Must-Have Mini Hair Care Essentials to Bring on Vacation

by Victoria Vallecorse

Published May 21, 2024

You’ve got a flight to catch, and we’re here to help fill your bag with easy-to-pack essentials starting with hair care.

Ahead, we break down the travel-sized products you’ll need according to your hair type. Best part: these mini picks make packing a breeze—no bottles to fill, no luggage to check.

Dry or Damaged Hair:

From bottle-free shower staples to hydrating stylers, here’s what dry hair needs to feel quenched on vacay.

Kitsch Nourishing Solid Shampoo & Hydrating Solid Conditioner, $14 each

Packed with antioxidants, these shampoo and conditioner solids are exactly what dry hair needs to moisturize and soften when you’re miles away from home. Each of the bottle-free bars lasts through 100 washes, making it a formula that keeps giving even after your trip ends. Keep them in this portable travel case ($10) for mess-free storage.

R+Co Waterfall Moisture + Shine Lotion, $18

If you only pack one travel-sized pick from this list, let it be this leave-in. The fast-absorbing formula drenches dehydrated tresses in nourishment from root to tip. The result: weightless separation, softness, and shine.

IGK Antisocial Overnight Bond-Building Dry Hair Mask, $16

We all know dry/damaged strands need a little extra TLC, enter IGK’s strengthening dry treatment mask. Unlike other deep conditioners, it works its magic on dry hair while you sleep. All you need to do is wake up, comb through strands, and enjoy stronger hair in the morning. No need to wash or restyle, just get up and go knowing the formula formed a conditioning layer of amino acids on top of your hair to prevent future damage.

R+Co Two-Way Mirror Smoothing Oil, $37

This list wouldn’t be complete without a smoothing hair oil to seal in hydration and impart major shine. A pump or two of this moringa seed oil-infused, featherlight formula allows hair to reflect light for strands with added sheen.

Fine Hair:

Traveling can make strands fall flat, these gravity-defying hair heroes are sure to help fine strands stay voluminous while you’re out of town.

R+Co Antigravity Holiday Kit, $48

Fine-haired friends, this kit provides a complete collection of hair care to keep you covered while you’re out on holiday. It features R+Co’s Dallas line of biotin-infused best-sellers, including thickening shampoo and conditioner which build bouncy volume while reducing static. Plus, both work together to add lightweight moisture and protect against environmental aggressors and heat damage.

The kit also comes with 2 strand-amplifying sprays, one prestyler, and one to finish the look and add hold. It all comes contained in a limited edition, metallic travel bag that fits effortlessly into your carry-on for fuss-free packing.

Curly, Coily, Wavy or Thick Hair:

For those of us that fall into these hair types, it can be hard to ditch the multi-step routine when traveling. But who wants to fill up bottles upon bottles of hair products? We’ve narrowed down the essentials, all available in under 3.4 ounce containers.

Christophe Robin Intense Hydration Mini Duo, $19

This small, but mighty duo (a shampoo and conditioning mask) adds a shot of aloe vera-rich hydration that keeps curls, coils, and waves plump and hydrated. It all happens in less than 5 minutes, so you can enjoy a shiny, weightless foundation for styles to come.

Oribe Run-Through Detangling Primer, $19

Whether you’re looking to air dry or heat style, a detangling primer is crucial when faced with those comb-resistant knots. This lightweight, conditioning spray allows for immediate glide-through combing while sealing the hair cuticle for protected styling.

Oribe Straight Away Smoothing Blowout Cream, $18

If a blowout is what you’re after, this humidity-busting cream gets you sleek strands straight away. The paraben and sulfate-free formula offers 450° heat protection that seals split ends and controls frizz while strengthening, restoring, and maintaining volume.

R+Co High Dive Moisture + Shine Cream, $18

Rock your natural hair with a do-it-all leave-in cream that’s packed with conditioning ingredients, including provitamin B5 and vitamin E. Apply to towel-dried hair to experience reflective shine and instant hydration that drowns out frizz.

R+Co Teleport Flexible Control Hydra Gelee, $34

This gelee is key for adding buildable hold and enhancing hair texture. Use the antioxidant-rich formula to scrunch, twist, and slick styles with the option to wet and rework your look without the crunch.

Dull Hair:

Dullness can happen to any hair type at any time. However, for strands that can’t seem to hold onto shine no matter what, these helpful mini picks come together in a cute carrying case.

Verb Let’s Go! Deluxe Minis Travel Kit, $26

Complete with shampoo, conditioner, and styling sprays, this gloss-inducing kit will help you maintain shine throughout your trip. The secret sauce is a combination of oils, including fatty acid-rich moringa oil, antioxidant-packed rosehip oil, and omega-infused peach oil. The easy 4-step routine is as simple as shampooing with Verb’s Ghost Shampoo, detangling with Ghost Conditioner, spraying on Glossy Shine Spray before styling, and following up with Volume Dry Texture Spray to unlock lustrous locks.