The 21 best hair tools for travel, according to experts

“This has been a favorite of mine for a while,” shares Cunningham. “It’s small and compact, isn’t noisy and still makes blow drying quick and easy.” In fact, it’s such a great option that she opts for it even when she’s not traveling. Nunzio Saviano, professional hair stylist and owner of Nunzio Saviano Salon, also recommends this lightweight hairdryer, sharing that he uses it in his salons.

Celebrity hairstylist and founder of Day Rate Beauty Aviva Jansen Perea loves this travel hair dryer, which utilizes ion technology to leave your hair with that coveted healthy shine. The different heat and speed settings along with a folding handle and auto dual voltage makes it for blowouts on the go, she explains. 

One of Saviano’s all-time favorite travel-friendly hair dryers, he describes this futuristic-looking option as compact and lightweight, easy to pack and “powerful enough for thick, long hair.”

Celebrity hair stylist Laura Polko has been loving this super sleek and lightweight hair dryer. “It dries hair super-fast with less frizz, plus it has all the settings you’d need for any hairstyle you are looking to achieve,” she explains. “It’s an absolute must when traveling, especially for the girls like me that like to try out different styles.”

“Not only is this small and easy to travel with,” explains Bodt, “but it’s also a lot gentler on the hair.” That’s thanks to the dryer’s SoftAire technology, which packs enough power to dry larger sections of hair gently and quickly.

“GHD has long been a favorite of mine,” shares Perea, “and this mini iron is so awesome.” Bodt is also a fan of this cordless flatiron, which she explains is great for touch-ups.

“This comes with me when I travel internationally,” explains Cunningham, “since I don’t have to worry about voltage issues abroad.” She likes the ¾” size, which is versatile enough to straighten hair and add quick waves, and the even heat distributed by its ceramic plates.

“Hair can get really frizzy, especially when traveling and this flat iron is one of the best for reducing frizz,” shares Polko. “Its ceramic heater heats up in seconds, then reaches a stabilized temperature and maintains the heat level to avoid overheating,” she explains, “which is always great assurance when staying in hotels.”

“A lot of my clients love this super compact option,” shares Bodt. An affordable, lightweight straightening iron option, it also comes with a ready-to-go travel pouch.

Cordless tools make styling, especially in unfamiliar places, endlessly easier. Siddique and Perea are fans of this ceramic option, which you can simply charge up and throw in your travel bag. “Harry Josh irons are staples in my kit, and now my set bag,” shares Perea. Siddique adds that the "best part of Harry Josh's cordless tools is that you can use the same battery in both [the curling wand and flat iron] to carry with you."

“This is a true gem in my collection,” shares Polko. “It effortlessly creates all-day, fuss-free curls at the push of a button,” she explains, “and its memory function feature ensures quick styling with consistently flawless results.”

A favorite of Cunningham’s, these curling irons from Hot Tools are available in a variety of barrel widths, making it easy to grab what you need, and nothing more. “I travel with the 1”, but sometimes will bring a 2” if I have space,” she explains. 

“For almost two decades, Spornette has been a staple in my kit,” shares Perea. “And this adorable brush is the perfect size for travel,” she explains. “The cushion under the bristles makes for a perfect brush-out.”

Saviano recommends this Mason Pearson brush, which is made from fine boar bristle and nylon tufts. “Even though it’s much smaller than the original it does the job,” he explains. “It’s an incredible brush, gently detangles the hair, and leaves it shiny and soft.” The expert-favored brand is also on Siddique's list and Cunningham says she travels with a Mason Pearson brush, opting for a slightly larger option. “The boar bristles help distribute natural oils in the hair,” she shares, “which works well if hair is a bit more oily from traveling.”

“I absolutely love this travel brush because you can leave it in the shower and comb through your conditioner,” shares Bodt, who also enjoys how small and compact it is.

When traveling internationally, Siddique recommends Conair’s dual converter and adapter, which he says is “super travel friendly” as it comes with a travel pouch and plugs that’ll work across seven continents.

Bodt recommends traveling with a shower cap to make life on the road a bit easier. “It helps preserve styling so you don’t have to shampoo and wash as much,” she explains. 

“I always travel with this kit,” shares Cunningham, who loves that it comes with minis of all her must-haves — shampoo, conditioner and the brand’s cult-fave hair perfector treatment, just to name a few. Olaplex products contain a one-of-a-kind bond-building technology that’s essential to maintaining strong and healthy hair. “It’s essential to bring with me wherever I go,” she explains, and having it all in one kit is the perfect way to make sure you’ve packed everything you need.

Hair pins are always useful to have on hand, and these “come in tubes that make transporting them so easy,” shares Perea. “They’re super strong and will make any style effortless.”

If you’ve traveled somewhere with a different water hardness from what you’re used to, you’ll know that it can ruin an entire hair day. Bodt loves traveling with a rinse — she opts for this one from dpHUE — to “help remove any minerals from the water and pipes.”