As you know, the airlines are bugging. They are essentially charging for luggage by the pound with a separate fee for the clothes on your back O_o. So, when you learn that your airline is charging $43 for the first checked bag, $40 for carry-on and an additional $25-$100 for any luggage over the weight limit, you figure out how to make do with less really quickly!! Now, in the past, I’d pack everything but the kitchen sink … I hate being under-packed. But, my frugality far outweighs my fear of not having options, so I knew that I had to keep my checked bag under 40 lbs … and that meant big ol’ bottles of hair product were NOT making the cut!!

So, I came up with a plan to get through my vacation in Playa del Carmen with good hair and minimal products and effort. I had three goals in mind.

1. Clean hair: I didn’t want to worry about shampooing on the trip.
2. Well-Moisturized: Needed to make it through the week of heat, humidity and water activities.
3. Sustained Style: I needed to start with a braided or twisted style that would last a few days, stretch my hair and could be transitioned into other styles through the week.

So, I started by washing and styling my hair on the Friday night before I left for my trip.

• Pre-pooed/deep conditioned with Aubrey GPB Conditioner mixed with Vatika oil, lightly finger detangled and twisted hair in 6 sections (1 hour w/thermal heat wrap).
• Shampooed twists with diluted DevaCare No Poo.
• Conditioned and thoroughly finger detangled each section with Herbal Essences Hello Hydration (HE HH) before re-twisting.
• Applied Aubrey Green Tea Green Cream Rinse directly over HE HH and rinsed with cold water.
• Set hair in 12 braids (3 in each quadrant of my head) with Aubrey Honeysuckle Rose (HSR) Conditioner and sealed my ends with Amazing Botanicals JBCO. I decided on braids because I knew that they would last longer and result in less frizz than twists.

Now, I was all set for the week with the exception of packing a few hair essentials. For this job, I had a few more goals in mind. I knew that I needed the following:

• Multi-purpose products.
•  A moisturizer.
• A sealer.
• A styler.
• A “cleanser” in a pinch.
• A “shiner.”
• A “slicker.”

I also packed an empty spray bottle so that I could dilute the conditioner and make a liquid “leave-in” moisturizer to apply as needed.

Now, on to the vacation hair tools! Again, I wanted a style that I could transition throughout the week. So, I brought my trusty banana clip, a black satin scrunchy (not pictured), a few bobby pins, a set of Goody Spin Pins and my trusty sheathed purse shears (never leave home without it … but had to put it in my checked bag as I didn’t want to get detained as a potential terrorist at airport security! *lol*). I also packed 4 small perm rods and a small jaw clip.

And, of course, I had to protect my hair! So, I packed a satin bonnet, wide and narrow satin scarves, my terry-lined shower cap and a satin pillowcase (never leave home without that either ;).)!

Then, I packed a couple of hats to conceal my scalpy braids and protect my hair from the hot sun of the beach and I was ready to go!

Saturday and Sunday: Braids

Monday: Braids

Monday Night: Braid-out

Tuesday: “Folded” ponytail

Wednesday: Banana-Clipped Braid-out

Thursday morning: Braid-out (for family “photo” shoot)

Thursday: Bun

Friday: Bun (for tubing and snorkeling at water park)

Saturday, 8 am: Braid-out (heading home)

Saturday, 10:30 pm: Frizz head

Finally home and done!

(Check out my FB album for more vacation hair pics.)

So, I barely put a dent in the conditioner throughout the week! I diluted a little in the spray bottle and spritzed the ends of my braids for the first few days, sealing with the Wonder Curl Polishing Pomade and … okay … I’ll admit. I had another product, but it was Wei’s! He uses coconut oil for his skin and it also works as a natural mosquito repellent (especially with peppermint oil), so I used it on my hair and body! But, it really was his item, not mine ;). So, I used a little of that to seal my ends sometimes too. When I released for the braid out, I used the Polishing Pomade for shine and Eco Styler to smooth my crown. When I bunned, I re-moisturized with the Aubrey HSR “leave-in” and sealed with the pomade again. And, on Friday night, after wearing the bun at the water park, I lightly finger detangled and placed my hair in 4 big, loose braids for the “beach wave” braid-out on Saturday morning. Unfortunately, it was so frickin’ humid and hot … even inside … it didn’t fare too well. Even if it had, it was time to wash, which I did on Sunday.

I will give this one caveat about getting through the week without washing my hair. I only got it wet in the pool one day and for very little time. I’m not really a pool person. But, I brought the conditioner to serve dual purpose for co-washing, if necessary. And, although I was able to get through the week without washing my hair, I know that won’t work for everyone. But, having a conditioner to co-wash after time in the pool could allow for WnGs or another set of braids or twists during the week.

So, to wrap this up, here are my tips for easy, peezy vacation hair with minimal effort and products:

• Wash, condition and style hair the day or night before the trip.
• Choose an initial style that “travels” well (i.e. tolerates humidity, winds, snow, etc.), can last several days and can be converted into other styles later in the week.
• Consider a stretched style so that, if washing and a detangling are necessary, it cuts down on the time needed to do it.
• Think about the activities that you will be doing and how/if they will impact your hair so that you can select the right products for the job.
• Select products that you don’t need a lot of so that you can bring travel size containers instead of full-size ones.
• Select products that will serve multiple purposes.
• Bring hair tools that will allow you to maintain and convert your look, if necessary, through the week.
• Hats can be your friends in all seasons. They can conceal scalpy twists or braids, salvage a bad hair day and protect your hair from the elements.

And that’s it! Hope that it helps!

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