How to Maintain Your Hair While Traveling

by Kelsey Rzepecki
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When it comes to your hair while traveling, it can be frustrating and time consuming when humidity or other drastic changes in weather throws your hair routine for a loop. Depending on when and where you’re traveling, you should take time to evaluate your current hair routine and prepare for different weather and climate changes that could require you to take a different approach when it comes to styling. But you might be asking yourself: where will I find a hair salon near me? While traveling, you will have to compromise on upkeep since you won’t have the comfort of your favorite stylist nearby. Remember these useful tips on your next great adventure!

Anyone can learn how to achieve easy and trendy hairstyles while out and about. These hairstyles shouldn’t take time away from your traveling adventures. Also, learn about some versatile hair products to take with you that were made to make your life easier while traveling.

Pre-Flight Blowout
Get a pre-flight professional blowout. Instead of spending a lot of money on a full-blown hair appointment before you leave, opt for a trip to a blow dry bar instead to save some extra cash. The service includes a wash, blow dry and style, then you’re on your way. You can make an appointment at a salon or simply walk in at a blow dry bar that’s near you. To achieve fresh, voluminous hair right off the plane, this is a hassle-free way to start a trip off because you won’t have to worry about taking the time to freshen up and wash your hair when you get to your destination. Added tip: just throw your hair up in a loose pony the next day to help maintain volume.

What to Pack?
Collect travel and sample-sized items. No one wants to be stuck lugging around full-sized bottles of hair products when they’re traveling. It can be hard to stray from your normal hair routine and part ways with your favorite products, but you really don’t have to. For the sake of convenience and space, utilize small sample packets of shampoos, conditioners and lotions - you name it and there’s probably a smaller version out there! Don’t forget to re-use old makeup tins and small perfume vials by transferring small amounts of your favorite products that you know you will actually use and won’t go to waste. You can always find TSA-approved sizes of plastic travel containers at Target, Walmart, or any other general store.  Keep the containers under 4 oz to take with you on an airplane.

Remember to keep it simple and think about the necessities: extra hair elastics, bobby pins, hair wraps or scarves and clips.  Put the items in a compact, small bag or secure container to easily find them because when we’re traveling we all know the less fuss, the better.

Easy Travel Treatments
There are natural hair care products and treatments you can do to keep your locks healthy anywhere. An easy remedy to revive your dry hair after a hot and sunny vacation is a coconut oil hair mask, feeding the hair with the natural oils and moisture it is craving.  Another alternative is an avocado hair mask that brings dull hair to life emitting a soft and silky texture while also adding shine from the heavy dose of natural oils.

Cute Travel-Friendly Hairstyles
Traveling can also be a great time to embrace and enhance your natural hair and texture since you’re not constricted by your usual day-to-day hair routine. Time to embrace the freedom of low maintenance styling. No hot tools required for these looks!

African hair braiding is a popular, low maintenance style that is perfect for traveling because the braids keep the style in place and can be worn for long periods of time while still looking fashionable.

A topknot or half-knot is a simple hair staple to combat flat hair and helps keep hair out of the face; especially, in hot and sweaty conditions. It can also preserve hair volume by giving your hair an added boost at the roots.

Braids are a go-to style because you can undo them later to reveal effortless, natural waves.

Must-Have Hair Products When Traveling
Travel-sized dry shampoo will fit easily in your purse and uses non-aerosol packaging, which means you won’t have to worry about it making a mess on an airplane. Just squeeze the bottle and a perfect-sized ‘poof’ of product comes out to absorb oil, prolonging your style and pumping up your hair’s volume.

Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil Primer from Bumble and bumble: A multi-purpose product made for all hair types that protects, moisturizes and makes styling that much easier. Their unique lightweight formula is infused with six different types of oils that provides protection from UV and heat and also tames frizz and protects against hair breakage.

The Conair Vagabond Compact 1875: This is the best travel hair dryer to consider based on a high number of positive customer reviews and affordability. It is compact in size, has consistent drying power and includes a dual wattage dial that allows you to switch to 240 European wattage. It is compatible with plug adapters and has a foldable handle. A compatible watt converter is also an optional add-on that has 5 different adapter plugs for various wattages.

For those who can’t part without a dose of fast hair straightener style, CHI makes a ceramic travel set. This trifecta set contains some of their popular hot tools in compact sizes along with a sleek travel bag. The set includes a 3/4 inch straightener, 1000 watt hair dryer and a 1 inch curling iron.

Remember, the less product you bring, the less you have to lug home. You and your hair shouldn’t have to stress because traveling is not only a nice vacation for you, but it can also be a great break for your hair from the daily styling and damage we tend to put it through day after day.
 
This article first appeared on The Right Hairstyles