17 Best Hair Products Our Editors Never Travel Without


When your luggage is limited to a carry-on or weekender bag, every item counts. And when you’re experiencing a new destination, be it gloomy London or the white-sand beaches in St. Lucia, every moment counts. That’s why it’s important to have a few tried-and-true hair care products you can rely on to cut down your packing list and the time spent styling while on a trip. Since we all have different hair types and needs, we asked a dozen of our editors and favorite frequent travelers to share their own holy-grail hair products. They came back with recommendations for everything from double-duty balms to anti-frizz treatments and easy-to-use thermal brushes. Below, 17 of the best hair products to travel with, from trusted brands like Ouai, Biosilk, Ceremonia, and more.

Leave-in conditioners

Sachajuan Leave-In Conditioner

Leave-in conditioner is essential for me when I’m traveling, as I tend to plan adventurous trips that put my hair through the ringer—surfing, camping, hiking, and long international flights that dry everything out—so I go heavy on thick conditioning products that can counteract all that exposure. Swedish brand Sachajuan makes products that fit the bill, and its leave-in conditioner (applied to wet/towel-dried hair) noticeably improved my hair during a busier-than-ever travel season; I swear it also extended the time I was able to go before needing a haircut. The bottle doesn’t meet carry-on size requirements at 8.4 ounces, but it’s liquid enough that you can easily pour it into a reusable travel-size bottle. —Megan Spurrell, senior editor

Biosilk Silk Therapy

Give me Biosilk or give me death. No, really. There hasn’t been a hair-washing day in the last 15 years in which I, owner of a significant head of the stuff, haven’t used this saving grace product—even when I go to the hair salon. I apply a dime-sized dollop of the serum to my mane once it’s had about 30 minutes to towel dry, and almost immediately, it reduces my natural frizz by a factor of 10, rendering my hair shiny and healthy even once I begin to lay on the heat tools. Ordinarily, I draw my dose from an extra-large bottle, but I always remember to bring this nifty travel-size version along when I travel. Bonus: It softens dry hands, too, and isn’t sticky or goopy in the least. —Betsy Blumenthal, features and franchises editor

Pattern by Tracee Ellis Ross leave-in conditioner for curly and coily hair

I’m in the process of regrowing my hair from the buzz cut I’ve had for the past two years and I’ve fallen right back into step with a product I began using a few years ago and am a big fan of: Pattern by Tracee Ellis Ross’s leave-in conditioner. It works well as a conditioner and it’s great for detangling my 4C coils when I’m between styles or traveling on assignment and needing to do a wash-and-go. It doesn’t flake, clump, or leave white streaks in my hair. The Pattern shampoo, conditioner, and my beloved leave-in come in a travel-friendly size, which is, well, perfect! —Tariro Mzezewa, contributor

It’s a 10 Miracle leave-in product

It’s a 10 is one brand I truly swear by. I always spritz on its standard leave-in product after I wash my hair to help with shine, and I’ll use it as needed to help with flyaways and frizz throughout the day—needless to say, the travel-size bottle is a must after sitting in a staticky plane seat for six hours. —Caitlin Morton, contributor

Ouai leave-in conditioner

I’m loving this duo from Ouai—honestly, they’re making all of my favorite products right now. I keep my hair in a protective style 99 percent of the time, but still find it important to condition my braids for maximum shine and to avoid a dry scalp. They also serve as a heat protectant for when I do blowouts. —Candace Molatore, contributor

UV protectants

Supergoop Poof 100% mineral part powder

When I’m spending a day in the sun, I cautiously lather my face and body in sunscreen, but I somehow always forget about my scalp. I regret this as soon as my scalp starts to peel and flake. I’m not a big hat wearer, so last summer I decided to try Supergoop’s Poof mineral part powder. The consistency is similar to baby powder or other dry shampoos I’ve used and it actually protects my scalp from the sun. It’s great for beach days and is compact enough to fit in my Dopp kit. The only con: The powder color is a bit orangey (I lightly massage it into my scalp which helps the color fade). —Meaghan Kenny, associate commerce editor

Ceremonia Guava Rescue Spray UV protectant

I’m a broken record on Ceremonia’s products—I love every one I’ve tried, they work like magic and smell amazing, and I think the brand’s mission to bring ancestral Latinx haircare traditions to all is worth celebrating. In addition to its leave-in conditioner, the UV protectant is crucial when I’m traveling. I spray it on my hair before long days in the sun (in an ideal world, that’s every day on every trip), and even pack it in my beach bag to reapply after swimming. I use a little Tangle Teezer to work it through. My hair feels softer throughout the day, and I always get compliments on the scent. —M.S.

Shampoo and conditioner bars 

Liv Nature peppermint shampoo and conditioner bars

I love how they smell, first and foremost. They also make my hair feel soft and moisturized, without weighing it down. I originally got them for camping trips, but I loved them so much that I just started tossing them into my suitcase for all other types of trips, too. I don’t usually check my luggage, so the containers make them super easy and convenient to travel with in a carry-on. —Sarah Kuta, contributor

HiBar moisturize shampoo bar

HiBar moisturize conditioner bar

I always travel with HiBar’s Moisturize conditioner bar and Moisturize shampoo bar. I’m in the ocean a lot, so I like to have a hydrating shampoo and conditioner on hand. Solid shampoo bars have a concentrated, waterless formula, so they’re a great, eco-friendly alternative to traveling with liquid products in plastic containers. I usually pop them in HiBar’s Travel Pouch, which easily fits into my carry-on and keeps the bars secure and dry. —Julia Eskins, contributor

More hair care favorites

Bumble and Bumble Sumotech Flexible Cream Solid

After years of trying and failing to find a strong-hold cream that tames stubbornly frizzy flyaways without looking greasy, I recently stumbled across Bumble and Bumble’s Sumotech Lo-Shine cream in a sample bag and now can’t go anywhere without the stuff. It stays in my purse for ample ponytail touch ups, whether I’m in my home city or jetting to the humid Caribbean—where it truly worked miracles on my insanely frizz-prone curls so I could (for once) forget about what my hair was doing and enjoy my trip. A little goes a very long way, so it’s travel-friendly even as a full-size jar at under two ounces. —Shannon McMahon, destinations editor

Living Proof Perfect Hair Day dry shampoo

Perfect hair day is right. I rely on a high-performing mini dry shampoo like this one from Living Proof to save me from having to rewash my hair every single day when I’m traveling. A little bit goes a long way—just a few sprays around my scalp and a quick bit of blending with my hands is all it takes to refresh my hair and eliminate excess oil. It smells divine and fits in my small toiletry bag. —M.K.

Aēsop Reverence Aromatique hand balm

More often than not, I travel with check-in luggage, so bringing along all my hair products is rarely an issue for me. But when I need to economize and keep things light, I’m not afraid to say that I use Aesop hand balms like this one to style my hair in a pinch. Of course, I say this with short-hair privilege, so your mileage may vary. But they smell great and do the double-duty of moisturizing my mitts while I’m at it. —Matt Ortile, contributor

Lush Super Milk conditioning hair primer

I can’t trust hotel conditioners. Some of it makes my strands so limp that my hair ties will fall off. Supermilk keeps my wavy-straight hair’s texture just the way I like it, and strangers compliment me on the key lime pie scent. —Alexandra Sanidad, research director

Diguan synthethic hair braided headband

Sometimes, there just isn’t the time (or accommodations) for a proper shower on the road. My trusty hack for the past few summers has been this super affordable pre-braided headband that gives me a cute updo in less than five minutes and transforms my limp, flat hair into a chic style. You just slip it on over your head, tuck in your surrounding hair into the band, secure with a few bobby pins, and voila, you look like an IG influencer (or, at least, not a showerless swamp monster). Plus, it’s lightweight and takes up essentially zero bag space. —Lara Kramer, global director of audience development, social, and analytics

Harry Josh Pro Tools magnesium round thermal brush

Rather than bringing a slew of styling tools, I always travel with the Harry Josh Pro Tools Magnesium Round Thermal Brush. This lightweight round brush smooths frizz and gives me a salon-worthy blowout, even if the hotel room hair dryer isn’t the highest quality. I like that it heats up quickly, so I can dry my hair faster, which is always a bonus on a busy trip. —J.E.



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