Study abroad, transporting haircare

[amino]

Happy New Year, everyone! I'll be studying abroad this semester and need some advice. I have almost waist-length hair that I usually keep in a braid or a bun, sometimes loose. I wash with soapberries and finish with a citric acid rinse, and I'm trying to figure out how to transport my haircare, and also what to bring. How many sticks is it "safe" to bring? What's the best way to pack them? I know for sure I want to bring my hairfork, but beyond that, I'm not super picky. Is it worth it bringing my favorite sticks (they're pretty cheap, but sentimental), or is it better to leave them at home? etc etc.
Also, what's the best way to pack 5 months' supply of soapberries? I've guesstimated I'll need about 35 of them. What about the citric acid? Is it worth transferring to a smaller bottle? Is there anything I'm not thinking of? What about bringing essential oils?

[truepeacenik]

Are these basically questions about flying and carry on luggage?

Customs?

I see no reason not to bring favorites. But I've never had a stick/fork taken, only bun groped at the airport.
I'd say a pair of acrylics for wet hair or wet weather, and a pair of whatever you like for dry hair.
I shower with a bun held with acrylics on no wash days.

As for soap berries and citric acid, where are you going?
Have the berries labelled, preferably with some original packaging. The label doesn't have to be from that batch, just any soap berry label.
if you are going where they are hard or expensive to get, and you think 35, I'd bring 40 just to be sure.
this coming from a woman who packs one under the seat carry on for a two month trip.
You could have your family mail them, too.

Critic acid, I'd consider going with lemon or lime. Or vinegar. White powder gets looked at very closely by officials.

[cat11]

Hairsticks are fine, they will bun grope you though. They did it to me! Only once though on a round trip. They may not.

The berries and citric acid I would call the airport or call somebody reliable and ask. Sometimes fruits are restricted going out of the cuontry. Only way to know they wont be thrown out.

[amino]

Are these basically questions about flying and carry on luggage?

Customs?

I see no reason not to bring favorites. But I've never had a stick/fork taken, only bun groped at the airport.
I'd say a pair of acrylics for wet hair or wet weather, and a pair of whatever you like for dry hair.
I shower with a bun held with acrylics on no wash days.

As for soap berries and citric acid, where are you going?
Have the berries labelled, preferably with some original packaging. The label doesn't have to be from that batch, just any soap berry label.
if you are going where they are hard or expensive to get, and you think 35, I'd bring 40 just to be sure.
this coming from a woman who packs one under the seat carry on for a two month trip.
You could have your family mail them, too.

Critic acid, I'd consider going with lemon or lime. Or vinegar. White powder gets looked at very closely by officials.
I'm going to the UK through Romania (I'm Romanian). From Romania into the UK I should have no trouble as long as they're labeled, from the US into Romania I may have some trouble, but I am planning on labeling things and including (if I can find it) the paper that came with the package when I bought it three months ago. Mailing them would be practically cost prohibitive.

Would they be more likely to be thrown out whole or kind of crushed.

Thanks for the information on the hairsticks! :D

[truepeacenik]

i bet if you drilled holes and strung the berries and made a "hippie belt," you'd have no trouble going to the UK.
They didn't look twice at a seed necklace I had. They were viable!
you plan to use up your supply, going back isn't an issue. Simply post it home if you are concerned.

Some here have reported toys being taken at airports.
I've not had it happen.
If your favorite isn't replaceable, leave it at home.

[Hairkay]

You can get soapnuts in the UK. Even if you're bringing them in, you may stand a better chance if it's just the soapnut shells without the seeds inside. You can just use lemon juice to replace the citric acid that you'll be able to get easily and cheaply at your destination.

[SaucyWench]

Make it easy on yourself. Don't bother bringing the soapnuts or citric acid with you. Buy them at your destination.

Both are readily available in the US. I don't use soapnuts. But, I buy 5 lbs. of citric acid for $11.30 or 1 lb. for $3.20.

Where will you be in the US?

[amino]

They are seedless soap berries.

SaucyWench— I'm going to the UK. :)

[Yarrow]

If you are traveling from one EU country (Romania) to another (UK), you don't have to declare anything at customs . Chances are that unless your arrival time coincides with a flight from a non EU country, you wouldn't find a customs official in the customs area to Declare anything to, even if you really wanted to.
So I wouldn't worry too much about it.
You could check the level of water hardness of the region you will be heading to and compare it to the one had home. It might have an impact on the amount of citric acid you would need.
If you want you could buy a travel hair stick organiser from etsy, or make one from fabric yourself. If you could roll it up and stick it into something like an empty Pringles box, which might protect it from damage. Otherwise just bring it in the carry on.