Pre-flight grooming is one of those disciplines almost no one writes about, because the men who do it well rarely talk about it. They simply arrive in Frankfurt or Geneva looking like they had a full night’s sleep, and the meeting begins on better terms because of it.
This is the third piece in The Executive Series. The checklist below is not theoretical. It is what we recommend to the gentlemen who fly weekly out of Changi and never look less than composed when they land.
Three Days Before the Flight
Book the Royal Haircut three days before departure, not the morning of. A haircut needs seventy-two hours to settle. Done on Thursday for a Sunday flight, the cut reads as natural rather than freshly carved.
If your beard needs reshaping, book the beard trim on the same visit.
The Day Before
This is the day for the Hair Spa, if your scalp has been complaining. Fifty minutes that resets the scalp and softens the hair before the dehydrating effect of cabin air.
Pack with the climate in mind. If you are flying somewhere drier than Singapore, take a lighter pomade — your usual product will feel too heavy in low humidity.
The Morning of the Flight
Three small habits, none of them complicated:
- Shave at home. The skin should be calm by the time you board. A fresh shave at the airport lounge means a slightly inflamed face for the next eight hours.
- Skip the morning gel. Style your hair only after you land. Hair styled in Singapore at 7 AM looks tired by Frankfurt at 3 PM.
- Bring a small comb. Pocket-sized, plastic or wooden. The single most useful grooming tool in the cabin bag.
On the Flight
The cabin will dry your hair and skin out. Drink water. Avoid the airline soap on long-haul washrooms — it is usually harsher than your scalp deserves.
Twenty minutes before landing, wash your face with cold water, comb your hair, and apply a small amount of pomade if the meeting is immediate. If the meeting is the next day, leave the styling for the hotel.
The Return Flight
The return is often more brutal than the outbound. Different climate, different water, different sleep. Many of our regular travellers book a Royal Haircut the morning after they land — not to cut the hair shorter, but to reset the shape that travel has disturbed.
For Gentlemen Who Travel Constantly
If you are on a plane more than two weeks a month, consider The Private Suite arrangement. The Master’s chair held by reservation. After-hours scheduling if your day demands it. The kind of arrangement that means you do not have to think about your appearance on the days when everything else is asking for your attention.
Visit Us — One Hundred Metres from Maxwell MRT
The British Barbers sits at 37A Kreta Ayer Road, Singapore. We recommend booking pre-flight appointments at least three days in advance.
