Simone’s European Diary

Cosmoprof, our EU operations, and a pause in Budapest

Some trips are for work, some purely for pleasure. This one was both, and a useful reminder that you can build hair and scalp care into the way you travel instead of something to repair when you get home.

I left Sydney in early autumn, bound for Milan via a quick Singapore stopover. Two weeks lay ahead of me, attending Cosmoprof in Bologna, spending time with our new Dutch distribution partner, The Natural Hair Company, and a final stretch in Budapest with friends over Easter.

A little pre-flight lesson

The first lesson came before I left. I cut it fine on a haircut and ended up sitting in the salon chair on the way to the airport. It turned out to be a happy accident. Stepping off a long-haul flight with hair that already looks put-together means you arrive feeling like yourself rather than a zombie passenger. That’s a “mistake” I’ll be turning into a future habit.

Tips before & during a long flight

• Wash, treat and blow dry within 24 hours of departure if you can.

• Pack a small scalp serum and a wide-tooth comb in your carry-on so you can refresh during the flight.

• Drink water like it’s your job. Cabin air sits at around 10-20% humidity, which strips moisture from your skin, scalp, and strands.

When in Milan…

Milan was a soft landing, easing me into my travels. A macchiato and a pastry for breakfast was a sweet little taste of local life I couldn’t resist. My walk turned into window shopping, then a caprese salad, and ravioli with butter and sage. A much-needed early night helped absorb the time difference.

The transition from Sydney's early autumn to European spring is one of the more underrated stresses you put your hair and skin through. Sydney in March is warm and humid. Northern Italy at that time was dry and cold. Hair can go from soft and pliable to brittle and static within a day. The scalp can flake or itch even if it never does at home. The difference in water ‘hardness’ can also be a shock to your strands. 

If you travel between climates, treat the first 48 hours like a reset:

• Switch to a heavier conditioner or hair mask.

• Apply a hydrating scalp serum at least once a day.

• Wear a silk-lined hat or a beanie with a smooth inner lining. Wool against dry hair is a recipe for breakage.

• Use a humidifier in your hotel room if one is available.

Cosmoprof, and a near miss in Bologna

Cosmoprof is the biggest beauty trade show in the world and one of the few places you can read the global direction of haircare, skincare, and personal care over the course of a few days. I took the train from Milan to Bologna, an hour through countryside framed by snow-capped mountains. A gorgeous change from Bondi! 

Day one of the show was reconnaissance. I walked the halls, photographed stands, touched textures, and built a list of packaging and ingredients to investigate. I almost missed the train back to Milan, which was a heart-stopping moment I don’t recommend. Italians, I also learned, love a queue. The shuttle bus on day two took 45 minutes to board. L’Oréal had their own.
The undisputed highlight: three pomeranians wandering the show floor with their owner.

Europeans take their dogs everywhere. Earlier in the week I saw a dachshund commuting on the train like it was second nature.

The food side of Cosmoprof was less glamorous. Bologna fills with showgoers, so every restaurant on my list was fully booked. I ended up at a tiny wine bar where I happily ordered meatballs and tortellini bolognese in my best Italian, and was served octopus and tortellini in truffle cream sauce. Both were excellent, just not quite what I thought I ordered.

By day four I had my Fettuccine al Ragù, which is what you should call it in Bologna. Calling it “spaghetti bolognese” is, from what I gather, a minor offence! I walked the porticoes in the late afternoon admiring the architecture and the uniqueness of this historical city.

Travel-proof your routine

If you are away for more than a week, your scalp and hair will tell you whether your routine is built for travel. The signs of a routine that depends too much on home conditions: a flaky scalp by day three, shedding that picks up, and brittle strands.

Three principles that keep my routine travel-friendly:

• Transfer into travel sizes. Bringing familiar products with me meant I didn’t risk reactions or unexpected outcomes from using new formulations.
  
• Take your scalp seriously. A scalp serum such as Mane Event Elixir® in your hand luggage means you can apply it on the plane, in a hotel, before bed.
  
• Continue your internal support. It’s easy to skip supplements on the road, but packing them in a daily pill case and keeping them with your toiletry kit makes it effortless.

I used Mane Event Elixir^® every day. Consistency is what gives any active ingredient a chance to make a real impact. Too many days off during travel can set you back a few weeks of progress at home.

Meeting the team in Amsterdam

The flight from Milan to Amsterdam took me over the Swiss Alps, which is one of those views you don’t get tired of. My Amsterdam hotel had a UFO sitting on the roof and a swing alongside it. Don’t ask!

A day off arrived at the right time. I walked, did some sightseeing, took photos, and met the dog of the trip: a particularly petite dachshund dressed like Where's Wally, complete with the red jumper and striped beanie. 

Two things about Amsterdam I didn't expect:

• Tulips are everywhere in March. The Dutch take Tulips seriously and the whole city is in bloom.
  
• There is an underground bike parking station beneath Amsterdam Centraal (Central Station) that holds thousands of bikes and operates like a small airport. Management on this scale is its own art form.
  

I spent a full day with Marleen and Lizette from The Natural Hair Company, our Dutch distribution partner. They took me on a wonderful walking tour of Amsterdam, and together we explored the city’s nooks and crannies, and history that even they were surprised to learn. Working with a distribution partner who treats their business with the same seriousness we treat ours is a crucial part of growing a brand. For us, the relationship we build with our distribution partner is not simply transactional, it’s a long process built over time, and the first few face-to-face hours can set the tone for years.

The warehouse and the steel-cap clown shoes

A 90-minute train trip south took me to our European warehouse. It’s mostly autonomous. Hundreds of small robots packing orders, gliding around with the focus of a hive. The visitor uniform is less futuristic. Every guest wears steel-capped safety shoes that resemble clown feet. Mine were two sizes too big and the photos are not particularly flattering! The warehouse and technology it employs is second to none and it was exciting to see the Apotecari products that I’d watched leave our Sydney facility, sitting on the shelves.

The next day at The Natural Hair Company's concept salon, I spent the day training their team on the brand and the products. Watching stylists and other team members pick up Mane Event^®, Mane Event Elixir^®, Crowning Glory^® and Hair Atelier^® for the first time, and ask their own questions was really special to experience in person.

I caught an unconventional ride back to the train station that night. With spare time before dinner, I unwound in the hotel with a mini-facial, scalp serum, and a quiet read. I wanted to mark the end of the work portion of the trip with a punctuation mark. If you don’t, the next leg of the trip absorbs all that fatigue.

Budapest, and the slow finish

Budapest was a beautiful end to my travels. Four days of sightseeing, a long visit to the central food market, and the Easter long weekend spent with good friends who flew in to meet me. There is something special about ending a working trip in a city where you have no agenda. My pace was slower, I saw the sights, ate delicious food, and even caught up on missed sleep.

By the time I came home, my hair and scalp had survived three climates, hours of train travel, and a demanding flight schedule. It survived because my routine was built to travel. Hair and scalp wellness is not something you keep at home and abandon on the road. It's the thing that lets you arrive and explore feeling like yourself.

Some tips I’ll be remembering for my next trip:

• Get the blow dry before boarding.
• Pack my scalp routine in my hand luggage.
• Keep the destination climate in mind.
• Keep my supplement routine consistent.
• Create a clear transition from work to personal time at the end of my trip where possible.

And if you ever see a dachshund in a Where's Wally outfit, please take a photo (and send it to me), you may not get the chance again!