial massage with a cleansing balm, so as not to strip the skin, a rich moisturiser and face oil, ideally with a gua sha will also help."