The Best Hair Products And Haircare Tips For Girls Who Travel

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When I was younger, I spent three months backpacking around South East Asia, Australia and New Zealand with messy hair and not a care in the world.  It was the most alive I’ve ever felt and I treasure the memories but when I look back at the pictures, I cringe at the state of my hair. I’d gone blonde at a dodgy salon that was offering student discount that year, my hair needed a cut before I set off, and I came back to the UK with a mane that was in tatters. I love looking at my old travelling pictures because the girl in them looks so happy and free; it’s just a shame she has such terrible hair.

Travelling really takes its toll on your hair, because your follicles are attacked by all sorts: dry inflight air and humidity in hot countries; sun rays and sea salt overload. Using quality hair products while you’re travelling is absolutely vital if you want to keep your locks in good condition.

I have naturally curly (ahem, frizzy) hair that tends to tie itself in knots and eventually fray at the ends if I don’t tend to it lovingly, and that’s exactly what happened when I was younger – until I discovered the best hair products for travelling, and learned how to look after my hair properly.

My haircare tips for frequent travellers

Over the years, I’ve perfected my haircare routine and now I know how to keep it looking healthy before, during and after a trip. I’ve also discovered which products work for my hair type and are worth the luggage space. I thought I’d share my tips for looking after your hair while travelling here.

Before you go

Cut the excess

Start as you mean to go on: with healthy ends. Cutting off the split ends, even if it’s only a few millimetres from your hair, will prevent breakage and fly-aways sprouting the moment you step off the plane. I’ve only started to book the recommended hair appointment every 6-8 weeks recently, but it’s made such a huge difference – no more struggling to pull a brush through the tatty bits!

Treat your tresses

Before any trip, I like to give my hair a deep treatment, so it’s in the best possible condition. I’ve tried SO many different hair masks, oils and other conditioning treatments, but Percy & Reed’s Wonder Treatment Oil has really made a difference. You can use it as a leave-in treatment before styling, but I like to apply it before I wash my hair and let it really soak in for the recommended two minutes. It contains three types of oil: Camellia, Macadamia Seed and Carrot Seed, so it’s a real triple whammy of moisture.

What to pack to keep your hair looking luscious

The best shampoo and conditioner for travelling

One of my absolute no-gos is hotel shampoo: that synthetic, nasty stuff you find in dispensers in cheap chain hotel bathrooms. Seriously? I might as well wash my hair with washing up liquid. My hair is as high maintenance as I am (lol), and I need luxurious products to keep it looking good. Regardless of how fancy my accommodation will be, I always pack my own shampoo and conditioner. Percy & Reed’s Divine Shine Shampoo and Conditioner are my current faves. Even as you lather, you can feel the silkiness and my hair has been much easier to style. I spent a long time using high street brands on my hair, but have found it’s well worth spending more on better quality ingredients.

Because I’m a bottle blonde, I alternate between the Percy & Reed products and my go-to purple shampoo, which neutralises any gross brassy tones.

The best travel sized hair products

The Percy & Reed Wanderlust Travel Set is perfect because it has everything girls who travel need: 50ml versions of the Perfectly Perfecting Wonder Care Shampoo and Conditioner (complete with ‘Environmental Defence’ – they’re formulated with wheat protein which ‘weatherproofs’ hair against extreme conditions), a 30ml Perfectly Perfecting Wonder Balm, a 50ml Reassuringly Firm Session Hold Hairspray and a limited edition Heavenly Hydrating Body Wash. It makes a great gift for female travellers and looks gorgeous, too.

The best part is that every item is under 100ml so you can carry the set as hand luggage and avoid baggage fees for short breaks. My little clear plastic bag is usually bursting at the seams with all my different hair products and toiletries, so this leaves more room for makeup!

Other haircare essentials for travel

I also always travel with my Tangle Teezer. I’d never go back to another hairbrush after using this for a few years! I have one that’s especially for naturally curly hair and it’s made a huge difference to my styling routine.

If I’m only going away for a long weekend and think I can avoid washing my hair, I’ll pack a mini dry shampoo to keep my roots looking fresh.

Looking after your hair during a trip

When I’m abroad, I try to avoid heat styling, especially if I’m in a hot country where the weather will already be affecting my hair. Instead, I go for one of two styles: natural curls or slicked back.

I often let freshly washed hair dry naturally when I’m in warmer countries but always need to calm the frizz with a serum because otherwise, I look like I’ve been electrocuted. Cute. The Percy & Reed Wonder Balm is more of a leave-in balm, which feels different to my usual serum, but it stops my natural waves going wild and is especially useful in humid weather.

I actually love how my hair looks after a day of the beach, but I definitely don’t love how damaged it is after a sea swim. Over the years I’ve learned to always rinse salt water and chlorine out of my hair after swimming, and that’s really minimised the damage that used to hang around after a tropical getaway like a tacky, unwanted souvenir.

My hair definitely doesn’t curl like it used to, thanks to years of trying to fight my natural kinks with straighteners. I wish I’d just bloody left it to do it’s thing! If you need to encourage curls and create more movement, try a texture spray. It replicates that sea-swept, tousled look without the aggro – and smells better. The Percy and Reed Texture Spray has vitamin B5 to help protect your hair from further damage.

Post-trip: how to salvage a damage situation

When I get home, I tend to do the same R&R regime I did before my trip. I also like to strip everything back and go make-up free for a few days to let my skin recover, do a face mask and take my nail polish off. If I’ve been on a press trip, I’ve probably worn makeup every day for pictures and video, so it’s nice to take it all off!

More haircare tips for girls who travel

• I used to sleep on a silk pillowcase that I bought on Amazon (link here) and it 100% made my hair less messed-up in the morning. It’s supposed to stop wrinkles too, so worth investing in!

• I sometimes (when I remember) wrap my hair in a t-shirt instead of a towel when I get out the shower, to stop breakage. You end up with a sopping wet t-shirt, but less damage. You can buy a special microfibre hair wrap if you’re serious about it.

• Foods with good fats like salmon, avocado and nuts are all packed with vitamins that promote healthy hair, so adding more of these to your diet will help your hair at home and abroad.

• I’m trialling some hair vitamins at the moment, and will let you know what I think when I’ve finished the pack on my Instagram Story at some point. I generally believe that you should get your nutrition from your diet, but it can’t hurt to double up, right?

• Turn down the heat in the shower. Cooler water is kinder to your hair.

• Wash your hair less. I try to leave mine for three days but sometimes the grease is too obvious – even when my hair is slicked back in a ‘chic’ bun. Kim Kardashian doesn’t wash her hair everyday, so why should I?

• Tie your hair back when it’s windy. I’ve made this mistake so many times! Walking around in the wind all day with your hair flying free is not only annoying, but it makes brushing your hair an absolute nightmare afterwards.

• Another important haircare tip I wish I’d listened to when I was younger but always follow now, is protecting your hair from the sun. I always pack a floppy sunhat, but not (just) for Instagram pics. It stops the sun frying my hair and protects my face too. I got a bad sunburn on my forehead in Borneo and now I’m fanatic about keeping my face out of the rays.

That girl in my old backpacking pictures wouldn’t recognise her hair now – but she’d certainly be envious of it.

Read: my favourite travel beauty products

What are your best tips for looking after your hair while you travel?

This post is sponsored by Percy & Reed but views are my own.