If there’s one thing I’m always happy to spend my money on, it’s a vacation. There is nothing I love more than to jump on a plane and find a new place, especially in the summer months. Which is why I’m a pro at packing. Whether I’m dragging a huge suitcase or a small carry-on, I have my beauty travel kit down to a tee. I’m good at one thing? My Holiday Hair Routine
I have very thick, long hair and I used to hate doing my hair on holiday as it took ages and needed an insane amount of product. From the best shampoo and conditioner to hair oils, hair masks and even hot brushes, it’s fair to say I’ve built up a bit of a collection over the years. That said, after years of flying around Europe for summers, I’ve managed to curate a simplified edit of holiday hair products that I can honestly say I would never travel without. Why do I hear you ask? These products make my vacation hair regimen quick and easy and always provide me with the results I am looking for.
Below, I’ve rounded together my ride-or-die holiday hair faves that have seen me through many a vacation and have garnered me accolades along the way…
Shampoo Detox
Okay, first things first, let’s talk shampoo. On holiday I always go for a detox formula since my hair can suffer from product build up from styling products, sun cream and so on. I love this detox shampoo from Living Proof . It’s my travel go-to since it really cleans my roots without stripping my hair. I find that I only have to use this once or twice a week which means more time to have fun in the sun. I have a travel size at the moment but it’s easy enough to decant some of the full size shampoo into a smaller bottle too.
Hair Mask Restorative
I use a hair mask instead of my regular conditioner when I travel instead of bringing conditioner plus a hair mask. Lately I’m loving this new one from Nuxe since it has the most beautiful, holiday-y smell and makes my ends look (and feel) soft, silky and shining.
UV Protection
Bumble and bumble.
Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil Heat/UV Protective Primer £30 SHOP NOW
Your hair requires UV protection, just like your skin, but you may not know it. If you didn’t know, the sun can make your ends feel dry and damaged and it can even make your colour fade as well. Enter Bumble & Bumble Protective Primer. This mild pre-styler spray is formulated to detangle, soften and protect your hair from breakage, heat styling and uv damage. Just spritz onto wet hair, brush through and see how much easier your ends are to deal with.
Humidity Proofing of Product
Colour Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray £13 SHOP NOW I don’t try to style my hair very smooth when I’m on holiday, but if I’m in the mood for a sleeker style, I always bring Colour Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray. This product is incredible since it has been made for all hair types and operates as a kind of “invisible cloak”, working to smooth strands and repel moisture (ideal if you are in a humid region). For optimal results, just spritz on damp hair before blow drying. Oh, and did I mention it comes in a travel size? Smart.
Leave In Conditioner
Ouai Travel Leave In Conditioner £14 SHOP NOW I’m a big lover of Ouai hair products and this leave-in conditioner is no different. So you can imagine how pleased I was to find this handy travel size. I’m someone whose hair gets ridiculously dry after a day at the beach, a leave-in conditioner is a holiday non-negotiable for me. I just spritz this on the ends of my hair when damp for silky controllable strands.
I have naturally wavy hair and whilst I don’t embrace it as much as I could one time I do love to wear it wavy is on holiday. I love using a little bit of the JVN Hair Complete Air Dry Cream to help with my texture. This air-dry cream protects against humidity and UV damage while providing a moderate hold and smooth, defined finish. A warm weather hero.
A hair oil is a product I’d never leave home without. It is fantastic for running through the ends of my hair when they are feeling dry and lack lustre but on those lazy, sunny days where I can’t be bothered to wash my hair, it’s great for producing a slicked back look too. My pick for Christmas hair oil? Ouai St Barts Hair Oil. This product smells like a tropical vacation and the bottle has a handy twist-top cap so you can pack it in your suitcase without worrying about it leaking everywhere.
Dry Shampoo
As you can probably tell by now, I loathe washing my hair on holiday, therefore dry shampoo is a must for me. There are tonnes of products I love but I’ve been using this travel sized one from Olaplex at the moment. It’s incredibly good at washing the scalp yet still makes your roots feel light and bouncy.”
Multi-Tasking Tool
There are times when I leave all my hair tools at home, but on those trips when I want to put a bit more work in, I’ll happily take along one wonderful multi-tasking tool that will allow me to produce a range of looks. I brought this hair tool from Hershesons away with me recently and liked being able to produce beachy waves, voluminous curls and a silky sleek blowout owing to the three different attachments. They all come in a tidy case too – great for travelling.
