As a Black woman climber who loves to travel and explore the outdoors, I often find myself navigating a world that isn’t necessarily designed for people like me. From finding hair braiders in Latin America, to searching for non-whitening skincare products in South East Asia, I have learned to accommodate my unique needs and celebrate my identity at home and abroad.

Hair Care Challenges Abroad 

Make no mistake, I love my hair. It is beautiful and defies gravity, but it does take time and effort to properly maintain it. Natural hairstyles can be a challenge to maintain while traveling. Not only do I have to plan for various weather conditions, but I also have to pack the right hair care products. The odds of me being able to buy them on an international trip are low. In addition to packing moisturizers, oils, and leave-in conditioners to keep my hair healthy and hydrated, I also have to plan for water with high levels of mineral content which is unforgiving on my hair. Hard water strips my hair of its natural oil and nutrients and can leave my hair dry and prone to breakage, making pre-planning incredibly important.

While I love rocking my natural curls, I’ve learned to embrace protective styles that are low-maintenance and travel friendly. After trial and error, I've made knotless braids my go to, as they allow me to enjoy my adventures without worrying about constant upkeep. With this style of braiding, I no longer need to worry about finding helmets that will fit my hair while also serving its purpose of safety and protection. This was something I struggled with while backpacking around Argentina. At the time, I had large box braids and while I could technically fit a helmet over my head, it was clear that the level of protection had been significantly reduced. 

First photo: Proper fitting helmet while Climbing in El Chorro, Spain (2023)

Second photo: Improper fitting helmet while Paragliding in Mendoza, Argentina (2022)

Third photo: Climbing in El Chorro, Spain (2024)

Fourth photo: Stockholm, Sweden (2023)

Knotless braids also work well with different types of headgear from boonie hats in the summer to beanies in the winter. I was shocked to find that they now sell winter hats lined with satin on the inside, which is protective of my braids and curls. If you are ever in doubt about the existence of a product, just do a simple Google search. You might be surprised to find a vast array of products made specifically for you and your hair type.

Depending on the size and technique, braids are meant to be left in for a maximum of 6-8 weeks. So when I started traveling for much longer periods of time, I realized that I had to make some adjustments. This meant more time spent searching for braiding shops or finding someone to redo my braids before they became unmanageable. 

The first time I had to find a hair braider overseas was when I was studying abroad in Chile during my senior year of college. I brought with me several packs of braiding hair, unsure of how hard it would be to purchase it in Santiago. I made sure to have my hair braided just before leaving the states, but two months had gone by so quickly and each look in the mirror reminded me that it was past time to take my hair out! I scoured the internet for hair braiders in Santiago and eventually came across an Instagram profile of a local braider. I sent her a direct message and thankfully, she responded quickly. 

Many hair braiders do not have their own shop and work out of their homes. This was my first time having to use an independent hair braider, and I won’t lie, I was a bit nervous going to the home of a stranger I met through social media in a foreign country. I made sure to take the proper safety precautions of sharing the braider’s social media page information, address and phone with my parents and keeping my mom updated hourly. Fast forward several hours, and I was walking down the street with newly braided hair with relief that this was something I would not have to worry about again for two more months. 

It turned out that the hair braider that I went to was a young Afro-Peruvian woman with whom I shared a lot in common. As I sat in her kitchen while she parted my hair, we told stories and laughed of the similar experiences we had of growing up Black. It was such a beautiful thing to realize how similar the Black Diaspora experience around the world and just how connected our communities are. From this moment on, I was no longer nervous about getting my hair done overseas. While I don’t always find hair braiders who are Black, I have always found someone who is familiar with my hair type and who can do the style I am looking for. Since Chile, I have had my hair braided in the United Kingdom, Indonesia, and Turkey.

At this point in my life, I think that I have come to terms with the fact that nature can be a beast. Rock climbing, camping and hiking are all examples of activities that can make a fresh new hairstyle look like Tom Hank’s co-star in the movie Cast Away. Over the years, I have learned to worry more about the health of my hair, than what it looks like. It is a compromise I make to continue doing the things I love. Interestingly enough, I find it amusing that I tend to get more compliments on my braids when they look several months old than when they are freshly done. In fact, the only person who has ever critiqued my hair is my mother, which I’m sure a lot of us have experienced. 

Skin Care Challenges Abroad 

I love the color of my skin. It is beautiful and glows in the sunshine. There is nothing I would change about it, despite being surrounded by products that are designed to make us question our beauty or compare ourselves to Eurocentric beauty standards. I never realized that whitening cream was even a thing until I was 17 and living in Thailand. I did not bring enough products to last the year and found myself scouring multiple different stores in search of non-whitening sunscreen and skin moisturizer.

At first, I experienced an extreme sense of otherness. I questioned my own identity and at times wondered if I was too dark. Thankfully, these feelings did not last long and I was able to figure out alternative solutions. Organic stores soon became my best friend after discovering that they typically carried products without unwanted chemicals, such as sun block without whitening cream. I have luckily found stores like these in every single country that I have been to. 

While in Indonesia, I was even surprised to find a store that sold raw cocoa butter. I not only use cocoa butter as moisturizer, but as a natural scar treatment. Black individuals are more likely than others to develop keloids and because of this, I am diligent with the healing process of the cuts and scrapes that typically come with rock climbing. Even in smaller towns that may not have organic stores, I have found similar products at pharmacies and in the health section of grocery stores. I have also learned how to improvise so natural coconut or olive oil from the local supermarket are my go-to hair moisturizers whenever I run out. 

In addition to pre-planning, one of the easiest ways to overcome Black hair and skin care challenges while abroad is to simply ask. I cannot emphasize enough how helpful the Black community has been to my many queries, both beforehand and in the middle of a unique challenge. This can be in the form of a Google search, joining specific Facebook groups, or even just approaching another individual and asking them where they got their hair braided or found their sunscreen. I actually highly recommend the last one, although intimidating, the reactions and responses have always been positive. The best part is that some of these interactions have resulted in an unexpected lasting friendship. My journey as a Black woman who loves the outdoors is one of continuous learning, adaptation, and celebration. It’s about carving out a space for myself in a world that hasn’t always been inclusive and not letting challenges steal my joy. When they do come along, I find a way to overcome them and still enjoy the journey. This is truly what being an adventurer means!