Advice for going on a camping vacation?

[neesalena]

I'm headed on a trip to Lake Powell, in a few months. I'll be staying on a house boat, where the shower water is lake water. Do you lovely people have any recommendations for how to take care of my hair during this time? It'll be a week.

Right now, I wash every 4-5 days and let it do what it will in between. For a while I was blowing it out but I have found that damp bunning works just fine for my purposes. I was thinking to either get it braided or take my chances trying to take care of it and keep sand and such out of it.

So, what do you think?

thanks in advance

[danacc]

When I go camping, I braid it, then pin it up in some way. At your length, braiding alone is probably fine, especially if you'll be on a boat and not among snagging trees and brush. :)

I love the way lake water makes my hair feel. Have fun!

[Rivanariko]

I usually do twin dutch braids when I'm camping or road tripping. They seem to have the ultimate staying/not-tangling power for me. I usually take them out and re-do them every 3-4 days. I never worry about washing it when I'm camping and will usually just pin it up to the top of my head if I'm taking a shower.

[celebriangel]

I wouldn't get it braided, it's very bad for the scalp (and I hear it's painful!)

If you wash your hair every 4-5 days, and you're only going for a week... I'd just not wash it. Wash it the day you leave, put it up in your sturdiest updo, and take some cornstarch/baby powder for greasy roots. You could WO in the lake water if you get gunk in it.

[neesalena]

I will probably give dutch braids a try, then. I got a bit worried since I live in Japan (humid, 80s) and when we get to the lake (plus the 16 hours of plane air?!), it will be 100+ and dry as a bone. I guess I'll just be sure to take extra special care of it before I leave and after we get back to civilization.

I already get dead ends trimmed every few months, so I imagine the worst that will happen is losing a bit more dead length than normal next time.

Thanks for the tips.

To be clear, dutch braids are opposite of french braids?

[danacc]

Yes, dutch braids are like french braids, but as you add hair, you twist the outer strand under the center strand instead of over. French braids work well, too.

[Rivanariko]

French braids would serve the same purpose if they're easier for you. I have "fly-away" hair, and dutch braids seem to trap the stragglers better than french for me. If you're worried about how dry it's going to be, maybe do a light oiling before you put it up? I can't imagine it would hurt for it to stay on your hair for a week, it will probably be super-soft when you wash it out after getting home!

[trolleypup]

I'm headed on a trip to Lake Powell, in a few months. I'll be staying on a house boat, where the shower water is lake water. Do you lovely people have any recommendations for how to take care of my hair during this time? It'll be a week.

Right now, I wash every 4-5 days and let it do what it will in between. For a while I was blowing it out but I have found that damp bunning works just fine for my purposes. I was thinking to either get it braided or take my chances trying to take care of it and keep sand and such out of it.
Umm...you are going to be swimming/playing in the water?

As a hair twin, I would enjoy the vacation and not worry about my hair. If you were fine and/or curly, I'd worry more, but a week of water and sun isn't going to trash your hair. Heh, treat it as going water only and wash frequently...and at your length, your hair will dry super quickly after splashing or dunking!

Leave it down or put it up as needed. Leaving it up/braided just traps dust/sand/debris.

[Panth]

If it's only a week, I'd just not worry too much and have fun. Especially if you're usually stretching washes as far as 4-5 days.

I like french plait(s) for swimming in the sea/river as they keep all the scalp hair in place and unable to get tangled or matted.

[Carolyn]

I've always found lake water good for my hair. If you have a shower with lake water, I'd go with that. Wash it at home before you leave, oil the ends and braid it. I would redo the braid daily until I felt the need to wash.

[tigereye]

French or dutch braids work well because they keep it safe from snags and stop it from tangling if you go swimming, rafting, canoeing etc. pond water doesn't make much difference really. Just find out if it's a soft or hard water area, and if you know you need to treat your hair differently for different kinds of water, then do so accordingly. Otherwise, just wash as you normally would.:D
Pond water is perfectly safe for washing your hair. When me and my friends go out hiking, we drink the stream water, which ends up in the ponds anyway. If we can drink it, then we can wash our hair with it.;)
Lucky you staying in a boathouse. :cool: We are going out camping this summer, but we can only afford a tent pitch.:o

[ElusiveMuse]

I wouldn't get it braided, it's very bad for the scalp (and I hear it's painful!)



Um...what? No, it isn't.

[neesalena]

Wow, I would've that lake water was not great. I'm thrilled to hear that I can just water wash it, rebraid it, call it a day. I imagine I can use my wide tooth comb to detangle while it's wet.

About cornrolling, I have a friend who does cool braids so I thought maybe it was a good reason to let her do my hair. I'm not tender headed but I'd prefer my own braids that I can take out and re-do.

What kind of oil might I use? My options are limited but I think I can get coconut oil on the base here. I'm new to this site so all I do right now is CWC and I haven't ventured into any of the oil treatments.

thank you everyone! I love having the support of this group and hope to help somebody else new find their way someday.

Denise

[triumphator!]

Um...what? No, it isn't.

I think they were referring to cornrows.