How to Take Care of Your Hair When You're on Vacation

Going on vacation is obviously exciting. But with any trip comes the need to take stock of your hair care routine. After all, you want your hair to look its best in all those vacation selfies you'll be taking, right? If you're planning a beach getaway in particular, there are a few steps you can take to help keep your mane in tip-top shape while you travel. So, follow along with our vacation hair care tips below, and stock up on the best summer hair care products, including a moisturizing system of shampoo and conditioner and a wave-enhancing hair spray.

VACATION HAIR CARE TIP #1: MAKE A CHOP BEFORE YOU TRAVEL

Book a visit to the salon to get rid of any dead ends that could be weighing your hair down. Whether you simply get an inch or two cut off or you’d like to make a more drastic change, you’ve got plenty of options. And having a fresh, healthy cut before you leave will make maintenance during your trip that much easier! One low maintenance haircut we’re loving these days? That would be the lob. Here are 3 Ways to Style a Lob Haircut.

VACATION HAIR CARE TIP #2: SWITCH TO A SYSTEM OF NOURISHING SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER

Make sure to pick up a moisturizing system of shampoo and conditioner, like the L’Oréal Paris EverCreme Deep Nourishing Shampoo and L’Oréal Paris EverCreme Deep Nourishing Conditioner, to help nourish your strands during the summer months or on vacation when hair can feel dry thanks to all the time you’re spending in the sun and at the pool. If you feel like your hair needs extra nourishment, add a deep conditioner into your weekly hair care routine as well. Try the L'Oréal Paris Elvive Total Repair 5 Rapid Reviver Deep Conditioner, which only takes 60 seconds to work its magic. Simply apply the deep conditioner in place of your regular one, leave on for one full minute, then rinse out completely.

VACATION HAIR CARE TIP #3: OPT FOR AIR DRYING

It could be a good idea to ditch your heat tools in favor of air drying your hair. And besides, vacation is all about relaxing, so give yourself a break from your regular hair styling routine. Work with your hair’s natural texture when it’s hot outside instead of trying to fight against it. After towel-drying your hair, apply the L’Oréal Paris Advanced Hairstyle AIR DRY IT Wave Swept Spray, create a braid, then undo the braid once your hair has dried. Yep, it’s that easy to create beachy waves!

VACATION HAIR CARE TIP #4: WEAR A WIDE-BRIMMED HAT

While it may feel great to spend all that extra time out in the sunshine when you're on vacation, this might not be so great if you color your hair. UV rays, water, and heat styling can all affect your color. If you have color-treated hair, one of the things you can do to help protect your hue is to wear a wide-brimmed hat, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). Shopping trip, anyone?

Editor’s tip: Worried hat hair will ruin your vacay look? Here’s How to Help Prevent Hat Hair.

VACATION HAIR CARE TIP #5: CONDITION YOUR HAIR BEFORE TAKING A DIP

Ah, there’s just something so relaxing about lounging around the pool—but if you’re planning on taking a dip, it’s a good rule of thumb to take a few hair care measures first. That’s because, according to the AAD, chlorine can be drying to hair. The AAD suggests wetting and conditioning your hair before swimming in chlorine as well as wearing a swim cap and using a specially formulated swimmer’s shampoo and deep conditioner after you leave the pool.

VACATION HAIR CARE TIP #6: ROCK A BRAIDED HAIRSTYLE

Cool things down while you run around by putting your hair up and getting it off your neck. One of our favorite vacation hairstyles is a braid—and there are so many different braiding techniques that you can try a different one every day of the week! Here’s How to Do a Waterfall Braid to get you started.

VACATION HAIR CARE TIP #7: spritz on a weather-control hairspray

While you certainly can’t control the weather, you can be better prepared for it. Before you step outdoors into super humid air, spritz on some of the L'Oréal Paris Advanced Hairstyle LOCK IT Weather Control Hairspray. This hair spray is a lightweight, micro-fine mist that helps tame unruly frizz while also protecting against humidity. 

Next up: Now that your hair is in check, what about your complexion? Here, find The Ultimate Easy Makeup Look for a Flawless Vacation Complexion.