Introducing the Condé Nast Traveller Beauty Awards 2026 – our annual edit of the best in beauty and wellness. The following products were tried and tested by our expert editors, bringing you the very best buys categorised by wellness, innovation, skincare, SPF, fragrance, hair and the best of the rest. For more winners, see the main Beauty Awards 2026 page.
Great hair on the road is one of travel’s great unsolved challenges. Between hard hotel water, humidity, air conditioning and the inevitable chaos of a packed schedule, even the most reliable routine can unravel. This year’s “best in hair” edit celebrates the tools and treatments that hold their own wherever your travels take you; the ones that survived humidity in Southeast Asia, hard water in European hotels and the relentless drying effects of long-haul cabin air.
From next-generation styling tools to treatments that rescue stressed strands overnight, our team of editors and experts tested each product on performance, portability and whether it genuinely earned its place in a carry-on. These are the hair heroes that made the cut.
Condé Nast Traveller Beauty Awards 2026: best in hair
Shark SilkiPro hair straightener and dryer
Intelligent, intuitive and impressively gentle on hair, this next-generation styling tool delivers a salon-worthy finish without the heat damage. Powerful enough to tackle even the most travel-stressed strands, yet thoughtful enough to leave hair looking and feeling healthier with every use.
Gisou Honey Milk Active Repair leave-in conditioner mist
Lightweight, beautifully scented and effortless to use, this honey-powered leave-in mist repairs, nourishes and protects hair without weighing it down. Our tester found it a brilliant mid-travel saviour – a quick spritz that transforms dull, stressed strands and makes air-dried hair look entirely intentional.
Cécred clarifying shampoo and scalp scrub
A dual-action treatment that resets the scalp and clarifies the hair in one, this is the kind of deep clean your hair craves after days of hard water, salt, and sun. Our tester found it left the scalp feeling genuinely refreshed and hair noticeably lighter – the ultimate reset for the end of a long trip.
Dyson Supersonic travel hair dryer
The Dyson Supersonic needs little introduction – but this travel edition makes the iconic hairdryer more portable than ever without compromising on performance. Essential given how unreliable hotel dryers can be, with worldwide voltage adaptability and a compact design that slots into a carry-on with ease.
Light, easy-to-pack and remarkably natural-looking, these human-hair clip-ins instantly add volume and fullness without the need for tools or permanent extensions. Undetectable once clipped in, they’re the perfect quick upgrade when you need holiday hair without the holiday prep.
More from the Condé Nast Traveller Beauty Awards 2026:
%20-%20Heiko%20Prigge.jpg?w=145&resize=145,100&ssl=1 "Buzzy, beautiful, and under £200 – these are the loveliest affordable hotels in Europe right now according to our editors")
