Long or short, frizzy or straight, permed or ironed, coloured or streaked…your hair is one of the most potent tools that make an impression about who you are or want to be. So, if you are setting out on your summer sojourns, hair care is one detail that needs to be given some serious thought before you pack your bags and zip off. First and most important, check out the weather at your destination not just for the kind of clothes you need to pack, but for the haircut you would like to sport for the duration. It is not rocket science to realise that just as your woollens will be sadly out of place on a beach and the bikini would be bizarre in St Moritz, so will last season’s haircut in a place that hosts chic globe-trotters!

Keeping in mind the climate of the moment at your holiday hotspot means that you need to clear space in your luggage for the right clutch of hair products. “If where you are heading is going to be colder than your hometown, then you will need to carry shampoo and conditioner with extra moisturising. If the place is hot and has a beach, you will need to take a leave-in conditioner that will protect it from the sun and salt in the water,” says Ishita Thakkar of Bangz Salon.

It is also very important to use products according to the texture and treatment of your hair. If you have coloured your hair, do ensure that you use a good hair mask for colour-treated hair. Also recommended for wherever you travel: carry your own products! Relying on hotel supplies is a crime.

Most of us usually like to go for a haircut before a long vacation. Flashy is great when you’re in a new place – holiday romance is the new black – but let good sense rule. Go in for a low-maintenance cut or trim that you can deal with easily when away from home. It is also very important to consider your hair’s natural tendencies, like accounting for whether your hair is curly, wavy or straight before choosing a cut. And remember that most often, taking care of your hair and styling it will probably be entirely up to you when you’re travelling.

Tip: be careful to avoid excess layering as it can make your hair look thinner and more damaged. Layering also requires more caring for, as it cannot be left loose without styling.

Looking into small details like checking to see that none of the layers are above chin length and can go easily into a pony tail without having to be pinned up, is also important. Women with straight hair usually have more options while travelling: your dos don’t require quite as much maintenance and your hair can just be washed and left to dry on its own. Wavy hair requires the most blow-drying or ironing. Either way, keeping your hair short and simple is also a good idea, especially if the look suits your face.

We asked Shailesh Moolya, technical director of Juice Hair, about this. “Short hair is very versatile,” he agrees. “So you have plenty of options of how to wear it: choppy, slick, flat, or even wavy. Use some creativity to make a unique look! A wavy bob looks great if it’s worn with a little bit of self-styling. There are variations. Try a lop-sided bob, asymmetrical bob or a box bob…pick a style as per the shape of your face and your hair texture.”

If your hair isn’t already coloured, try to avoid colouring it before a holiday! But if you just can’t do without a streak, then there are a few things to consider before doing it. And don’t say we didn’t warn you. “The colours in trend are one tone or known as a global colour. Streaks or highlights are passé now. After consulting a stylist find a hair colour which best suits your skin tone, avoid choosing colours as per the seasons trend but instead by the ones that suit you the best...,” Moolya underlines.

Having been through the checklist of how to take care of your hair, you can now look at your shopping lists. You’ll be gone tomorrow, but remember the hair today!

Different looks for different faces

Straight: One length with a front fringe.
Wavy: Shorter layers on top, and messy.
Curly: Layered or one length and leave it open.

Hair-raising!

Oil your hair at least once a month.
Get a trim once every two months.
Keep a look-out for split ends.
Avoid colouring your hair too often.

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