7 Essentials for the Natural Hair Traveler

Hey Family, Ashley here! It’s that time of the year again. The weather is warming up, spring is slowly rubbing her eyes awake, and after defrosting from the winter blues, you might have the urge to pack up and get out of town for a bit.  It’s traveling season and one thing we cannot do, is assume you’ll find what you need for your hair texture while on your trip, especially if we’re talking international! For those of you who will be partaking this year, here are some must-haves to pack before take off, that will help protect your natural hair. 

Shampoo and Conditioner

First up, we have the dynamic duo. Whether you’re hitting the pool, diving into the ocean, or hiking along a beautiful mountainside, you will need to wash your hair at some point (yes this goes for protective styles as well). The last thing you want is for chlorine or salt water to sit in your hair and dry your hair out. Yes, hotels provide shampoo and conditioner, but it’s usually not made for all hair types. So definitely pack your favorites or pour some into travel containers.

 

The Triple Threat

If you are taking a much longer trip, at some point your hair will need a refresher or rehydration. In this case, use the “Triple Threat”: leave-in conditioner, a hair butter or cream, and your favorite styling gel. You can mix the leave-in with water and use that to give your hair some much needed moisture. You could also do a full routine of washing your hair and applying your leave-in conditioner, cream or butter, and styling gel - in that order! After this, you can do single strand twists for a twist out look or rock your wash and go.

Hair Diffuser

Though many hotels and Airbnb’s offer a blow dryer for your use, they don’t always get the job done. Packing your own hair diffuser attachment would cut down on drying time. This is perfect for wavy to super coily hair textures.

 

Silk Scarf and Bonnet

These two items are a no brainer! Unless you want frizzy snagged strands in the morning, you better scarf and bonnet up. No matter your hair texture, many people believe this is an important step. Consider creating a pineapple updo (a high ponytail with your silk scarf wrapped around) and then place the bonnet over the remaining exposed hair. This way, you can double the protection without losing your scarf while you sleep. 

 

Hair Pins

There will come a time on your trip when your hair will need pinning. If you only have a couple minutes to do something with your hair, pins are a must have. You can quickly do a low slicked back bun or pin your twists for your twist-out up into an elegant style for dinner on the beach, if you aren’t ready to take them out yet. Either way hair pins are essential.

Headwrap or Wig it!

At some point you may get tired of keeping up with your tresses. Being able to plop the wig on and snatch it off at the end of the day without worrying about much maintenance, was exactly a stress reliever. You can simply pack your wig in a suitcase for the trip. If wigs aren’t your thing, a great alternative is a beautiful headwrap. You can find so many creative videos online in the many ways you can style them. Just wrap and go!

Oil

Of course we can’t forget our Donna’s Recipe Strength Hair Oil! An oil is super important to seal in moisture after applying the Triple Threat mentioned above or just to keep your scalp healthy and protected from itching, flaking, and the elements. If you’re rocking a protective style, wig, or showing out your wash and go, make sure that at the end of each day you show your scalp some love by oiling it with Donna’s Recipe oil. 

So if you’re looking to travel this season, whether you’re letting your natural hair do its thing, rocking braids, or wigging it -  consider your activities, the length of time you’ll be on your trip, and be sure to check the weather in advance to make the most informed decision on what you should pack to protect your tresses. Happy and safe travels cousins!