If your summer has been anything like mine, your suitcase has gotten a lot of mileage over the past couple of months. Travelling, either by yourself or with your family, is as much a part of the summer as hundred-degree weather, tasty snowcones, and fireworks in July. Albeit exciting, leaving home to go to new places (or old favorites) definitely comes with a healthy dose of stress – especially for us moms, who tend to bear the responsibility of making sure the kiddos (and even the hubby) are properly packed, in addition to ourselves.
That stress level only doubles down for naturalistas. As much as we’d like to pile our entire product collection into a hermetically-sealed, climate-controlled Gucci tote to bring along with us, we all know it’s simply not feasible (plus I’m not sure that technology exists just quite yet). Even still, I don’t know any lady who would deny that how our hair looks plays a huge factor into how much we enjoy our trip, and taking measures to slay while on vacation is of utmost importance.
So, how do you find the sweet spot between packing lightly and being well-prepared? Here are some useful strategies I’ve discovered over the years that might help you stay picture-perfect as you step out to see the world.
- Pick one style for your entire trip. The particulars of your itinerary are useful not only in mapping out the must-see attractions or go-to eateries you want to visit. They also can (and should) be used to settle the other variables in your preparation process – which outfits to pack, and more importantly, how to wear your hair for these activities. If you know you’ll be at the beach and in the water/sand often, you may want to opt for a protective style in the interest of long-lasting durability. If you’re going to walk around in an open, sunny area, be sure to pack a hat or wrap to protect your hair from excess sun exposure. In addition, remember that time is of the essence – you don’t want to spend a lot of time getting ready to go out like you might at home. Most of us have an adjusted “prep routine” for when we’re on vacation; you’ll want to factor your hair into that equation, so that you spend less time wrestling with it, and more time actually enjoying yourself!
- Be aware of the weather conditions. This can definitely be a bit tricky. Not only can you never fully predict the weather, sometimes it’s difficult to know how your hair will react to different conditions. However, the projected forecast of your travel destination to is definitely useful information to have. If you’re heading somewhere with high humidity, you’ll obviously want to opt for a style that won’t frizz as soon as you step outside.
- Make your products travel-friendly. Whether you’re flying or driving, packing as lightly as possible is always a good idea. And deciding on a single style for your trip allows you to condense the number of products you need to bring along. Add a small amount of your favorite products to translucent two-ounce containers (available at most mass retailers like Target) for ease of access (as well as adherence to flight regulations). Or, you could simply invest in the travel-sized versions of your favorite brands – all of Uncle Funky’s Daughter products are available in two-ounce travel-friendly versions!
- Have a backup plan. As nice as preparation is, it’s simply impossible to account for all of the potential variables that can take place. However, as the well-travelled among us know, the key to making any trip great is going with the flow. Not everything will go as planned – in fact, things almost never go as you plan – and your ability to be flexible in the face of unexpected circumstances can certainly make or break your trip. So, set a hair contingency plan in place! Perhaps a quick and easy up-do that can solve for a potential hair crisis and still look great – similar to your Plan A, you’ll want it to be simple to achieve and time-friendly.
Overall, seeing new sights and experiencing new cities can be an incredibly fulfilling endeavor. With half of the summer left still left to enjoy, you still have plenty of time to plan a trip! Do you have any tricks you use to keep your hair looking great during travel?? Share with us in the comments!
