How to Travel With Natural Hair

There are many things to consider when planning a vacation, but what if you’re planning to travel with natural hair? How do you keep your natural hair healthy throughout vacation? When packing for my trip, my natural hair regime is just as important as packing my clothes. So I’m sharing some important questions to consider if you want to travel with natural hair.

What will the weather be like?

I use weather.com and frequently check the 10-day forecast up until my departure date. This is just a prediction, but it gives you an idea of the weather at your destination. Which will help you decide:

How You’ll Style Your Hair

The weather during your stay will help you determine the appropriate style for the climate.

What Type of Hair Products You’ll Pack

Depending on how you style your hair, you’ll need specific products to retain moisture and prevent damage.

Protective Styles:

Protective styles, such as braids or twists done with extensions, require minimum manipulation. They can also work well to protect your hair (hence the name). Just remember to also take care of your hair underneath, normally I pack:

• Light oils for my scalp (e.g. jojoba, avocado, castor, or coconut oil)
• Moisturizing shampoo and conditioner depending on length of stay

Straight Hair:

I recommend this style when going to a relatively cool destination, with little to no chance of precipitation. Once straightened, I don’t put any product in my hair. Because I find adding anything to my hair when straight weighs it down and makes it appear oily. It also tends to make my scalp itchy and flaky quicker. But you can bring light oils with you to help prevent dryness.

Natural Curls:

Wearing your natural hair out is always a great option for vacation. Being from a city with ranging climates like Boston, Massachusetts was a blessing in disguise. Because it basically helped me learn how to care for my curls in different climates. So, I’m comfortable rocking my curls anywhere.

Whatever products you normally use to care for your curls should be what you pack for your trip. Don’t try a new product on vacation because that could be a recipe for a bad hair day.

What is the Duration of The Trip?

The length of your vacation will determine:

How You’ll Style Your Hair

The weather during your stay will help you determine the appropriate style for the climate.

Short-term trip:

If your trip is less than a week, you probably won’t have to worry about missing wash day. Washing and styling your hair a few days before, or the day of, your departure will help your hair feel fresh. It should last through your trip with little to no extra products needed. However, this depends on the activities you do, like swimming. I’ve worn my hair in senegalese twists, straightened, or a fresh twist/braid out on trips.

Long-term trip:

If your trip is longer than a week, you’ll have to pick a style that lasts the longest. I usually wear my hair in a protective style when traveling longer than a week. This helps save time on maintenance and upkeep. When my hair is straight, it gets very oily and weighed down by the fourth or fifth day. When my hair is in its naturally curly state, it needs water to thrive. So I dedicate an entire day, once a week, to giving my hair some TLC (e.g. detangling, cleansing, deep conditioning, etc.). But that process is time-consuming. And when traveling, I don’t have as much time to fully care for my hair. This is generally why I avoid wearing my curls or straight hair during long-term trips. And opt to wear a protective style.

How Much Hair Products to Pack

Short-term trip:

These trips require packing fewer products (or at least it should). Usually, I pack the hair products I’ll use in TSA-approved bottles and carry them in a TSA-approved toiletry bag.

The weather during your stay will help you determine the appropriate style for the climate.

Long-term trip:

If your trip is longer than a week, you’ll probably want to consider a checked bag. So you’ll have larger quantities of natural hair products you can take with you. If my hair is in a protective style, I’ll most likely just put my products in my TSA-approved bottles and toiletry bag. Which should last me for a couple of weeks. If I wear a fresh twist/braid out, flat twist, etc., I’d pay to check in a bag so I have more products. I only choose this option if I know I’ll get a wash day during my trip.

What Activities Will I Partake in?

Will you hike, swim, or sunbathe at the beach? Whatever activities you partake in will help decide:

What Style Will Be the Most Practical

Use your activities to help you decide what hairstyle would make sense. If you’re going swimming, it may be best to wear a protective or low-maintenance style. For example, braid/twist extensions or your natural hair in bantu knots, flat twists, braids, etc. You’ll have to prep your hair for the harsh chlorine or salt water, then take care of your hair after getting out of the water. Clearly, you wouldn’t straighten your curly hair if you were going to be in the water or sweating.

What Type of Products to Pack

If you know you’ll be swimming or sweating at some point during your trip, you should prep your hair before. And then take care of it after you’re out of the water – I pack:

• Coconut oil and conditioner to prep my hair before getting into the water. Rinse your hair in water then apply your preferred oil and conditioner
• Cleansing shampoo to wash my hair after being in the water
• Deep conditioning treatment to bring my hair back to life after being in the water
• My favorite L.O.C/L.C.O products to help moisturize, style, and seal in moisture in my hair

Are you Traveling Domestically or Internationally?

Traveling domestically or internationally will change the way you pack. When packing clothes for a domestic trip, you may be more comfortable in taking risks since you know the culture/norms. But, you might tone down your outfits on international trips to avoid drawing unwanted attention that can make you susceptible to being pickpocketed (e.g. socks and sandals, I’m not sure why people do this one in particular):

Domestically

When traveling domestically I don’t typically pack larger quantities of my staple hair products. This is because I know I’ll can purchase more if and when I run out. I also bring my hair appliances (if needed) because I know my destination takes my appliance voltage.

Internationally

I’m more adamant about packing my staple products in larger quantities when I’m traveling internationally because I’m unsure if I’ll be able to purchase more. I’m also weary of buying products in a country that speaks a different language because I might not be able to understand and decipher all the ingredients in the container.