Travel In Fashion With These 3 Pro Stylist Hair Care Tips
Maintaining your hair’s luster, vitality, and body while you’re traveling:
It’s hardly a vacation.
It’s not easy bringing all your favorite products and tools along on the big trip.
Plus, you’ve got to squeeze your styling into those always event-packed vacation days.
That’s why you may find yourself thinking of giving your hair some time off, too…
...spending your whole trip in messy ponytails...or with your hair just stuffed under a sun hat or ball cap!
It’s the easiest option...which certainly makes it tempting.
But it defeats the purpose of a vacation.
THE REASON YOU GET AWAY
After all, traveling with your loved ones is all about taking some much-deserved time to feel your best.
And I’m sure you agree that you always feel your finest...when your hair looks and feels its finest, too!
“Your vacation is a chance for your entire body, including your hair, to refresh and feel fantastic!”
So we asked a group of top-class professional stylists:
“What are your best tips for keeping your hair looking and feeling its best on vacation?”
When you’re packing your bags, be sure to make room for these unbeatable suggestions.
They’re just what you need to make your hair a knockout part of your vacation to remember!
FIGHTING THE FLATS
The style-threatening travel issues facing your hair start before you even reach your destination.
That’s because most vacations kick off with hours in a car, airplane, train, or charter bus.
And all that time with your hair pushed back against a headrest can leave you with flattened-out patches of hair.
Fortunately, this is a simple problem to address, says Jill Engelsen, senior stylist at New York’s Butterfly Studio Salon.1
According to Engelsen, your best option is to flip your head upside down, then tie your hair up into a loose topknot.
Your locks will be protected from the headrest crush, and retain their volume when you take your hair down again.
If you treated yourself to a salon blowout before setting off on your adventure, this technique will be particularly effective.
“The shape sets the hair,” Engelsen advises, “and gives a boost to your roots.”
“Climb behind the wheel with this sporty topknot, and your hair will still have body and life when you get there!”
But what if you don’t have hair that’s long enough to pull into a proper topknot?
In that instance, when you get to your destination, Engelsen suggests just spraying the flattened spot with a little water.
“This resets the root direction to give you volume again.”
And if you haven’t got a spare spray bottle along, Engelsen says a quick massage of the roots with wet fingers will do the trick nicely.2
A GO-TO ALL-PURPOSE STYLE
Your at-home routine probably follows a familiar pattern: Work, chores and errands, meals, helping out your kids, and maybe some leisure or “me” time. (If you’re lucky!)
But when you’re on vacation, it’s not unusual to enjoy a leisurely breakfast at the seaside...a fast-paced amusement park afternoon...then an intimate evening of romance at a fancy restaurant or nightclub.
So wouldn’t it be nice to have a hairstyle that not only suits the feeling of any occasion…
...but one that also fights one of the most persistent vacation-hair party poopers: excess sweat?
That’s where the classic front Dutch braid comes in.
“It’s a classic, go-anywhere look that also protects your face from sweaty overheating”
This elegant all-around vacation look was recommended by Jenna Mast, a veteran stylist with New York’s Préma salon.3
Mast says her clients get frustrated when “the hair around their face gets really frizzy or sweaty, especially if they have bangs.
“An easy solution,” she suggests, “is to do a Dutch braid along the part.”
Here’s how Mast creates this ultra-adaptable summer travel look:
- Section off the hair you’ll be braiding: “Your hair texture and density will determine how large of a section to take, but in general, I would suggest about two inches from the hairline.”
- Clip back the hair that will not be part of the braid.
- Separating the hair into three smaller, evenly sized sections, begin braiding by crossing the hair under, not over, the previous hair. Mast says larger sections of hair will work better for fine strands, smaller pieces for thick or coarse hair.
- Braid the sections to back behind your ears.
- Smooth and enliven the tips of the remaining loose hair with some fragrant hair oil or hydrating mist.
And there it is:
An enchanting style that’s ready to keep your face fresh and cool for any summer-fun vacation occasion!4
KICK THE BACK-HOME HAIR BLAHS
It’s a funny thing about vacations:
They’re meant to refresh and revitalize you after months of hard, stressful work…
...but when you come home after the fun and relaxation is through...you usually need a day or two to decompress from your vacation!
And your hair is no exception to this strange-but-true post-vacation reality.
That’s why Izzy Churcher, a creative head for the UK’s HOB Salons chain, always recommends a post-vacation check-in with your stylist.
“Post-holiday,” says Churcher, “the best thing you can do...is visit your salon for a trim to remove any split ends...and an intensive treatment to help replace the moisture lost.”
“A restorative visit to your stylist is an essential part of any hair-protecting post-travel routine”
Churcher says on average, your hair grows about half an inch over the course of a month.
So having your stylist trim that much from your tresses will freshen up your hair and take away the damaged ends.
As for the deep conditioning suggested by Churcher, it should take 10 to 30 minutes for a skilled stylist to complete the full treatment.
This will re-stimulate your hair’s natural production of oils, revitalize your scalp, and begin to restore moisture stripped away by sea salt, swimming-pool chlorine, and days of fun in the sun!
Of course, to maintain the rejuvenation process, it’s wise to use a powerful leave-in conditioner for a few weeks upon your return as well.5
BETTER THAN BEFORE YOU LEFT
Simply stated, it’s hard to think of anything sadder than coming back from vacation feeling worse than you did before you left.
And one way to ensure that’ll never happen to you is knowing how to keep your hair stylish and healthy...before, during, and after your trip!
The authoritative styling and hair care tricks we learned from these pro stylists are an excellent travel helper.
Try them for yourself, and no matter where your summer plans take you...you’ll always feel fresh, confident, and ready for fun!
CITATIONS
- Jill Engelsen, et al. “Jill Engelsen.” Jill Engelsen, jillengelsen.com/.
- Moorhouse, Victoria. “Travel Beauty Tips That'll Change Your Life.” StyleCaster, 18 Aug. 2015, stylecaster.com/beauty/best-travel-beauty-tips/.
- “Locations.” Jenna Mast, www.jennamast.com/locations/.
- Sinrich, Jenn. “Vacation Hairstyles: Travel-Friendly Hairstyles to Help You Look Flawless on Your Next Trip.” Reader's Digest, Reader's Digest, 10 Aug. 2017, www.rd.com/health/beauty/vacation-hairstyles/.
- “The Holiday Hair Rescue.” Evening Standard, 15 Aug. 2013, www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/health/the-holiday-hair-rescue-8762866.html.