Introduction
Summer is here, and for most Brits that means a week or two away in countries that actually guarantee some sunshine.
When going on holiday, it’s important to think about how you are going to look after and maintain your hair. Many men will choose to keep their hairstyle the same, but I find that a lot of clients come into the salon wanting something slightly different whilst they are away.
An individual’s profession can have a huge impact on how they have to dress and style their hair on a daily basis, so taking a break from the nine-to-five lifestyle for a couple of weeks provides men with an opportunity to experiment with their hairstyle, or at least have something a bit edgier or unkempt.
Those men that do ‘want a change’ generally fall into two categories:
1. The Longer Hairstyles
Growing your hair or keeping it slightly longer whilst you’re away makes a great change and can even reduce the amount of time it takes to style your hair (or in some cases increase it, especially if your hair is curly). It can also look effortlessly cool when the edges become slightly uneven, providing natural texture and a laid-back, dishevelled feel.
Longer hairstyles can be left to dry naturally or you could consider applying some sea salt spray (see ‘Difference In Water Quality’ section below). Sea salt products will make the hair look as though it has no product in at all but will create a dry, rough texture that makes unkempt hairstyles a breeze to create. This kind of product is perfect for most hair types – from straight to wavy.
If you have curlier or a slightly drier hair texture, I would apply some mousse or curl defining cream (see our article on Dealing With Thick, Wavy Or Unruly Hair). These have higher moisturising properties, which helps to reduce frizz and smooth the hair for easier styling.
Here are some of FashionBeans‘ most popular mid to long length hairstyles for men, focusing on an unkempt, easy to style aesthetic:
2. The Shorter Hairstyles
Going short and sharp through the back and sides looks clean and crisp on holiday, and reduces the chance of getting tan lines on your forehead or around the hairline.
Recently, many guys have been opting for cuts with maximum scalp exposure through the back and sides, whilst maintaining length throughout the top. To mix it up and add some interest while away, why not add a ‘tramline’: a line created with the clippers to create an exaggerated parting. Alternatively, clipper the sides high past the curve of the head; this leaves the haircut looking dramatic and extremely contemporary.
Here are some of FashionBeans‘ most popular short or ‘beach look’ hairstyles for men, along with some more contemporary cuts you could consider:
Holiday Hair Guidelines
There are a few factors to take into account before going on holiday…
Difference In Water Quality
In some countries I find that the water quality has a massive impact on my hair and the way it styles. Sometimes the water will make my hair soft and unmanageable, whilst other times it will become drier.
With this in mind, I always take a decent conditioner and a salt spray with me on holiday because I know I will use one of them every night, depending on the water:
- Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray 125ml
- Kms California Hairplay Sea Salt Spray 200ml
- Label.m Sea Salt Spray 200ml
- Almond And Linseed Conditioner Korres
- Redken For Men Cool Finish Invigorating Conditioner 300ml
- Aveda Brilliant Conditioner 1000ml
Hair Product
Hair products can melt in many ways. I always store my styling clay in the fridge to save it from melting in the heat.
If the product melts in the pot, it’s likely to make the hair greasy and unmanageable. When you have styled your hair, always apply a strong hairspray – this will help keep the style in place and stop the sun from melting the product once you’re out and about:
- Fudge Unleaded Skyscraper 70g
- Kms California Hair Stay Maximum Hold Spray
- Tigi Bed Head Hard Head Hairspray 400ml
- Moroccanoil Luminous Hair Spray 330ml
- Silvikrin Natural Hold Hairspray 400ml
- Schwarzkopf Got2b Blasting Freeze Spray 300ml
Hair Density
If you find that your hair is thinning on top, it?s really important to look after your scalp. We have all burnt our shoulders when we have been out in the sun for too long, but the same can happen to the top of your head – whether at receding temples or your crown.
Apply sunscreen onto your scalp before going out into the sun to protect your skin, and reapply during the day. When you have a shower at night, wash your hair as normal and leave conditioner on for a decent length of time in order to put moisture back into your scalp:
- Riemann P20 Spf20 Sunscreen 200ml
- Piz Buin In Sun Lotion Spf 15 200ml
- Nivea Sun Invisible Protection Spf10 200ml
- Soltan Invisible Dry-touch Transparent Suncare Spray Spf15
- Ultrasun Ultra Sensitive Very High Spf 50+
- Malibu Scalp Protector 50ml Spf15
Hair Colour
Whether your hair is coloured or not, we will all find that being out in the sun can result in our hair becoming lighter in appearance. Depending on how light your hair is initially, it can go blonder or, if it’s darker, it may fade and leave the hair looking slightly warmer in tone, complete with a copper or golden shine.
If your hair is prone to going lighter, apply some conditioner or leave-in conditioner before going into the sun. You could also try using L’Oreal Professionnel Spray, which protects the hair from sun damage. Most brands now have a specialist sun care range that helps to protect your hair whilst you’re away on holiday, and these are perfect for pumping moisture back into the hair after a day in the sun – your hair gets dehydrated too, you know.
If you are planning on spending a lot of time in the water, you can buy specific products that protect your hair from chlorine – especially great for keen swimmers. If you struggle to find one, apply plenty of conditioner beforehand to create a protective barrier:
- Philip Kingsley Remoisturizing Conditioner
- Moroccanoil Moisture Repair Conditioner 250ml
- Redken Clear Moisture Conditioner 250ml
- Wella Sp Sun Concentrate 50ml
- Bc Bonacure Sun Protect By Schwarzkopf Spray Conditioner 200ml
- Loreal Professionnel Solar Sublime Spray 125ml
- Kerastase Soleil Aqua-seal Highly Protective Fluid-cream 125ml
- Paul Mitchell The Conditioner 500ml
- Wella Sp Sun Uv Spray
- Aveda Sun Care Hair Treatment Masque 125ml
- Paul Mitchell Sun Shield Conditioning Spray 125ml
- Aussie Miracle Hair Insurance Leave-in Conditioner 250ml
Travelling Light
The majority of hair care brands have now released miniature versions of their best sellers, so there really is no excuse for looking like you have left everything in your bathroom at home.
American Crew and Kevin Murphy, in particular, offer a great selection of miniatures and they are easily refillable – I keep some in my gym bag and refill them to take away with me, meaning you really do only need to buy them once.
- Paul Mitchell Take Home Moisture Kit 3 Products
- Philip Kingsley Soft & Shiny Jet Set
- Philip Kingsley Daily Damage Defence 60ml
- Tresemmé Extra Firm Hairspray 100ml
- Charles Worthington Moisture Seal Conditioner 75ml
- Charles Worthington Moisture Seal Shampoo 75ml
- American Crew Travel Pomade – 15g
- American Crew Travel Kit
- American Crew Stimulating Conditioner – 50ml
Wattage & Electricals
If you are taking a hairdryer or straighteners with you on holiday, I would strongly suggest finding out if the destination country’s wattage is the same as the UK.
I recently went to New York and couldn’t trim my facial hair as my hair clippers were the wrong wattage. It pays to check beforehand and maybe even ask the hotel if they have a spare hairdryer or adaptor plugs – it would save on luggage weight too.
Lazy Days
Finally, if all of the above seems a bit much for you and you just want to spend more time out drinking, you can always ‘dry clean’ your hair with a dry shampoo ( Kevin Murphy Fresh Hair is an amazing product): simply spray onto your hair and rub with a towel, it leaves the hair feeling and smelling fresh.
- Style By Kevin Murphy Fresh.hair 150ml
- Fudge Dry Shampoo 150g
- Tigi Rockaholic – Dirty Secret Dry Shampoo 300ml
- Tresemmé Instant Refresh Dry Shampoo 200ml
- Osis Refresh Dust Dry Shampoo 100ml
- Philip Kingsley One More Day Dry Shampoo 50ml
