Traveling the LHCer way...

[Hollyfire3]

I need some help wonderful LHCers! I am going away for a week and have NO idea how to pack everything! I mean, my shampoo, conditioner and mousse is fine to pack but what about things like all the honey I have been using? Can I pre-microwave the honey and they mix it with the conditioner like normally or do I have to re-microwave before use to kill the peroxide?

[velvetvenus]

Snap!! I am having the exact same dilemma-i need to be able to concoct a 'travel' smt! :)

[afu]

What I would do it premix/heat the SMT, a lot of people do it without problems and it avoids you having to take each ingredient seperatly

[Kayleigh]

Very recognizable! I'm still contemplating on what to take with me on vacation, and more importantly how I'm gonna take it with me. I really have no clue what I can and can't take with me in my luggage since this is the first time in years that I'm going by air-plane.
I don't think it's wise to heat the honey and mix it with conditioner before you go though, I fear that will not do the honey any good. But hey, what do I know, I never tried it and maybe I'm wrong. ;) I look forward to reading suggestions from others about this.

[BambooBeauty]

Im going on a road trip and camping everynight for two weeks...i have no idea what im going to bring and also i dont even want to see the look on my boyfriends face when i pack my hair bag

[spidermom]

Just be sure to put things like shampoo and conditioner into zip-lock bags if you're going to be flying. Changes in air pressure can cause the contents to expand, and if they're loose in your luggage - huge mess.

[Kittyxx]

I would reccomend buying anything you can buy once you're over there or at the airport - has saved me a fortune in buying extra weight allowance lol

obviously not really something that'll work when camping though

[pepperminttea]

Do be aware that some countries are incredibly strict about what you can bring in, so if you're going abroad check their regulations first; Australia and NZ are particularly stringent and won't allow most food stuffs in if I remember rightly. But I'd think honey would be available in most countries, just buy some while you're there. :)

Double-bag everything, just in case something leaks. And this is probably obvious, but if any of your products are in pressurised cans, don't take them on a plane full stop.

[arcane]

I would look at what you really need for the amount of time you are going. I don't bring anything for deep treatments or protein or anything but basic cleaning if I'm only going for up to three weeks. Missing a treatment will not ruin my hair in that time. It saves on space, worry at airports and the like. Plus if I really feel my hair needs something while I'm away (and I travel about 6 times a year on planes, so out of my local area) I look at what is available in the area I'm in and try a product I may not be able to find in my local stores or pick up an old favorite.

[Bunnysaur]

I wouldn't bother bringing the SMT stuff if you're only going to be gone a week.
I'm going to be away for a week coming up here as well, and I'm only planning to bring a poo bar and a mini shampoo and conditioner because I don't know how well the bar will work with the water there. I'll bring my wooden comb and maybe my BBB, but I tend to pack rather light. :shrug: I probably won't even bring my oil because it'd freak out my family! :p

[Synnovea]

I'm with arcane on this one. Travel light. Enjoy your vacation and worry about more extensive hair pampering when you get home. I'm going out of town for a week in a few days and to be as minimalist as possible, all I'm taking is my toadstool shampoo, argon oil, and TT. Easy peasy.

[Iolanthe13]

I fly internationally about ten times a year. My advice is to leave out anything you know you can find where you're going, but to bring travel containers containing honey/oil/AVG on the plane in your quart-size plastic bag - you'll probably want to shower when you get in, not run around looking for hair products in a foreign country.

Here's what I do, depending on my routine at any given time:

- Pack anything herbal in a checked bag (for me, catnip and henna) - it can be awkward explaining a full-size jar of catnip to security officers.

- I put full-size conditioner/shampoo/bodywash bottles in checked luggage because I'm usually in a place for at least a month at a time. Sure, it takes up some space, but three bottles aren't really that heavy compared to shoes or books.

- In my carry-on bag, I pack the following liquids: honey in a travel jar (as a facial wash), hand sanitiser, heavy face cream, hand cream, spray disinfectant, lip balm, mascara, and a BB cream. This all fits into the quart-size bag, and makes the journey comfortable.

- I suggest oiling before getting on the plane - that way your hair will feel better, not worse, after your journey!

- Leave hair forks/sticks in your checked luggage. You don't want them confiscated. A braided bun secured with two bobby pins works well for the flight.

I always check a bag - it's just much simpler than trying to live without tweezers/hair toys/hair scissors/full-size bottles on a trip. Also, even if your bag is small enough to be a carry-on, it's nice not having to deal with the overhead bins (which, these days, are usually overflowing with oversize bags). I carry my laptop bag and a roomy shoulder bag on the plane with me, as they will both fit under the seat in front of mine.

[Hollyfire3]

I would look at what you really need for the amount of time you are going. I don't bring anything for deep treatments or protein or anything but basic cleaning if I'm only going for up to three weeks. Missing a treatment will not ruin my hair in that time. It saves on space, worry at airports and the like. Plus if I really feel my hair needs something while I'm away (and I travel about 6 times a year on planes, so out of my local area) I look at what is available in the area I'm in and try a product I may not be able to find in my local stores or pick up an old favorite.

I use the honey in my daily conditioner, not just in DTs plus there are going to be many photos taken during this trip, so I need to be looking a bit better than decent. Thank you for all the suggestions everyone! Please keep em coming!

[akilina]

When I travel, I am sorry to say I simply do not care.
I bring my favorite shampoo and conditioner, and a nice coney leave in.
I have had horror stories of trying to bring my oils with me and I gave up on that. When I moved states a few months ago, EVERY oil I had came open and went everywhere.
Usually, anything I bring gets all screwed up from the altitude changes of wherever I am traveling to and sometimes makes the product ooze out of the bottle or suck in all weird.
Bringing too much with me results in my tooth brush being covered in hair care products.
I figure my hair can have a rest for a few days to a week.
I don't bring any special hair toys either. I do bring my TT but that is about it for "special"

[spirals]

I'd try to take products that will do double- or triple-duty. I'd use a shampoo bar for hair and bathing. I've used it with conditioner without doing a vinegar rinse and my hair was just fine. A good body butter can be used as moisturizer, lotion, and a leave-in for your hair. I absolutely have to have a skin toner after cleansing, and mine is somewhat acidic, so I'd bring a concentrated form and apply to my face with a really wet cotton pad. That way there would be enough to add to water to rinse my hair if I really needed to (after 'poo bar). As far as makeup, I normally use liquid foundation and powder at home, then carry a creme makeup. For travelling, I'd just bring the compact. Revlon New Complexion works really well--not too greasy, not too dry. It wouldn't taste good, but you could bring some baking soda to use as a face scrub and to brush your teeth. I used soaped-up hands and baking soda every morning and end up with a polished finish and clean pores.

[Dorothy]

you can microwave your honey and premix it with your conditioner, honey is antibacterial and pretty much indestructable.

[long&blonde]

I would probably just pack a shampoo & a conditioner that I know will let me comb out tangles. My seamless comb to comb out. I'd take a couple scarves. I'd practice benign neglect a just deep condition/wash,day before I left,then not again till I got back. If swimming,sweaty,=shampoo & condition & airdry w/the simple two basics you brought. Enjoy Vacation! I'm betting your hair would thrive on the change,and respond gloriously to all your usual treatments:once home again. :)

[Hollyfire3]

I would probably just pack a shampoo & a conditioner that I know will let me comb out tangles. My seamless comb to comb out. I'd take a couple scarves. I'd practice benign neglect a just deep condition/wash,day before I left,then not again till I got back. If swimming,sweaty,=shampoo & condition & airdry w/the simple two basics you brought. Enjoy Vacation! I'm betting your hair would thrive on the change,and respond gloriously to all your usual treatments:once home again. :)

I normally just use shampoo and conditioner with mousse as leave in, but I have added honey to my conditoner for about2 weeks and my hair loves it. I guess I can buy pass the honey for a bit....but my hair is so finicky that when I find something it loves I stick with it.

[umbrellabones]

I kind of have a similar issue. I'm going on vacation with my boyfriends family and i im a 'poo bar user. what do i do about vinegar rinses? can i go without? his folks are gonna think i'm a cook(; he already knows im a hair nut. id also like a way to bring a little coconut oil. ideas??

[GeoJ]

I have a small Nalgene jar that I keep coconut oil in for when I travel. So far it has never leaked during flights, but I keep it in a ziplock baggie just in case. I typically just put in my checked luggage, because I get lectured by the security people now and then about unlabeled containers (I had written on it with an industrial strength sharpie, but the oil that was on my hands whenever I used the jar cleaned the marker off).

Otherwise, I've taken the stance of just purchasing what I need after I arrive.

On the plane...for short trips I don't do anything special for my hair. The dry airplane air makes my wild hair tame and lovely. For long trips I start with a wet braid, that has also been oiled. It will be dry by the time I reach my destination, and my hair won't get too dry or have static issues.

[MinderMutsig]

I travel light and try to find multiple uses for one product. For instance I have a body oil from Kneipp that's basically jojoba, grapeseed, almond oil and some nice smelling essential oils. I'll bring that and use it for my hair and my body.

I'd also bring only one conditioner, a heavier one, to use as CO and leave-in if I don't know if I'll be able to get something there. I don't bother with multiple conditioners while traveling even though my preferred routine is to use a runny conditioner for washing, a heavier conditioner after that and a separate leave-in. If you're going to a different country do your research on what conditioners (or other products) people there like for their hair, what store sells it and if there's one near where you'll be. I recently went to Germany and after reading about it here I tried Balea conditioners. It's now my favorite conditioner and I already made plans to stock up on it on my next trip there.

I usually do honey face washes and OCM but for traveling I'd leave all of that at home. I'll buy a small jar of honey when I get where I'm going (honey can get you in trouble with customs, especially raw honey!) and in case of emergency the body oil can double as OCM oil.

I also make sure to dye my eyebrows and possibly my eyelashes so I don't have to bring as much make-up.

So the only things I put in my beauty bag when traveling are my body oil, a bottle of conditioner, my tinted sunscreen, a lippie (can also be used as a blush!), eyeshadow, mascara, a little powder, a couple of hairsticks/fork/elastics in a toothbrush case and if I'm traveling for more than a week a bottle of nailpolish, base- and quickdry topcoat. I can't live without nailpolish. :p

[MinderMutsig]

I kind of have a similar issue. I'm going on vacation with my boyfriends family and i im a 'poo bar user. what do i do about vinegar rinses? can i go without? his folks are gonna think i'm a cook(; he already knows im a hair nut. id also like a way to bring a little coconut oil. ideas?? Get thee to the grocery store and buy a jar of powdered citric acid. All you really need is an acidic rinse, it does not have to be vinegar.

When you get in the shower just bring a water bottle, put a pinch of citric acid in it and fill it up with water. Added bonus: no smell! So no one needs to know. I prefer vinegar rinses too but this stuff is much more convenient for traveling.

ETA: For coconut oil you can either bring a small bottle (take it with you in the shower and the warm water will melt it enough that you can get some oil out) or put it in one of those travel containers. At home I use a glass jar that used to hold one serving of jam. That way my big jar can stay in the fridge. I'm not sure I would bring a glass jar while traveling though.

[Tisiloves]

you can microwave your honey and premix it with your conditioner, honey is antibacterial and pretty much indestructable.

True story, 3000 year old honey found in sealed jars in Egyptin tombs is apparently still edible.

[Hollyfire3]

Luckily, I'm not traveling to another country, so no problems there, but so far it looks like I can just pre-mix my conditioner and honey mixture, such an easy thing. I might just bring bar soap and wash my hair one time during the week and keep in a braid the rest of the time (because of my Katniss soap washing experiment).

[umbrellabones]

Get thee to the grocery store and buy a jar of powdered citric acid. All you really need is an acidic rinse, it does not have to be vinegar.

When you get in the shower just bring a water bottle, put a pinch of citric acid in it and fill it up with water. Added bonus: no smell! So no one needs to know. I prefer vinegar rinses too but this stuff is much more convenient for traveling.

ETA: For coconut oil you can either bring a small bottle (take it with you in the shower and the warm water will melt it enough that you can get some oil out) or put it in one of those travel containers. At home I use a glass jar that used to hold one serving of jam. That way my big jar can stay in the fridge. I'm not sure I would bring a glass jar while traveling though.
Thats a great idea! i'll definitely look for that at the grocery store. and i think i might get a little baby food jar or something for the oil. not that i'll need that much:p thanks!

[elbow chic]

For a week? Man, I would just pack my regular conditioner, some shampoo if you use it, and a wide-toothed comb. Save all the deep conditioning/pampering stuff for when you are sitting around bored at home. :p

[Hollyfire3]

You know what? I may just try and use a shampoo bar sample for a week? Can you do that? Use a shampoo bar then go right back to my regular routine? (I am then going to Chicago a week after I get back from this coming trip and really need my hair to go back to normal after the week away). Do you HAVE to use an acidic rinse after a shampoo bar?(My hair hates them!) Oh and also, the honey isn't for DTs its for my usual every-third day shampoo and conditioner. I only mix in a teaspoon or so of honey at each was in my conditioner, trust me a DT is NOT prptable, this I know.

[spirals]

I have done a poo bar and conditioner, no acid rinse. Hair seemed fine with my usual gel.

Does anyone know what aisle of the grocery store would have citric acid? I'm excited about the prospect, as I assumed I'd have to order online. My hair likes vinegar, but it erases the beautiful scent of my shampoo bar.

[long&blonde]

If your luggage ends up being searched; you can pull up LHC on the web on your cellphone to explain the Citric Acid Powder to the officers. Lol. :)

[velvetvenus]

Lots of great advice here, thanks everyone :) I am going to Sri Lanka and Malaysia for two weeks but it is for work so I don't know how much time I will get to buy supplies. I think I may just add some aloe gel and coconut oil to my giovanni condish and use that when I wash every two or three days rather than lugging lots of oil/honey etc. I'm going to be keeping my hair up in a bun so it should stay happy!

[Juanita]

Usually don't have too.much time on holidays away to fuss with my hair so my usual shampoo and conditioner or if destination is one I'm familiar with I buy there. Take my Shea butter for hair and skin small amount of makeup,body wash, crystal deodorant, fav perfume. Or buy at dutyfree. .Always check my bag, so only carry on my smallish handbag and iPad for entertainment. Like to travel light.

[Natalia]

I need some help wonderful LHCers! I am going away for a week and have NO idea how to pack everything! I mean, my shampoo, conditioner and mousse is fine to pack but what about things like all the honey I have been using? Can I pre-microwave the honey and they mix it with the conditioner like normally or do I have to re-microwave before use to kill the peroxide?

depends on where your staying i suppose i have yet to stay in a hotel/motel that didnt have a microvave in room even if it didnt have a fridge. as for the honey i would pre-microvave then transfer to a clean air travel approved container. if your not flying any old tiny jar will do.

[umbrellabones]

You know what? I may just try and use a shampoo bar sample for a week? Can you do that? Use a shampoo bar then go right back to my regular routine? (I am then going to Chicago a week after I get back from this coming trip and really need my hair to go back to normal after the week away). Do you HAVE to use an acidic rinse after a shampoo bar?(My hair hates them!) Oh and also, the honey isn't for DTs its for my usual every-third day shampoo and conditioner. I only mix in a teaspoon or so of honey at each was in my conditioner, trust me a DT is NOT prptable, this I know.

Most people usually go through an adjustment period when they switch to shampoo bars that lasts for like a week to or month. i think its something like that for most people. so you may want to get two samples and see how your hair does with it before taking one on vacation with you.
i think there are some people that dont use acid rinses. the purpose is to counteract the basic soap and seal the cuticle of hair. it acts sort of like a conditioner (i still use conditioner as well as an acid rinse).

[Hollyfire3]

Most people usually go through an adjustment period when they switch to shampoo bars that lasts for like a week to or month. i think its something like that for most people. so you may want to get two samples and see how your hair does with it before taking one on vacation with you.
i think there are some people that dont use acid rinses. the purpose is to counteract the basic soap and seal the cuticle of hair. it acts sort of like a conditioner (i still use conditioner as well as an acid rinse).

Oh, I just figured it would be easier to use a shampoo bar and nothing else? Maybe I could just wash my hair before I leave and keep it up all week? Or use bar soap for a once weekly wash? I really don't even want to haul my normal S and C let alone the honey i put in the conditioner...no fun!

[johnnystiletto]

I have done a poo bar and conditioner, no acid rinse. Hair seemed fine with my usual gel.

Does anyone know what aisle of the grocery store would have citric acid? I'm excited about the prospect, as I assumed I'd have to order online. My hair likes vinegar, but it erases the beautiful scent of my shampoo bar.

Down here, citric acid is used with a lot of canning, so it's usually stocked next to the canning jars/lids/bands, etc. I've also seen it tucked away in the spice aisle as well, usually near the baking soda.

HTH!

[kpzra]

I have also found citric acid in the bulk section of Fred Meyers.

[jojo]

I never travel with any hair products as past experience has taught me they just leak! Plus I can get honey, vinegar and new shampoos and conditioners wherever I go and it's nice to try new products! When I am leaving I normally just leave them in the bathroom for the domestic people, along with a tip of course!

[Hollyfire3]

I never travel with any hair products as past experience has taught me they just leak! Plus I can get honey, vinegar and new shampoos and conditioners wherever I go and it's nice to try new products! When I am leaving I normally just leave them in the bathroom for the domestic people, along with a tip of course!

LOL! Sadly, I'm staying in a rented cabin for the week and I think we will be pretty much in the middle of no where with no way of getting around to a store. I might just bring some honey (my honey wash seemed great so far, its drying!) and wash my hair really well before I leave then WO with the honey part way through the trip, it might work right?

[spirals]

I found the citric acid today. Holly, I don't know how TSA feels about powders. If you could take some, you could use whatever soap the hotel provides.

[umbrellabones]

I found the citric acid today. Holly, I don't know how TSA feels about powders. If you could take some, you could use whatever soap the hotel provides.

Where abouts did you find it?