Summer time is travel time, which can turn into a very hectic time. To ease the burden in regards to travel hair care, at least, let’s do a little inventory. Of course, what you need to pack will depend on where you are headed in terms of weather, expected temperatures and customs, what activities you plan to get up to, and what fashion sense is called for day and night. And, you may simply have your hair care routines that dictate some basic supplies you always have with you.

Should you be staying in hotels or alternative housing such as a Bed & Breakfast Inn, plan on taking everything you need for hair care with you. I would advise the same if staying as a house guest in a friend or family member’s home. Some people are very generous with guest amenities, and others don’t seem to give it much thought. 

Also remember that airport security (TSA) regulates the size of your liquids for carry-on-items, so make sure your bottle size or the amount in your bottles is 3 ounces or less, or they will literally toss your bottles or tubes in the garbage right in front of you. However, in checked bags, anything (legal) tends to go through without size restrictions.

Here are some other items for your consideration:

Hair drier-  Nowadays, most hotels tend to have hair driers available in the room or on demand. In North American hotels, they provide plugs in the bathroom. Driers are either fixed on the wall, in the closet, in a drawer or on a shelf in a little cloth bag. Did you know, by the way, that in England and Europe, laws prohibit electric plugs in bathrooms (except for special mini-sockets for shavers)? This is to prevent injury or death by electrocution caused by accidentally dropping an electronic item such as a hair drier in the sink or tub. So be prepared to dry and style your hair in the bedroom, not in front of the bathroom mirror.

You will need to bring any curling iron or hair straightening iron you want to use on your trip.

Remember as well that if traveling to England, Europe and numerous other countries, you must bring an adapter to fit both their socket shape and voltage. Do look it up online or ask your travel agent (if you have one) to find out what you need as it varies widely. Your safest bet is to buy a universal adapter, ahead of time online or at an electronics store or at the airport shop. They are compact and very handy for charging all electronic devices you might have toted with you.

Hair Products-  Most hotels provide shampoo, but not all provide conditioner. Some hotels have luxurious brands, which pamper your hair. Others, however, seem to provide shampoos so harsh they could strip the paint off a car! So if you are not assured of a high quality shampoo and conditioner where you are staying, it’s wise to bring at least small bottles or travel size of your own just in case. 

Dry shampoo, is back on the market as a legitimate product these days. So this might be something to test out ahead of time, then bring along in case you need a quick fix. Gel or mousse are other ‘could be useful items' when on the road.

If you intend to spend a good amount of time in the sun, in salty sea water or chlorinated pool water, you’d be advised to bring along extra moisturizer and conditioning product for your hair and waterproof high-SPF sunscreen or after-sun cream for your scalp and skin. 

If you regularly use relaxers or hair coloring and the treatment timing hits while you are traveling, you are better off having what you need with you unless you are sure you can access what you need locally. Some resorts might have shops, but they charge two or three times the normal prices to their captive audience. One tip is to take a root touch up pen or spray just in case.