Airlines / FR · Grooming
Ryanair — Appearance & Grooming
Ryanair publishes one of the most specific grooming manuals in European aviation, and applies it consistently across 90-plus bases. It is not a glamour standard — it is a checklist, and knowing it before your recruitment day is a genuine advantage.
Grooming · Ryanair
- Hair
- Hair is kept neat at all times in a business style and regularly trimmed; male crew wear it above the collar, with long sideburns and wet-look gel both ruled out. Female crew may wear a neat ponytail or wear it down, provided it stays tidy through the sectors.
- Make-up
- Female crew wear lipstick in pink or red and a groomed face for every duty. Make-up is not permitted for male crew, which makes Ryanair markedly more traditional here than British Airways or Virgin Atlantic.
- Facial hair
- Male crew are either clean-shaven or wear a full beard — there is no middle ground. A beard must be fully grown in and neatly trimmed within the length band the manual specifies; stubble as a transition stage, goatees and tufts under the lower lip are all excluded.
- Nails
- Nails must be done for every duty. Extensions are permitted if they are well maintained and stay within the maximum length the grooming manual sets, which rules out the longest fashion shapes.
- Glasses & contacts
- Ryanair does not publish a separate eyewear specification. Conventional prescription frames are unremarkable on the line, and a spare pair is worth having on a five-on, three-off pattern with four or more sectors a day.
- Piercings
- Ear piercings only. Any other visible piercing is prohibited in uniform, and this is one of the rules the manual is explicit about rather than leaving to interpretation.
- Jewellery
- Plain and minimal, in line with the rest of the manual. Nothing decorative that would catch during a fast turnaround or the onboard sales service.
- Tattoos in uniform
- Tattoos must be entirely covered by the standard uniform, and the manual is blunt that ink on the hands, fingers, face or neck — which no uniform can cover — is an obstacle to being hired at all. Everything else is fine as long as the standard-issue uniform hides it on every duty.
- Headscarf
- Ryanair does not publish a headscarf option for cabin crew. Given how prescriptive the rest of the manual is, ask recruitment directly rather than assuming an unwritten accommodation exists.
- Uniform
- The navy uniform with yellow accents, standard across every base from Dublin to Marrakesh, with the manual specifying how each item is worn down to shoes and outerwear. New joiners usually pay for or bond the initial training that issues it.
Grooming rules change more often than any other requirement. Verify them on the airline's official careers page before you buy anything or book a hair appointment.
Frequently asked questions
Does Ryanair allow beards for cabin crew?
Yes, but only a full beard, fully grown in and neatly trimmed within the length band the grooming manual specifies. Stubble as a halfway stage, goatees and tufts under the lower lip are not accepted — the alternative is clean-shaven.
Can Ryanair cabin crew have tattoos?
Only where the standard uniform covers them completely. Tattoos on the hands, fingers, face or neck cannot be covered and are an obstacle to being hired.
What make-up do Ryanair cabin crew wear?
Female crew wear pink or red lipstick and a groomed face for every duty, with nails done. Make-up is not permitted for male crew under the current manual.