There is no getting away from it; my hair is ridiculously thick, wavy bordering on frizzy and dry.  It is the kind of hair that is a nightmare to deal with and can neither be styled with ease nor left to its own devices – in other words – I have the kind of hair that everyone desires but would never ever really want.

I suppose I should be thankful.  After all, I have unbelievably thick hair unlike my brother, who is unfortunate enough to suffer with a slight thinning on top and has done so ever since he was a teenager. This has often led to sly comments about whether he would like me to save my off-cuts from the hairdressers so that he can make a wig. 

As you can imagine, this doesn’t really go down very well, especially as my brother, like many others, is sensitive to his hair loss and has even considered undertaking a hair transplant similar to the process undertaken by Wayne Rooney a few years back.

Perhaps if I too had this sort of hair issue I could relate, but for me, my concerns are very different.  Each morning I wake up and think to myself, ‘how-on-earth am I meant to control this wiry mess today’?

It’s not like I have hours available to me like all of those famous models and movie stars do in order to style my birds-nest into something resembling their gorgeously thick-flowing, glossy locks. I only have a short amount of time each morning before I need to be out and about exploring a new city or undertaking some new adventure that almost certainly means that my hair will take a battering.

On top of that, like many others that pretty much travel all of the time, I have limited space.  My rucksack or suitcase can only hold so much and with the restrictions now imposed on hand luggage I can no-longer carry all of my shampoos and conditioners with me onto the plane – so how do I do it?

What products do I use on a regular basis to keep my hair in good condition whilst exposing it to extreme amounts of sunshine and heat?

5 Hair Products You Should Never Leave Home Without

#1 Jason and the Argan Oil Shampoo Bar

Anyone that has dry hair will know that you don’t just want a shampoo that will cleanse, you also need one to help repair and restore your luscious locks and that is why I have started to travel with this particular shampoo bar.

As the name suggests this shampoo contains argan oil which is full of vitamins and antioxidants to help repair damaged hair along with lemon oil which makes your hair appear shinier.  Both rose and geranium oils are added to this mix resulting in the floral aroma you smell every time you lather the shampoo between your hands.

Sceptical? 

I was at first as well, especially when they told me the price.  However, this is the first shampoo soap bar that I have used that I would honestly recommend to others – not only does it smell great, it really does do wonders for your hair.  It may come with a slightly higher price tag than your normal bottle of shampoo but when you consider that it does around 80 washes and can fit into a tiny space in your shower bag I believe that this is money well-spent.

You can purchase your own hair shampoo bar directly from Lush Cosmetics for just £5.95.

#2 Art Naturals Argan Oil Daily Hair Conditioner

Unlike the shampoo, I will be brutally honest and say that I could not get on with a conditioner in soap form; it just didn’t provide me with the right level of deep-conditioning required for someone with longer hair.

What first stood out for me with this conditioner was the fact that you could use it daily.  When you are spending your days hiking mountains, walking cities or undertaking something more extreme like a dune-buggy expedition or a camel safari into the Sahara Desert you need a top-performance conditioner that can be used on a frequent basis.

Not only does this particular brand contain argan oil and aloe vera it also contains numerous oil extracts to help hydrate, moisturise, strengthen and most importantly stop frizz.  On top of all of that, it states that it protects against UV rays which should appeal to anyone that spends a great deal of time outdoors.

Follow the link to purchase your own bottle of Art Naturals Argan Oil Daily Hair Conditioner now.

#3 Aussie Miracle Recharge Leave-In Treatment Frizz Remedy

Now, I may not be a person who wants to waste time styling my hair each day but I also understand the importance of using the right products to make it appear like I have spent more than two minutes with a brush, hence this Aussie recommendation.

Whilst I didn’t particularly feel that it could be used as a stand-alone product, mixing it with the conditioner above and spraying this little gem into my wet hair after each wash most definitely eased the wild nature of my hair. 

It’s quick to use as well, simply spray in to towel dried hair, rub your comb or brush through and that’s it.   It really couldn’t be any easier.

Want to own a bottle of Aussie Miracle Recharge for yourself then click here.

#4 Alberto VO5 Hot Oil Shower Works Weekly Deep Conditioning Treatment

So, I think I might have already mentioned this but I hate spending too much time on my hair.  Yes, I want it to look nice but at the same time I will never be one of those people who always has immaculate locks – it’s just not me. 

Therefore, when I am looking to deep condition my hair the thought of having to spend twenty minutes with a product massaged into my scalp for maximum benefit really does not appeal.  VO5 however, have the answer.

This particular product once, a long time ago came in the form of small tubes that you had to soak in hot water for a minute in order to make the oil inside perform at its best.  Now, perhaps due to the fact that people do not have the time, this wonderful little oil treatment can be added straight to your hair and heated whilst you stand in the shower for just one minute – perfect!

On top of this, you only need to apply it once a week and the handy small-sized tube means that you can still carry this little gem onto a plane in your hand luggage.

If you have never tried this before, now is the time.  Simply follow this link to buy your own supply.

#5 Tresemmé Protect Heat Defence Styling Spray

It’s fair to say that I am not one for really styling my hair but on the odd occasion when we decide to glam up and head out for a nice meal I have been known to get the hair styling irons out. 

The biggest problem I have, well two problems in fact, is that my hair is so thick and so dry that to get any sort of trendy or sophisticated hairdo to stay put for the evening is a big ask.  I am also not a fan of hairsprays or the overuse of products so even when I do decide to go all out with my hair if I am not careful within an hour or two it just looks like one big frizz-ball.

Tresemmé Protect Heat Defence does however allow me to style my hair quickly whilst performing in a similar way to a hairspray – it holds my hairdo in place without my hair drying out further.

When time and space in your luggage is at a premium this is the sort of product that stands out for me.  Why take two to three cans of spray, each doing a different job when one can do it all?

You can purchase a bottle of Tresemme Protect Heat Defence Spray here.

I Am No Expert

I admit that I am no expert when it comes to hair care, but what I lack in professional guidance I make up for with consumer experience.  Over the years, I have tried so many different shampoos, conditioners and styling solutions that, for me at least, I know that the ones above really are the best.

There are so many products on the market today that finding the ones to suit both your hair and your lifestyle can be difficult, but it’s important to remember that sometimes less is more especially when you are trying to pack it all into one backpack or suitcase.

Do you have dry, frizzy hair?  What products would you recommend to others?

 If you have just one product that you swear by and would love to tell the world about then leave comment below.

We would like to thank The Harley Street Hair Clinic for sponsoring this particular post.  This article also contains affiliate links which means that should you purchase any of the products linked above we do gain a small commission at no extra cost to you.  All products recommended have been tried and tested by ourselves, we would never recommend something we would not be happy with.