Are you ready to get out of town? As we counted down the days until summer officially begins, many of us are daydreaming of exotic vacations. But along with the warm, sandy beaches and fruity Mai Tais comes frizzy hair and oily, puffy skin. It’s easy to forget how our hair and skin goes haywire on vacation, but these simple tips will help you keep them in check this summer:
Chop it off
A haircut right before vacation is just the ticket for smooth, healthy, frizz-free hair. Not only does a pre-trip cut get rid of dead ends that weigh your hair down, it also makes your hair care routine during vacation as simple as possible — so you have more time to actually enjoy your trip.
Invest in a facial serum
Ever notice how your skin feels both dry and oily right when you step off the plane? That’s because cabin air is harsh and dry. If you are heading out to a tropical island, your skin has no idea what to do with the sudden change in temperature and humidity. This drastic change often results in dry, tight, oily skin. To stop your skin from drying up and overproducing oil to compensate, invest in a high-quality serum. Facial serums lock in moisture instantly, so you don’t have to worry about dry skin in the first place.
Condition before diving in
Harsh chlorine and saltwater strips your locks of their natural moisture, resulting in brittle, dry hair that’s difficult to manage. Fortunately, you can avoid this by conditioning your hair before taking a dip. If you want to protect your hair from serious damage, soak it in non-chlorinated water and coat each strand with moisture-locking leave-in conditioner. The conditioner serves as a barrier to keep chlorine and saltwater out, so your hair is left silky smooth.
Wear sunscreen
There’s nothing wrong with wanting a tan for your tropical vacation, but melting in the sun without protection is not the way. Without sunscreen, your poor skin will end up red, inflamed, and painful — not to mention that sun damage puts you at risk of premature aging and skin cancer. Protect yourself against UV rays before you even get off the plane, and never leave your hotel without a thick layer of sunscreen!
Let your hair air dry
When you’re on a tropical vacation, the last thing you need to worry about is blow drying and straightening your hair. With the added humidity, hot tools are not going to be a pleasant experience — plus they take up so much room in your bag! Rather than waste time styling your hair, make sure to use leave-in conditioner and frizz-control serum after you shower. Then, let your hair air dry naturally. Not only does this save your time — time that could be spent on the beach with an ice cold margarita — it also strengthens your hair health to take a short break from hot tools.