Hair Tips for Traveling

How flight attendants wear their hair
Photo: Alliance Images/Canva
Whether you're jet-setting halfway around the world, meeting up for a family reunion, on a business trip across the country, or just driving a few hours for a weekend getaway, there are a great number of things to consider for a stress-free trip or perfect vacation. From itinerary and weather to outfits and hair choices. We know you want to travel comfortably and easily while still looking glamorous. Hairfinder interviews fashionable flight attendants and jet-setting divas who have divulged all of their best tips to show our readers that travel and style can effortlessly go hand-in-hand.
 
Our hair is often the first thing people notice about us, and when traveling, we are encountering hundreds, sometimes even thousands, of new faces that we are making a first impression on. What does your "travel hair" say about you? Buckle up, ladies, and make sure your carry-on bags are secured in the overhead compartment because Hairfinder will take you from a disheveled maven to a flawless fashionista in no time!
 
Tame Your Strands
 
Flight attendants swear by oils for styling and insist that they work better than hairspray for keeping hair appearing tame without sparking a cluster of static electricity. Shorter styles, like bobs and pixie cuts for example, may require hairspray to hold them in place, but longer styles can be tamed with oils. A natural boar bristle hair brush works wonders on frizz and can fit nicely in your carry-on bag and also helps combat the static that comes with flying. Hair shine paper is a wonderful travel hair tool. It reduces dullness and helps to eliminate static. Brush first, then smooth the hair over with the paper and you're good to go!
 
Contrarily, to tackle the troubles an oily scalp can bring, you can put a dry shampoo to good use. Just sprinkle it on and comb it through your hair. There is a product called Shampowder. You can match this dry shampoo to your hair color, and it even comes with a hairbrush! Shampowder not only washes but has a nice fresh fragrance leaving hair smelling fantastically and will even improve volume at the scalp. To top it off, Shampowder is marketed perfectly for travel as it is sold in a portable, plastic package.
 
Woman who is wearing a silk scarf around her head
Image: AI illustration
If you are traveling by car (and no one will see you) why not make the journey with a deep leave-in conditioner on your hair? Use a scarf or wear a hat to disguise the wet look. You really can kill two birds with one stone, as the saying goes. You can moisturize your hair so that it is nice and vibrant looking for your destination and putting it back with conditioner keeps strands out of your face. This is an excellent way to win the battle against dry or brittle hair.
 
Scrunch and Crunch
 
Scrunching hair is a versatile style that is good for both short or long hair. It's easy-peasy and can add a lot of volume, making hair look full, curly, and beautiful. Begin when the hair is damp and apply a generous amount of humidity protectant mouse or gel all over. Using the defuser tool on the end of the blow dryer is best, but if you do not have one your hands will do just fine.
 
Make sure to blow dry with the lowest setting. It helps reduce the amount of frizz that can come along with a blow dryer. Once a mouse or gel is run through the hair shaft, take your fingers (or diffuser tool) and scrunch the hair all up to the scalp and let the blow dryer work its magic. Voila, a beautiful and voluminous scrunched style!
 
Woman who is wearing her hair in a low side ponytail
Photo: Ajr-Images/Getty Images via Canva
Side Ponytail:
 
A low side-ponytail is an ideal "go-to" style for when you have been traveling for hours on end and the last thing you want to do is fuss with your hair. Leaving a few tendrils down and curling them adds an element of sophistication to a simple style. Just brush your hair over to one side into a low ponytail, secure it in place, and add a coat of hairspray.
 
Updos
 
Not only are these styles beautiful, but they are also quite practical for traveling. If you are going to be spending a fair amount of time on the road, an updo is a great way to keep yourself looking your best. You can do it yourself or see a stylist before you leave. There is an endless number of updo styles out there that can be implemented. If you are going to do it yourself, simply pull your hair back into two or three (depending on how thick your hair is) high ponytails and take strands from them and wrap pieces around one another, secure with bobby pins and hairspray and you are good to go!
 
Braid, Twist and Oh Beehive
 
The fishtail or classic braid, French twist, and beehive have been around for a long time... some may even refer to them as classics. Braids are an excellent way to tame unruly, wiry travel hair and are what we call a two-for-one, as they essentially provide two awesome styles. The braid itself, of course, and we all know when the braid is taken out, you’ll be left with marvelous bouncy curls that serve as a whole new look!
 
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