Traveling While Natural: Hair Care Tips While On The Go
Here’s the deal ladies and gents, hair care while traveling is a complicated matter. Particularly if you’re apart of the kinky curly crew.
The 3 hair essentials for traveling are...
Style -- because you need great pictures for the Gram!
Ease -- because traveling is most fun when you can just jump up and get into activities.
Function - because your hair can be stylish and easy, but it also has to hold up in 60% humidity!
My Hair Dilemma...
I got scuba certified in Colombia while having box braids that were accessorised with beads and shells on the ends. We spent a several hours a everyday, for four days in the ocean. The result of this was unforgiving and terrible for my hair. It may have been all the crawling on the seafloor or the amount of time spent underwater, but my hair was completely filled with sand. I washed, rewashed and washed my hair again and again, but the sand was lodged in between my braids. A few days later, with the help of 2 friendly locals, we ended up taking my braids out on a 15 hour bus ride from Taganga, Colombia to Cartagena. Although my braids didn’t hold up, I still believe braids are the best choice for traveling because they most effectively hit the 3 essentials.
Hair Advice...
If you plan to rock your natural curls bring your own products. I can’t stress this enough. Don’t plan on using the hotel/airbnb/hostel conditioner and shampoo. Bring everything you will need to do your hair. Traveling is not the time to buy hair products you are unfamiliar with and try a new hair regimen. As a curly haired woman many countries will not have the products you need. If you have to check a bag because you can’t bring liquids on the plane… totally worth it. I made the mistake of buying products in Peru that left my hair dry, sticky, and frizzy.
Here are a couple of my absolute favorite products:
Cantu Leave-in Conditioner Cream
Perfect for locking in moisture and leaves your curls feeling soft and bouncy. It also smells really good!
Uncle Funky’s Daughter Curly Magic Curl Stimulator
Great for holding your curls in place for those wash -and-go styles
Dr. Bronner’s Lavender Pure Castile Soap
I use this for shampoo!
(I also use this to do laundry and wash my body! WIN-WIN-WIN !!)
Think outside the box with a unique protective style. Try out new styles like long ponytails, Princess Leia space buns, and Senegalese twists. Many countries don’t have extensions or faux hair so a few packages in your suitcase can go a long way and last months! I found this gorgeous and functional protective style that is quick and versatile while on the go.
Da hard core truths:
Humidity = frizz. (There’s just no way around it)
Extended periods of time in the ocean is not good for curly weaves, braids, or curl nourishment.
When traveling to sub/tropical climates don’t wear styles that require heat.
Throwing your hair in a pony or bun is a power move.
Coconut oil is overrated and doesn’t do a good job of penetrating the hair shaft.
Olive oil, on the other hand, is the shit!! and is probably in the nearest grocery aisle.
PS: Under No Circumstances let your hair dampen your spirit, dampen the flow or dampen the fun. After all, hair is just moody and temperamental dead fiber.
Thanks for stopping by and journeying with us!
