She’s flying the skies — and footing a runway-worthy bill to do it.
For a flight attendant named Hannah with over seven years within the air, looking like she stepped off a catwalk at 35,000 feet isn’t just a part of the job — it’s the job.
And keeping that flawless face in formation costs her a first-class fare every month — almost $500 to be exact.
“Preparing for work is truthfully a highlight of my day,” she told Fashion Journal in a recent interview.
And Hannah insists beauty is baked into the gig.
“After I first began flight training, they did an entire day on grooming: makeup, hair, fragrance. After which from there, you simply watch what the opposite women are doing,” she said.
“We do have specific grooming standards that we must meet. This includes certain hairstyles, [wearing] lipstick or lip gloss, acceptable nail shades, and makeup guidelines.”
Touching up in turbulence? Totally normal.
“This includes touching up your hair and makeup as needed, should you’re doing an extended day or night of flying,” Hannah explained.
The regimen doesn’t stop when the wheels touch down.
When she’s not working, she’s still focused on her look.
“Seeing my hairdresser is something I sit up for. I normally go for a color and blow wave (blowout) every eight to 10 weeks.”
The flight attendant also budgets for normal facials, brow shaping, a monthly pedi, and nails every two to a few weeks.
“They’re non-negotiable, but they will feel like a little bit of a chore,” she admitted.
“Brows especially – I can’t go without getting them threaded or waxed every fortnight, but it surely’s not something I get enthusiastic about or particularly enjoy.”
Her monthly maintenance tab? A sky-high $450, not including cosmetic treatments.
Botox? Routine. Fillers? Already scheduled.
“I began getting filler only a number of months into flying. I assume it was just so common and an element of the ‘flight attendant look,’” she explained.
“Now, Botox is a component of the routine. I get it on my brow and frown lines every six months. I’d never return.”
And no, she’s not reimbursed for this beauty labor.
“We don’t get any extra payments for the time it takes to prepare and [look] presentable, that is just a part of the role which you accept once you turn out to be a flight attendant,” Hannah said.
“Nevertheless, we do have a grooming allowance that’s incorporated into our salary. We even have the posh of going through Duty Free weekly, so I mostly buy my skincare and makeup from [there] which works out loads cheaper.”
And when she’s off the clock? The sweetness routine scales back, but just barely.
“I still prefer to look put-together, but it surely’s more for me than anyone else,” she said.
Ultimately, it’s not about vanity — it’s about identity.
“I haven’t modified anything I do… What I get done just looks like routine to me. And I do this stuff to feel like me,” she said.
“If I hadn’t turn out to be a flight attendant, I’d’ve turn out to be a makeup artist. I really like looking glam. I really like having a pleasant, shiny lip gloss.”
