The 12 Best Hair Care Products for Travel of 2023

Best Shampoo

Ouai Detox Shampoo

This palm-sized bottle contains 3 ounces of shampoo that promises to wash away dirt, oil, product buildup, and other impurities while strengthening and softening your strands with keratin. We should note the clarifying formula is technically not meant for daily use — it can help you go longer between washes, which might be convenient while traveling. But if you do lather up daily, it shouldn’t dry out or strip your hair so long as you use conditioner afterwards.

Price at time of publish: $14 for 3 ounces

Best Conditioner

Pureology Hydrate Conditioner

“The best way to have healthy, shiny hair is for it to be properly moisturized with oils and other conditioning agents,” says Ferrara, noting that moisture is essential for both humid and dry climates. With this in mind, we suggest the Pureology Hydrate Conditioner. It calls on sunflower seed oil, soybean oil, and shea butter to nourish and soften without weighing down your hair. Though the strong scent isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, others love the invigorating aromatherapy blend of peppermint and corn mint essential oils.

Price at time of publish: $11 for 1.7 ounces

Best Hair Mask

Amika Soulfood Nourishing Hair Mask

According to Ferrara, deep moisturizing products are ideal when traveling to cold climates with low humidity, as they can help prevent dry, brittle hair. Amika Soulfood conditions, nourishes, and hydrates your hair to help repair damage while restoring softness and elasticity. This in-shower mask can be applied every few days after shampooing. Alternatively, you can use it as an everyday cream rinse in place of your daily conditioner if you want to pack fewer toiletries.

Price at time of publish: $18 for 3.3 ounces

Best Styling Cream

Olaplex No.6 Bond Smoother

Ferrara recommends packing Olaplex No. 6 on your next trip, especially if you’re heading to a colder, drier climate. This leave-in styling cream can be applied to dry or damp hair from mid-length to ends. Containing the brand’s patented bond-building molecule, it’s been shown to repair and protect chemically damaged or otherwise brittle hair. No. 6 also helps your hair dry faster and keeps flyaways under control for up to 72 hours. While it only comes in one size, the 3.3-ounce pump bottle still meets TSA liquid requirements for carry-ons — which is currently 3.4 ounces.

Price at time of publish: $30 for 3.3 ounces

Best Dry Shampoo

Living Proof Mini Perfect hair Day (PhD) Dry Shampoo

You’ll never regret packing dry shampoo — or at least, you very well might regret not packing it. In any case, Living Proof Perfect Hair Day is a go-to for all hair types. The highly effective formula soaks up excess oil, sweat, and odor while adding body and texture to second- or third-day hair. It’s virtually invisible when sprayed on and disappears entirely when you massage your roots and brush it through. Just a heads up, you’ll have to shake the can vigorously each time to get the product to come out. If you’re still having trouble, the brand recommends running the nozzle under warm water.

Price at time of publish: $18 for 2.4 ounces

Best Texturizing Spray

Not Your Mother’s Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray

Thinking about skipping the blow dries or leaving your flat iron at home? If you have naturally wavy or curly hair, Beach Babe will be your best friend during your trip. This easy-breezy spray can be used on wet or dry hair. After spritzing it on, scrunch with your hands to separate your waves, texturize, and add body. This product is formulated to provide UV protection from the sun’s rays. But the salt component can be drying, so don’t go overboard when applying it.

Price at time of publish: $7 for 8 ounces

Best Hair Spray

SexyHair Big Spray & Play Volumizing Hairspray

“Memory in a product helps hair stay in the style you put it in, even with some perspiration and humidity,” says Ferrara. In addition to hot, muggy locales, she explains that hair spray can also be good in dry climates to prevent static. This small but mighty product promises to provide a flexible yet reliable hold that lasts up to five days without causing a flaky scalp. That said, a little bit goes a long way, so use it sparingly to avoid a sticky feel and a crunchy texture. TSA allows aerosol cans under 3.4 ounces, so this one is perfect for packing in your carry-on.

Price at time of publish: $17 for 1.7 ounces

Best Heat Protectant

Oribe Maximista Thickening Spray

Ferrara’s go-to heat protectant for travel is Oribe Maximista, a body-building spray that safeguards your hair from heat styling and UV damage. “While its textbook use is to add thickness and volume, which it does, it’s also super versatile,” she says. “It can be used as a hairspray to slick back a ponytail, a blowout product, or a spray-in product to define curls.” This product may feel a bit sticky once it dries, but this can be avoided by using a smaller amount.

Price at time of publish: $19 for 1.7 ounces

Best UV Protectant

Bumble and bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil Heat & UV Protective Primer

We also like Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil. This hair primer contains UV filters to protect your locks from the drying, fading, damaging effects of sun exposure. It also defends against heat damage for temperatures up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. And that’s not all, this product also combats the effects of extreme humidity by smoothing your strands and preventing frizz. One thing to note is that since it’s an oil-based formula, it might be a little too heavy for folks with fine hair.

Price at time of publish: $15 for 2 ounces

Best Detangler

LolaVie Glossing Detangler

If your hair is prone to tangling, toss this product in your toiletry bag. LolaVie’s Glossing Detangler gives hair the slip it needs to separate twisted hair, untie fairy knots, and make your mane all-around more manageable. As the name suggests, this spray-on primer also adds shine. Then it goes above and beyond to provide heat protection and shield against environmental damage, leaving a pleasant woody citrus scent in its wake. The only thing to note is that although it’s meant to be lightweight and suitable for all hair types, it might make thin hair appear flat or limp.

Price at time of publish: $13 for 2 ounces

Best Comb

Pattern Mini Wide Tooth Comb

The mini comb from Tracee Ellis Ross’s hair care brand is perfect for travel — and not just because of the small, packable size. With long, wide-set teeth, it’s ideal for detangling, separating, and styling wet or dry hair. Like other Pattern products, it’s designed with curly and coily hair patterns in mind, but all hair types can benefit from using a wide-tooth comb. We also like that it has a handle with an imprint for your thumb, ensuring a sturdy grip when combing out your hair.

Price at time of publish: $8