Ok friends. I’ve read lots of blogs on what to bring for a trip around the world. In these packing lists, it did not mention what to pack in case of a Crazy Monster hair emergency. I had been highlighting a bit before I left home, and so I read up on that, but incase you have not been to those blogs, I will add that in for you too.
So far on my travels I’ve been to Korea, China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Australia. Oddly enough each places created a hair monster of their own, or added to the disaster of the afore places mentioned. I think the hardest part for me was that while my hair monster had escaped and was raging, I was surrounded by people in Asia that spend almost all there money on beauty products, and felt envious of their soft hair. So, I began my search…not to mention in the cities they are constantly dressed up as if going out for the night.
PREVENTION: BEFORE YOU LEAVE ON TRIP
There are things you can do before you leave that are helpful.
HAIR CUT: Get a hair cut that is manageable. That means whatever style that is easiest to take care of. One that you are use to and one you know looks good. One that grows out well.
WARNING:I know countries like China, unless you speak the language fluently, you will leave with a hair cut you were not planning on. Cutting Asian hair it MUCH different from other types. If you are Asian, and don’t speak the language; think about all the stylists where your from who could understand you and did a poor job.
Pick the style that takes the least amount of products and that takes the least amount of styling.
For me that means a medium length. A length that I’m able to pull my hair back and out of my face, but is not too long for me. Some peoples’ easiest lengths are short, but Short is the most unmanageable for me.
HAIR FOR SPECIFIC DESTINATIONS: Are you going somewhere hot? Think about your cut. I need to thin my hair for hair weather. My hair works great as a full body incubator, and while it’s appreciated in the winter, I overheat in the hotter weather. If you decide to cut it, you could even donate to lock of love or something. I have always wanted to do that.
Things to Consider
*Temperature- Hot or Cold, Humid?
* Hair type
*Ease or Manageability: Product, cut, dye, maintenance etc.
* Flexibility-Up, down, etc; there are a lot of things you can do with your hair. A cut that will allow you a little bit of flexibility isn’t a bad idea. You don’t know what you’ll end up doing on the road. Whether its rough and tough hiking or dancing to your heart’s content at the most fashionable club in town, having a hair style that will work with you in all situations is ideal.
*Comfort- Something that feels good and looks good on you!!
HAIR DYE: Go to your natural color before you leave, learn to love your natural color! OR:
If you dye your hair blonde, think about where you are traveling to. If it is Asia, or China like me, it is HIGHLY likely you will be walking around with your roots showing, as there is NO hair dye for lighter hair colors. That’s not a big deal for me because it is not really noticeable, and adds depth. However, some people really despise that look. You can convert and dye your hair red and brown and even black. Even the Expats pay exorbitant amounts for highlights IF they can find someone willing to work on them. The chemicals in those countries are so different. Most people in China with lighter hair suffer from severe hair damage that is seen from miles away. So imagine what it might do to your hair.
*You can bring hair dye with you
*You can have it shipped to places you will be
*You can go natural
* Or you can spend your trip hunting for it. I believe Mongolia has some stores with light colors, and Australia definitely does at bigger stores, pharmacies, and salons.
Possible exceptions to the no-color rule: blond or light-haired women who are traveling to areas where they feel their hair makes them a target for harassment, such as the middle east. In this case, women should pick colors that tone down their natural brightness. Ask about it. In China and Korea you get WAY more attention. Read my blog.
PRACTICE HAIRDO’s: I call them 30-second-do’s
Decide early to wear styles that are quick, simple and easy to achieve.
You’ll have SUCH a better time, and so will your travel companions since they won’t have to wait for you to get ready! Know what styles look good on you and stick to what you do best! If that means a ponytail everyday, then so be it! At lease you’ll look fabulous on your vacation, even if there isn’t much variation.
A smooth ponytail is an easy way to look polished in a pinch.
Ponytail, head band, etc. Things that don’t give you a headache either!
"You want styles that are the easiest to manage, even letting hair air-dry after washing can create a great look."
IDEAS
SHORT: that can mean simply applying a leave-in conditioner after shampooing. When hair is dry, a good pomade will direct your strands in a carefree, textured manner.
MEDIUM LENGTH: try to go with its natural texture and avoid extensive work like blow-outs that can take a long time. Instead, scrunch hair when drying for volume or gather hair in a low ponytail with sleek, tight edges using a pomade or gel for a polished, yet casual look.
LONGER LOCKS: This is what I’m working with and there are a number of low-maintenance options. Ponytails, chignons and up-sweeps are easy on-the-go styles. Maybe Braid hair before bed. In the morning, unbraid it and add a pomade or volumizer for a wavy style that can last two or three days. You can also create a loose ponytail and pin hair around it for a loose chignon.
CURLY: Pomade and Go- Just keep Hydrated, and really that follows suite for all styles.
WHAT TO PACK
You may have beautiful hair when you are home all natural. I tend not to mess with my hair when I am at home. It works like a charm. I fancy it up sometimes for a party or work but, when it comes to taking a trip, it is a completely different scenario. The environment change and the inability to carry every powder-room essential creates Hair Travel Monsters!!
It’s possible to have easy and gorgeous hair that feels as carefree as you do when you're away from home. You just have to remember, the goal is to maintain your hair while traveling, use your practiced hairdos, because travel invariably means changes in climate, conditions -- and time!
Keeping the following tips in mind will enable you to make the most of your limited travel kit.
TRAVEL DISASTER?? : Scarves, Hair Ties (thin-pigtail and thick-Ponytail), hats, and bobby pins are your friends!!! Spray in Conditioner is your best fried.TRAVEL PACK:
EVERY traveler should have a pre-made “Grab & Go” bag for their styling aids & personals. It’s pre-thought and pre-planned, so when you travel, all you need is there and ready to go.
This is what I am currently carrying:
Hydrating Shampoo and clarifying Shampoo- I buy new shampoo in every country and keep my travel size one for dire circumstances or when I need a clarifier
Spray in Conditioner- Bring a 3 oz container and then search for it. – I found that in every country I have visited either, the lack of nutrients I’m taking it, the dryness, the heat, the filth of the country, the salt of the water, the hardness of the water in the showers was attacking my hair, AND my husbands. Noticeably, lifeless, knots, sticky, brittle. This was happening every when I used hair conditioners I bought because the were some foreign unworkable, or those other things were too devastating. Leave in conditioner is my BEST FRIEND during travel. Before and after salt water, after hard showers. It is marvelous. I found some in China, Hong Kong, and Australia. I hadn’t started looking before that. DON’T FORGET THE CONDITIONER especially with long hair!!!
My practice-do supplies:
Comb, Brush, Small mirror. works wonders for bad and awesome days
Hair ties ( Thick and Thin for pony tails or braids)- Essential for absolutely the worse days ever.
Bobby Pins for fly-aways and fancy-do’s- Essential for absolutely the worse days ever.
Hair clip to sweep everything up quick and easy
Hat for the Sunny harsh environment.- works wonders for bad and awesome days
A few scarves and head bands.- works wonders for bad and awesome days.
I just added a mini-flattener, and I must say Yes Yes Yes. It’s slight more weight. I would have rathered a small fat hair curler to straighten and curl, but I love this. It weights nothing because it’s so mini it’s out of sight. On days I want to straighten the bangs and go its there. It’s too small to do my hole head because of how much hair, but I did do it on one of my nothing days and it was a breath of fresh air. I’m traveling for a year and decided it was worth it. My bag only weights 10k or 24 lbs. I’ve really skinnied up even with this addition.
Team Pack: If you are traveling with friends or family - share the load. No need for 3 or 4 people to bring a hair dryer and curling iron. It’s okay to share your beloved hair styling electrics!- Don't forget your travel plug to use your hairdryer and other electric hairstyling equipment whilst abroad.
Here are 4 quick air travel tips for keeping products in their bottles and out of the rest of your luggage.
1. Don’t fill bottles
Leave some headspace in the bottles for expansion and buildup of pressure.2. Secure pumps
Press pump caps all the way down and twist to lock the pump.3. Tape caps
Tape caps down with masking tape to keep them from popping open.4. Label & bag
Finally, label your bottles and put them in zippered plastic bags to prevent leakage and confusion* Create a list of all the hair essentials you use at home so that you will remember to place everything inside your luggage. Doing so will also save you some packing time. Make sure you pack only the necessary products and equipment, including a hydrating shampoo and conditioner.
*Make sure you pack the right hair products. Gels and sprays are alcohol-based, so they dry out your hair. With curly hair, you want to stick to cream-based products.
*Another tip: If your stylist recommends you buy expensive hair products, don’t buy them at the salon — go home and buy them on eBay. You can get them for half the price or less!
*Bring a Hat – this essential can really save you from a lot of discomfort and inconvenience when you head out to your destination. It is also a stylish alternative to other products and items for your locks.
*Team Pack: If you are traveling with friends or family - share the load. No need for 3 or 4 people to bring a hair dryer and curling iron. It’s okay to share your beloved hair styling electrics!- Don't forget your travel plug to use your hairdryer and other electric hairstyling equipment whilst abroad.
*Styling aids to bring: don’t forget your shampoo, conditioner, hairspray, and 1 other styling aid (leave-in conditioner, mousse, or whatever you normally use). Small combs, clips, and rubber bands will also fit and may be helpful in times of a travel hair crisis!
*Hair Loss Treatment – if you are suffering from hair loss or any scalp problems, make sure that you bring your treatments with you so that you can still attend to your condition even if you are on the go.
*Although it takes a bit of planning to take care of your hair, practising these tips will allow you to enjoy your tour more without worrying about your tresses.
*Make sure to wash your hair after swimming in the ocean or the salt will dry your hair out! If you're in the pool, do the same to rinse out the chlorine. Make sure to pack a good shampoo and conditioner and avoid the complimentary ones found in hotels, they're usually way too harsh.
PREVENTATIVE TRAVEL CARE
HYDRATE: Drink water, and condition!
SHIELD: From Harsh conditions, Dirt, salt, Sun.etc
NOURISH: Get your nutrients. Make sure you are eating. You may suffer brittle cracking hair or hair loss if you don’t
MANAGE: Use your Practiced 30 second-dos
DON’T STRESS: Bring a good travel companion. Travel at a good pace. Your hair feels your stress.
IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE AND DON’T HAVE PRODUCTS YOU'RE USED TO?
Tame the travel monsters with these remedies, or just use them at home for fun.
Get your hair wet before you enter the ocean or pool. Your hair has a limit to what it can hold so fill it with the good stuff first. Make sure to wash your hair after swimming in the ocean or the salt will dry your hair out! If you're in the pool, do the same to rinse out the chlorine.
Use Preventative Travel Care-Protect your hair from the sun as much as you can. Drink Lots of Water and Nourish the body.
For luscious locks: Massaging two raw eggs into your hair is cheap as hell and worth it. It feels gloopy, but if you rinse with white wine vinegar afterwards then dry your hair you will find the egg has made your hair gloriously soft, shiny and supple. You will get compliments aplenty. Eggs are everywhere, and so far that I’ve seen so is vinegar.
A friend told me wash with eggs, rinse with beer. They looked super. However, apple cidar vinegar for the non beer drinkers works splendidly, and I would say better than beer. Try it, especially if your hair is unhealthy.
Baking Soda for Shampoo- Put 1-2 tbsp of baking soda into a 16oz cup (or close). The ideal ratio is about 1 tbsp of baking soda per 1 cup of water. When you get in the shower, fill the rest of the cup with water and stir until the baking soda is dissolved. You should have some cloudy water at this point. If the mixture feels gritty or pasty, either add more water or use less baking soda. Now apply the mixture to your hair. Ideally, you should aim to get most of it around your roots and work it in with your fingers, gradually distributing it throughout the rest of your hair. It won't lather like shampoo, but it does give your hair a distinct "smooth" feeling when it's properly distributed. Once you've rubbed it around a bit, you should be ready to rinse. When you are completely rinsed you are ready to condition. Your hair may feel dry. Use Apple Cider Vinegar after. 1 tablespoong while rinse, or same mix as baking soda.
Other vinegar uses: http://health.howstuffworks.com/skin-care/problems/treating/uses-for-vinegar-beauty-and-relaxation-ga.htm
Natural hair conditioners: Apple cider vinegar
In place of white wine vinegar, you can also try rinsing your hair in apple cider vinegar once a week. Use approximately 1/2 to 3/4 cup of apple cider vinegar diluted with half a cup of water. Shampoo and rinse first, then pour on the vinegar - let it sit about a minute and then rinse out the vinegar and then shampoo again and rinse very well so there is no odor of vinegar. Beauticians swear by it. The vinegar also removes all the old shampoo, conditioner, hair spray, etc. build-up in the hair - this create hard minerals which stick to your hair, and apple cider vinegar will clean them from your hair completely.
Tips: Don't let it get in your eyes (it stings) and watch out in the shower because it makes the floor slippery.
Coconut oil will make your hair very shiny and silky. Use the end of a paint brush to apply it (okay, your hands) and work it through. Leave it on overnight (okay, a couple of hours) with a wrap over it. Wash thoroughly the next morning, but don't use conditioner or any other additive. You won't need to for a few days - your coconut hair will look and feel great. And it won't smell coconutty, either.
Olive oil helps repair split ends, heals dandruff, and makes your hair shiny, silky, and lustrous. Massage a few tablespoons of olive oil into scalp and hair. You can heat it first but putting it in a cup sitting in a saucepan of hot water, if you like. Cover your hair with a kitsch plastic bathing cap and leave on for 30 minutes or more, then shampoo as usual. Mamma mia!
Natural organic hairspray
To make a natural organic hairspray, combine 2 cups of water with the juice of one lemon (or an orange if you have dry hair) in a saucepan. Simmer until it comes to a boil. Cool and strain the mixture. Pour into a spray bottle. It can be used on wet hair to add body or applied to dry hair. The lemon will not significantly lighten hair.
Treat oily hair with carrots
Massage finely grated carrots into wet hair for 15 minutes before rinsing.
Treat dry hair with avocado
Massage mashed avocado into wet hair for 15 minutes before rinsing.
Other Travel Tips
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/asia/travel-tips-and-articles/76481