Packing tips...

Been doing a bit of travelling so I thought this was the perfect time for this post. I have mentioned before that how I wear my hair on a planned trip depends on a number of factors; duration of stay, destination weather and purpose of trip. Simply put if I am going on holiday where there will be plenty of swimming involved braids would be the way to go and so on and so forth. Thankfully for my most recent travels I already had a protective style on my head so there was not much worrying to do about my hair and I ended up swimming in the hotel pool:)

I basically pack almost the same things now that I did pre hair journey with a few additions and some exclusions. What I pack will also depend on how I will be wearing my hair so if it’s out then some tools like a blow dryer, curling or flat iron, appropriate products, brushes and combs of course will most definitely make it into the suitcase. Depending on the extensions used for example a weave with leave out hair these tools may come along as well. However for braided and corn rowed styles it is usually an oil, my braid spray and some gel to lay down them edges. 

This is what I packed for my trip last week:

Coconut oil – which served a dual purpose scalp and face (I used it in place of castor oil just for the duration I was away I didn’t want to carry too many oils)

Homemade braid spray - transferred into a travel size spray bottle that has a lid

Gel – to lay down them edges

Old toothbrush – still for the edges

Scarf – night use

Hairband

Bobby pins – these ones I didn’t actually pack I always have bobby pins and safety pins in my makeup bag so they end up wherever I am.

Even though I swam I didn’t wash my hair I only rinsed it I had a good mind to use the hotel shampoo but changed my mind last minute so I just rinsed and washed using a chelating shampoo when I got home three days later. If this was a pre planned trip I would have had some shampoo and probably a leave in conditioner packed as well. (I had some trips planned already but this particular one was not one of them it was a last minute one given 24 hours notice to replace someone else subject to my availability)

I wrap all my liquid products both hair and beauty in cling film then put them in a Ziploc bag and place them in a standing position in one corner of my suitcase incase of any accidents with the Ziploc there will be minimal spillage to my clothes.  I have had a product spill on an outfit I was supposed to wear to an event a few years back; thankfully it was all the way at the bottom towards the hemline so it wasn’t so noticeable it was an oil based product and didn’t quite come out when I tried washing it out using a damp cloth. I was on a tight schedule and there was no time to dry clean the dress between arrival and event, that situation gave birth to my wrapping liquid based products in cling film, Ziploc and placed in a standing position in the suitcase.

What hair products/tools are a must have for you on a trip? And please share any packing tips you may have  for products in the comment section below.