Asian woman smiling for travel hair care tips concept

Hair care tips for traveling: How to keep your hair beautiful when on holiday

Keep your locks looking great even while in transit with these hair care tips for traveling. 

Traveling is good for the soul, but for the hair? It’s a completely different story. The things we expose our hair to when we travel—dirt, sun, humidity, salt or pool water, dry and recycled airplane air—they’re not exactly hair-friendly. And the thing is, most of the time when we go on vacations, our hair care routine pauses, too, which should not be the case, considering all the stress our tresses go through when we go on trips.

To help you keep your hair in tip-top shape when you’re vacationing, we put together easy hair care tips for traveling that are sure to bring great results. We’ve got everything covered—from products you need to pack, to hairstyles you should consider, and extra things you need to remember!

How to maintain your hair when traveling

Hair care tips for traveling: Asian woman with long hair in a bun wearing striped shirt and denim jeans outdoors
A messy bun is an easy and practical ‘do for sightseeing.

1. Master stylish yet practical and comfortable hairstyles

It would be hard to keep a fancy hairstyle in place when you’re on the road. Also, it would eat up time that’s supposed to be spent outside exploring the new place you went to visit. But of course, you have to look cute when you’re on vacation because travel OOTDS, so before you go on your trip, find cute but easy and comfortable hairstyles. Updos are great options because then you don’t have to worry about your hair getting in the way as you navigate unfamiliar streets. They also keep you cool in hot, humid weather, and they don’t easily get messed up (especially if the updo you’re sporting is already a messy style—it would just camouflage your airport hair!).

Editor’s tip: Keep your updo in place with a few spritzes of TRESemmé Salon Finish Extra Hold Hairspray. It comes in a small spray can so it’s easy to lug around, plus it leaves no stiffness or stickiness—just water-free, humidity-resistant flexible hold.

Hair care tips for traveling: Closeup shot of a woman with long dark hair wearing shades and a headband
Need to style your hair quickly? Just put on a pretty headband or head scarf, and you’re ready to go! Credit: Shutterstock

2. Pack hair accessories

Throw some headbands, headscarf, hair clips, elastics, and bobby pins into your suitcase—they could come in handy on your trip. When you don’t have time to style, wearing a headband or wrapping your hair in a pretty scarf is both effortless and stylish. Or when  you’re in a hot, humid weather, a high ponytail may be the smartest hairstyle to wear.

Hair care tips for traveling: Closeup shot of a woman with long blonde hair spraying her hair and wearing a striped blouse
No time to wash your hair? Spray dry shampoo instead.

3. Give your tresses an instant refresh with dry shampoo

When you’re traveling, you’re out and about most of the day. The more time you spend outside, the dirtier and greasier your hair gets. The easiest way to freshen up without water is to use dry shampoo. It would get rid of dirt and absorb oil in your strands between washes.

Editor’s tip: SpritzTRESemmé Instant Refresh Dry Shampoo on your hair to easily clean it and give it body. 

Hair care tips for traveling: Woman touching her long black straight hair wearing a white tank top against a gray background
Just a drop of leave-on cream can save your hair from dryness when you’re traveling. Credit: Shutterstock

4. Moisturize your hair before and during your flight

The dry, recirculated air in a plane cabin draws moisture wherever it can, including your hair. Give your hair a moisture boost before your flight by deep conditioning it with a moisturizing treatment product. This nourishes the hair with extra vitamins to give it the extra moisture it needs.

Editor’s tip: If you have a long-haul flight, keep a bottle of Cream Silk Standout Straight Leave-On Cream handy. Apply a small amount of the product on your hair, then wrap it with a silk scarf or pull it into a bun. This will help keep your tresses hydrated during your flight.

Hair care tips for traveling: Woman with black hair smiling in a swimming pool
Don’t let pool water damage your hair. Take some precautionary measures before jumping in. Credit: Shutterstock

5. Protect your hair from pool or salt water

If you’re vacationing by the ocean or will be going for frequent dips in the pool, protect your hair before going into the water so it doesn’t soak up all the chlorine and salt. A good tip is to mix a dollop of leave-on conditioner with a glass of water, put it in a spray bottle, and give your hair a few spritzes before diving into the pool.

travel hair care tips - use a hat
Protect your hair from the sun. Credit: iStock

6. Protect your hair from the sun

If you’re going some place sunny, wear a hat or wrap your hair in a head scarf. Just like your skin, your hair can get fried from too much sun exposure. If your hair is dyed, it will also cause your hair color to fade quickly. So cover up!

Hair care tips for traveling: flat lay of hair products with bandanna and hat
Transfer your favorite hair products into smaller bottles so they fit in your luggage.

7. Bring your own hair products

Yes, we know that most hotels provide toiletries for their guests, but it’s still better to bring your own. This way, your hair gets the nourishment it needs from the products that you regularly use. You also limit potential allergic reactions if you have a sensitive scalp. You don’t need to bring the whole bottle. Just transfer your shampoo and conditioner into travel-size bottles so they’re convenient to carry around.

Have the products you need for your trip delivered to your doorstep by using these links:
TRESemme Salon Finish Extra Hold Hairspray
TRESemme Instant Refresh Dry Shampoo
Cream Silk Standout Straight Leave-On Cream

After a trip, you come home happy and re-energized, ready to take on the world again. Make sure your hair is, too! Just follow these hair care tips for traveling and you and your hair will be fine. Enjoy your trip!

Next read: Just like your skin, your hair needs some TLC, too, especially after a long day under the sun and exposed to various elements. Follow this night time hair care routine, and wake up to beautiful hair every day.