Travel Beauty :: Travel Hair Tips from Celebrity Stylist Michael Shaun Corby

[trip style = multiple]

When he's not styling the locks of celebs like Rosario Dawson or Nicole Richie, leading a team at NY and LA Fashion Week or traveling the world representing Alterna Haircare as their Global Creative Director, Michael Shaun Corby is busy working on the next best hair tricks and trends. This hair guru found time to sit down with TripStyler to discuss what he thinks are the easiest and most gorgeous hairstyles for travel. Next time you're beaching in Bora Bora, pounding the pavement in Prague or weekending at the cabin, take inspiration from these 4 day- to night styles!

Best All-Around Daytime Style: The Braided Updo Celebrity inspiration: Sienna Miller This look is incredibly chic but also functional for travel as it keeps hair away from the face and off your neck. Second-day hair is fine for this style.

Get the look

• Section off a small portion of the hair at the top of the head, starting behind one ear, going across the head to the other ear. Gather the back portion of the hair into a temporary ponytail to keep each section separate.
• French braid the smaller section starting by one ear, braiding across the head along to the other ear. Secure the braid with a small pin.
• Undo the ponytail and gather the rest of the hair and lightly twist it into a soft, loose bun. Use pins to secure this hair to the head, giving you a casual, relaxed updo.
• Finish with Alterna's Bamboo Smooth Anti-Humidity Hair Spray over the entire look to keep it fresh and hold it all day.

Best 3-Minute Style: The Poufy Pony Celebrity inspiration: Jessica Alba I love how polished and sophisticated a simple ponytail can be. Again, the hair is off the shoulders and neck, perfect for travel. Freshly washed and blow-dried hair or second-day hair work for this style.

Get the look

• If starting with freshly washed hair, blow dry straight with a round brush using Alterna's Bamboo Smooth Kendi Pure Treatment Oil to control frizz and keep hair smooth all day.
• Take a small amount of Alterna's Caviar Extreme Wax into your hands and warm the formula by rubbing your palms together. Use palms to gently smooth the wax onto dry hair from mid-shaft to the ends and along the sides of the head. Don't use too much, a dime's worth should work for most hair types and avoid the top of the head as you will be creating volume there.
• Very carefully back-comb the top portion of the hair at the crown to get some lift and volume. Use a brush to lightly comb back over the top to smooth it out, making sure not to brush over the volume.
• Gather hair into a ponytail keeping the volume at the crown and smoothing the sides of the head. Secure with an elastic.
• Spray the entire look with Alterna's Caviar Extra-Hold Hair Spray to maintain the volume, add shine, and for all-day hold.

Best Quick Overnight Style: Beach Waves Celebrity inspiration: Kate Hudson This laidback beach style can be created the night before, making getting ready super quick and easy. I would recommend this look for the beach, as you might want your hair up and off your shoulders if you're sightseeing.

Get the look

• Starting with damp or dry hair, divide the hair into small sections all around the head, twisting each section into a small bun. Secure each bun with an elastic.
• The following morning, undo each bun and use fingers to lightly loosen the waves.
• Spray with a texturizing spray like Alterna's Summer Hair Rx Ocean Waves Spray (which also has full UVA/UVB protection).

Best Nighttime Style: The Sleek Bun Celebrity inspiration: Jennifer Lopez This sleek look will take you from resort casual to urban chic in a matter of minutes. Add some dangly earrings and you are set with this HOT look!

Get the look

• Create a part. You can do a center or side part, whatever suits you best.
• Take a small amount of Alterna's Caviar Extreme Wax into your hands and warm the formula by rubbing your palms together. Use palms to gently smooth the wax onto dry hair from root to tips.
• Smooth the hair back into a low ponytail and secure with an elastic.
• Twist the ponytail into a bun and pin the bun to the head.
• Finish with Alterna's Bamboo Shine Luminous Shine Mist over the entire head and bun, for a sleek, shiny look.

{Want more travel beauty? Get your fill the third Wednesday of every month. Lauren, our travel beauty expert, is already whipping up her next concoction post!}

Related {Travel Beauty} 4 Products You've Never Heard Of In-Flight Essentials Q&A with 3floz Founder Olive Oil-Inspired Skincare

[Photos: Sienna, by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images. Other ladies unknown sources.]

Travel App Tuesday :: livingsocial escapes

[trip style = budget] Within the past six months, livingsocial {a competitor of the group couponing site Groupon} came out with an escapes program. In addition to the daily deals offered on teeth whitening, flower arrangements or gym memberships, livingsocial has expanded their coupons---more accurately described as vouchers---to include packaged getaways to nearby and international locales.

The travel deals, usually available only four days on the app/site before they expire, show all package and property details including pictures, savings, amount of "coupons"  purchased, and days remaining before the offer expires. Though the hotels don't represent a fancy collection of curated properties, some peaked my interest with escapes in:

• Sooke, BC {2-person, two night stay in oceanfront room, daily breakfast, mead and cheese tasting, $218}
• Banff, Alberta {2-person weekend escape, includes rivier rafting and happy hour bevvie credit,$369}
• La Romana, Dominican Republic {2-person, 5-night, all-inclusive, bring 2 kids under 12 for free, $699}
• Mission Beach, Australia {2-person, 2-night stay, bottle of champagne, daily breakfast, $354}

The reason this daily-deal-website-turned-partial-travel-app's escapes are worth mentioning is a) it's interesting to browse discounted local and international escapes, b) there are usually significant add-ons to each stay like breakfast or champagne on arrival, and c) if something catches your eye, share it with three of your friends and get a free stay {or you and your friends each get 25% off}. It's your choice. Bon voyage!

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Other Travel Apps Every Tuesday we feature a new travel app. Don’t forget to peruse the other 70+ travel apps we’ve reviewed from travel first aid, to luxury and boutique hotel finders, to border waits and trip itinerary management. Here are the most recent:

• Free Wifi Finders
• Hail a Taxi
• Groupon
• Travel Apps Nominated for a Webby Award
• Whistler Blackcomb Live

Heavenly Huts

[trip style = glamping] {more pictures below}

Last month I found my heaven, which will forever be my earthly happy place. It's the type of locale you imagine when you're at the spa: you + deserted beach + sparkling water + waves lapping + lush greenery + birds chirping + wind in your hair. I went to this place, and not only extended my time there, but felt sick when I had to leave {but that could have had something to do with the small boat we took---the only way in and out of the island---and the 2-meter swells ravaging us from every direction}.

The Place This place is Wilson Island: a coral cay sitting directly on the southern tip of the Great Barrier Reef. Only six canvas huts dot the remote and tropical paradise found. The removed location lends itself to a body, mind and soul retreat, blending understated luxuries with eco-thoughtfulness. Each oceanview glamping retreat has dark hardwood floors, a simple area to store clothes, a plush king bed, comfy canvas pillow-topped chairs, a wide hammock and a large handmade bowl to remove sand from your shipwrecked feet. The central bathrooms are 50 steps away, but this only adds to the simplicity and low-impact footprint. And if nature calls at night, don't worry, you're in the midst of it.

A Very Important Date Beachcombing, napping, bird watching, reading and snorkeling with sharks and turtles are the day's big adventures. The evening begins with a beachside champagne toast paired with fine cheeses and crudites. This nightly tradition was my favourite time of day because that's when we witnessed fully grown turtles swim along the shoreline like they were 'late for a very important date', and baby turtles hatch just above the beach. Even though you're not supposed to mess with the circle of life, champagne in hand, I made it my mission to watch over the solo baby turtle struggling to make it to the ocean, and protect him or her from hungry, circling seagulls. Mission accomplished, I think...

The Fare Sitting together at a long wooden table with beach shells to keep our napkins in place, every meal was prepared in the central longhouse by Emilio, our enthusiastic Italian chef. Prior to serving, he would announce each course with the pride and intensity of a national leader. The announcements always started the same way: "Today I have created for you..." His selections were reminiscent of fine dining fare, yet he only had one burner, two barbecues, five propane fridges and a lean smattering of kitchen utensils. Some island delicacies that graced our plates were fresh-cut fruit, warm pain au chocolat, avocado terrine, macadamia nut-encrusted barramundi with whipped sweet potato, and watermelon granita. We had access to chocolate and wine whenever we wanted.

Next time I go to the spa, I won't need to piece together my paradise, I've now been.

What to Know

• Getting there: Fly to Brisbane, then to Gladstone via Quantas. Take a ferry {$100 per person, per way} or helicopter {$400 per person, per way} to Heron Island {owned by the same company}, then a final, 30-minute ride in a small boat where you descend a ladder into the shallow water and walk up the beach to your personal paradise.
• Prices from $671 per couple, per night.
• All meals and drinks included.
• Only two staff {who do the work of 10} tend to the island like it's their most treasured jewel. Emilio is mentioned above, calm and caring Gerry is his castaway counterpart.
• One central bathhouse includes three bathrooms and six assigned showers.
• Additional details can be found in my Trip Advisor review.

Photos {Beach arrival at Wilson Island.}

{Trip Style = Glamping.}

{Watching the day go by from the gleaming white hammock on the tent's porch.}

{The idyllic beach.}

{The longhouse.}

{The island's help yourself wine, spirits, water and chocolate storage.}

{Kitchen prep area.}

[images taken by @tripstyler on Wilson Island]

Travel Trends :: Ultimate Urban Adventures & Sydney BridgeClimb

[trip style = urban + adventure]

While in Sydney earlier this month one of the literal highlights of my time in Australia's biggest city was climbing the famed Harbour Bridge {more on this below}. Talking at length with my guide about its inception, the mandatory safety suit and if climbers ever get petrified part way up, I learned that Sydney's BridgeClimb, the first adventure of its kind, has influenced cities like Brisbane and San Francisco {pending} to follow suit.

If your next trip style = urban and you want to spice up the usual <eat, shop, walk, eat, visit cultural attraction, eat> itinerary, why not try:

• Sydney's BridgeClimb - Wind your way through the Harbour Bridge's massive steel archways, scale your way to the top, take in the best views of Sydney's iconic harbour, salute the Aussie Flag and descend.
• Auckland's SkyJump - Jump 192 meters at 82km/h off of Auckland's Sky Tower. Watching this video literally made me almost cry with an equal dose of excitement and fear, and I haven't even done the jump yet!
• Toronto's CN Tower EdgeWalk - Walk 'the plank' of this landmark's narrow ledge, 365 meters above the ground. Opening soon.

The BridgeClimb Go Go Gadget.... When I got to the BridgeClimb's industrial-mod HQ, I knew I was going to be required to wear a grey adult 'onesie' that would make fashion lovers run for the hills. I soon learned function over fashion was for good reason: the suit was custom developed to both match the colour of the working mega-structure, as well as handle significant safety precautions with its doodads and attachments. Case in point, the hat I was provided had a plastic hook which latched onto the back of the suit, and my sunglasses were given a special string to secure them around my neck, and again, to my suit. Essentially, anything you bring onto the bridge has to be attached to the suit, as if you were Inspector Gadget. Everything had to reel back into your person.

Underwear and Fanny Packs My husband Nathan even got to wear a fanny pack, which I learned was a taboo phrase Down Under because it refers to something, well, down under... The Bridge allowed him to bring a camera {only because we did a private "media" climb for Trip Styler}, but there were two conditions: it HAD to be attached to his suit with a retractable string and housed in, as the Australians would say, a bum bag. And speaking of that area, even on the sunny, late-fall day when we did the climb, temperatures were getting into the mid 20's, so I followed the advice of my savvy suit concierge and climbed with shoes, the lightweight grey suit provided and only my undergarments below. Needless to say it was a perfectly breezy climb.

Top Design After an exhilarating ascent, winding our way along lengthy catwalks, narrow passageways, keycard-access security doors and stairs with perforated steel steps---the kind where you can see boats speeding past you below---we reached the top. The space was roomier than I expected. There was even a path cutting through the Bridge's centre, opening up into a diamond-like shape at the arch's mid-point. This gathering place, approximately 134 meters above the sea level, made me want to sit back, relax and toast the world with a bottle of bubbly. But alas, there were no loungers and champagne is not kosher when thousands of cars are crossing below, unless of course the BridgeClimb could figure out a way to attach a plastic bottle and flute to the suit, but I think that could be asking a tad too much.

Urban Adventure After the climb, I changed back into my 'civilian' clothes, threw my suit, belt and accoutrements into futuristic-like funnels for washing, and took in the moment, realizing I had the great privilege of joining the likes of Matt Damon, Cameron Diaz, Will Ferrell, Prince Harry and 2.6 million others who've beat the bridge to complete one of the world's ultimate urban adventures!

Photos {Starting the climb.}

{The stairs and yellow safety tubing directly above.}

{The inside structure.}

{A group climbing the bridge, up, up and away...}

{The safety line is attached to you and the bridge at all times. Aside from when you start and finish, you never have to hook and/or unhook the line---it's continuous.}

{View of Opera House and Bridge's upper walkway.}

{BridgeClimb onesies and the summit.}

{Australian flag at the top.}

{Looking straight down from the top.}

{What we saw as we were descending the stairs.}

{A group on their way down.}

{BridgeClimb's HQ.}

{Some perspective at the end.}

What to know

• Prices start at $188 for adult climbers in off-peak season...
• Kids 10+ can can climb.
• There are 3 types of climbs:
  • The Express Climb - 2 hours 15 mins. The quickie.
  • The Discovery Climb - 3 hours 30 mins. The inner workings.
  • The Bridge Climb - 3 hours 30 mins. The outer arch.
• Each person must perform a breathalyzer test prior to climbing, so don't get too crazy the night before...

PS - the closest comparison to BridgeClimb Sydney in Vancouver is Capilano Suspension Bridge's Cliffwalk, opening soon.

[images taken by @nate_fri + 1 by our trusty BridgeClimb guide]

Packing 103

[trip style = any]

Aside from talking trip styles, one of my favorite topics is packing: tricks, tips, carry-ons, new suitcases, etc.. Recently my friends asked me how I managed in Australia for just under 3 weeks of travel with one carry-on and a purse. My brief thoughts and strategies below.

Every trip I've taken since starting Trip Styler in late 2009 has been with a carry-on, whether the trip style is weekending, urban, beach, sun, spa, adventure, ski, or a combo of styles, it's always, always carry-on. The only exception I'd make is a ski trip abroad, which involves a ton of winter gear---unless you were to rent it there.

Why Two months before I started Trip Styler, I took a trip to Europe and Africa. That was the final straw. I brought a carry-on and big backpack. Big mistake on all fronts: a) I wasn't backpacking b) I brought too much. Combing through two bags to find clothes every time I moved from one city to the next was a nightmare. And given we're all time-strapped, why would anyone want to wait an extra 20 mins for their luggage to arrive on a carousel, or worse, have it misplaced {used to happen a lot to my husband} or lost by the airline?

How to Pack Light

• You have to want to pack light.
• Get a carry-on that's on the top-end {but just "under"} of carry-on size requirements for most airlines, or the airline you fly most frequently.
• Wear your bulkiest shoes on the plane, it's shoes that are packing light's biggest deterrent.
• Do you need 20 tops and 7 bottoms? I brought a fairly small carry-on {20 x 13 x 8} and this purse/tote with me last week to NYC, and managed to bring my toiletries, computer, 3 scarves, jewelry, a clutch, 2 shoes {heels and flats}, 2 bottoms, a leather jacket, blazer, a sweater and 10 tops.
• Bring more tops than bottoms.
• Accessories like scarves, wraps and jewelry are your friend. Men, this goes for you too with scarves. They can dress an outfit down or up, and keep you warm.
• Layer-up on the plane a) to protect against air temperature changes, and b) to diminish what needs to go into your suitcase.
• Roll almost everything.
• Go with a colour scheme.
• Ladies, leggings are your friend: they are light, small, easily washable and can be dressed up or down in an instant.
• If you're flying an airline known for being strict with carry-on size allowances, bring a non-structured, malleable bag {like this Ben Sherman or Kenneth Cole for men, and this Longchamp Expandable Le Pliage for ladies} that can be pushed and shoved into the baggage measurement cube to fit to size. I use this strategy each time I fly a discount airline!

Luggage "Like" I've talked before about the world's lightest suitcase, the Sub-O-G {now called IT-O-2} before, but I'm seriously considering purchasing the 21" upright carry-on only weighing 5 pounds with dimensions that fit within most airlines' carry-on size restrictions. Though I wouldn't suggest it {or a bigger version} for checked luggage, it is great for traveling extra light.

Challenge If you're an over-packer {like I was until I started getting serious about packing light}, tell us about it! What inspired you to pack light? Will you go back to schlepping baggage on an off the baggage carousel?

Related Content Travel Essentials for Any Trip Style Packing 102 Mastering the Art of Packing High Rolling :: To Roll or Lay Flat? A Summer Weekend Packing List Go-To Carry-On Toiletries Choosing the Best Type of Carry-On Travel iPhone Apps :: PackingPro The Art of Carry-On Travel Going Away? Packing and To Do List

[photo features the IT-O-2 ultra light carry-on suitcase and a Clare Vivier La Tropezienne purse, discussed above]