There are two things women take very seriously: their hair and their vacation time. While traveling can be a great break from reality, being away from home can take a toll on your hair. And, as much as we would like to, it’s impossible to bring your entire beauty arsenal with you on vacation.
Therefore, it’s best to plan ahead when you know you’ll be going out of town and determine what hair products will be needed for your trip. Think about how many times you plan to wash and style your hair, and make sure you have ponytail holders and bobby pins for the days you want the hair up and out of your face.
6 TIPS TO GORGEOUS HAIR WHILE YOU TRAVEL
1. CHOOSE WISELY
Always pack travel size shampoo and conditioner. Try to stay away from grabbing the cheap brands from the travel section of your local store, instead buy empty travel size plastic to fill with the shampoo and condition you already use at home. In addition, never use hotel products. You spend a lot of money on your beautiful locks and yes every shampoo matters.
I try to time out my shampoo days with my travel. Meaning, I’ll wash my hair before I leave home and try to lessen the amount of times I’m washing in a hotel. A salon quality dry shampoo will also help with this.
2. PROTECT WITH HEAT
I recreate my style with a heat protectant spray. A spray is necessary for any heat-based tools, including a blow dryer. If I’m wearing my hair curly, I can re-diffuse my dry hair while spraying Iron Shape to refresh the curls; I can also add more curl with a curling iron.
If you wear your hair bouncy or smooth, spray heat protectant onto your dry hair while working with a blow dryer and round brush. Spraying the product directly on each section while on the brush as opposed to a general mist over your head. This can help you to recreate your style from dry hair while protecting it from heat and it even adds protein to your hair all at the same time.
3. CONDITION LIKE MAD
Cleansing conditioners are very important to maintain the longest lasting hair color as well as moisture in your hair. While traveling, your hair is exposed to the elements of travel (i.e. airplanes) as well as different environments. It’s best to keep your hair as clean as possible so that it stays the way you want it.
With this, the water your hair is being exposed to while washing it in the hotel can be drastically different than the water your hair is used to at home. If you’re somewhere that uses well water, that can be damaging on the hair color – especially if you’re blonde. Consider bringing a purple toning shampoo. These come in a variety of brands and will be sold at your salon.
4. CLARIFY YOUR LOCKS
While on the subject of cleansing, this is definitely important when it comes to travel. We are often exposed to chlorine or saltwater while taking leisurely vacations, and this can cause massive amounts of build up in your hair. Using a professional grade clarifying shampoo to break through the grit and build up will help hair to feel healthy.
It’s best to start with one wash using a clarifying shampoo, then after rinsing, doing a second wash with your normal shampoo (best to use sulfate-free for color-treated hair.) With clarifying shampoos, you can still use your normal, everyday conditioner.
5. BE AWARE
Keep in mind the type of environment you’re traveling to, as well as the time of year. As we transition into cooler seasons, we notice a need for more lotion and Chapstick. Our hair also craves this moisture, therefore it’s always good to switch up your product regimen depending on the climate/season.
Traveling to warmer areas may require more products geared towards taming frizz, while going on a skiing trip will require more moisture. Check out the weather a few days ahead of time to get a sense of what you’ll be dealing with.
6. THINK AHEAD
Finally, it is always good practice to travel with your own pillowcase. Especially if you have naturally curly/wavy hair (or any kind of texture for that matter,) bringing a silk or satin pillowcase will help keep that curl in place. Plus, it gives you peace of mind to have your own pillowcase! If you don’t have a silk or satin pillowcase, selling in a silk bonnet will also help maintain the curl.
Everyone travels differently and has their own method of packing. However, it’s always important to remember your hair care items and pack them safely and concisely. If you’re ever unsure of what to pack, stop into a local salon and they will recommend what products they think are best for your hair!
Lindsey Olson is a Global Redken Artist and salon professional.
