Liquid-Free Travel

Whether you are going on a road trip, or flying the "friendly skies", the last thing you want is for your liquids to explode.  Okay, maybe that's a bit dramatic, but you know what I mean.  You have everything packed, and let's say you're taking a flight, which can be stressful enough.  You get to the screening area, and unless you have TSA Pre-Check, you will need to remove your liquids bag.  Unbeknownst to you, the shampoo cap came unscrewed, leaking product all over everything.  Just when things couldn't get worse, there is a small hole in the bag, and the shampoo has leeched out into the bin.  You're out of shampoo, have to wash out the bag and wash off its contents, and now you have a bin to clean.  There is a line of people behind you, and the feeling of holding people up just adds to the current stress level.

Perhaps you've decided to go on a spontaneous road trip with some friends or family, and have placed your liquids in your bag.  As other bags are piled on top of yours, one of the bottles bursts open.  You are unaware, and when you go to unpack at your first hotel or motel, you notice that some of your clothes are a bit sticky.  Having to wash out clothes (with the hope that they dry fast) are the last thing you want to do.  So, how do we fix this problem?  Even with the plastic wrap hack, your toiletries can leak out.  The solution is simple:  Solid alternatives.  There are solid alternatives for practically every liquid/soft-solid/gel product.  Each one varies in efficacy, so you have to find what works for you.


Teeth

I talked about these Mouthwash Tabs in a LUSH Kitchen haul (click here if you'd like to read it).  They take some getting used to, as do the Toothy Tabs, but do the job.  Just chew them up, take a sip of water, and swish!  They are a bit salty because of the ingredients and foam up a bit once in contact with liquid.  Mouthwash Tabs recently launched in the US for $9.95 per bottle.  You can check them out here.

Toothy Tabs are also a good alternative to traditional toothpaste, especially when traveling.  LUSH has a variety of flavors, and if you're not sure, just ask for a sample.  You can get samples in-store or online.  Like the Mouthwash Tabs, you chew up the tab and start brushing.  Bite Toothpaste Bits by The Kind Lab are another alternative.  You can make a one-time purchase or join their monthly subscription.  See more here.  They don't use synthetics, so no artificial dyes, flavorings, etc.!  There are other solid toothpastes out there (check out Amazon or Etsy), or you can make your own tooth powder.

Skin


I recently bought some items from Farmacy, and one of sets contained an exfoliating face cleanser in powder form.  It's called New Day Gentle Exfoliating Grains ($30.00 for the full size).  Add a little powder to your hand plus a few drops of water to form a paste.  It's not very abrasive, so if you have sensitive skin, this may work well for you.  Ethique, one of my favorite cruelty-free and zero-waste companies, makes Gingersnap ($16.00).  It is a solid face scrub (that will double as a body scrub in a pinch) that looks a bit like a chocolate bar, or that Hello Kitty gum from the 80's.  You know the one.  Great taste that only lasts a few seconds (much like Fruit Stripe gum).  Anyway, all you have to do is break off a piece, crumble a small amount of that square in your hand, add a little water, and scrub away.  I can get 3-4 uses per square.  Rinse the product off with some warm water, and your face will be clean and lightly moisturized.

Face moisturizers in solid form are a bit harder to come by.  Most solid moisturizers are heavy and greasy.  If your skin is used to it, you could always bring along a cocoa butter or packets of coconut oil.  I'd check out sites like Etsy to see solid face lotion is out there.  And always protect your skin with an SPF.  Several companies make solid sunscreen.  Sum Bum and Neutrogena are just a couple of brands.  Amazon has quite a selection, though you might pay more.

Hair

More and more companies are coming up with solid options for hair care.  One of my favorite solid shampoos, Seanik ($11.95), is from LUSH.  It makes my hair soft and shiny, and its scent reminds me of an ocean breeze.  They also have Avocado Co-Wash, which doesn't feel like much in the shower (doesn't lather), but once hair is dry, it is incredibly soft, shiny, and manageable.  See all of their solid shampoos here.  Basin also has a line of solid shampoo ($7.99/each) and conditioner bars ($7.99/each).  I purchased a few of them, but haven't tried all them yet.  I did use the Scalp Soother, which is minty and made my hair nice and shiny.  Ethique also carries solid shampoos, and they have fun samplers with various products to try.  I really liked Heali Kiwi ($15.50/each) as it kept my scalp happy.  I am not a fan of solid conditioners, but Ethique's works well with my hair (I tried out Wonderbar, $18.00/each)   Typically, though, solid conditioners aren't every effective (for me), and seem to weigh my hair down.

If you use dry shampoo, there are also many brands with powdered dry shampoo.  VERB ($14.00) and Big Sexy Hair have two of my favorites.  Powder Play (Big Sexy Hair, $16.95) is a volumizing powder that doubles as a dry shampoo.  Sprinkle a little powder in your hair, give it a minute, then work it through.  Of course, as with many products in this list, you could always make your own using cornstarch or arrowroot powder.

Body

There are dozens of soap bars out there for your body, so I won't get into that.  Let's talk moisturizers.  I've been mentioning LUSH a lot.  No, they did not sponsor this post.  They just have an array of solid products.  Most of their lotion bars are too heavily scented for me, and some have made me break out.  You, however, may find something that you love.  Check out their line here.  My fiance loves Wiccy Magic Muscles ($12.95).  The top layer contains azuki (red) beans, which help massage skin.  It's really nice, especially after a long day at the gym.  You can also buy a tin ($3.95) to hold it, as it comes package-free.  You can also make your own or do a web search for other brands, like Ethique.

Nobody likes the smell of body odor.  I remember being in Paris with my "twister" ages ago, and a sign in the train car was telling people to wear deodorant because nobody wants to smell body odor.  Many of us already use a solid form of deodorant, so these are suggestions for people who don't...or for those who want to try something new.  Alternatives to the long-existing solid deodorant sticks are more natural, many containing far less chemicals.  One of my favorites is Schmidt's ($8.99+), which is a cruelty- and chemical-free brand.

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With so many brands and products to choose from, what are your favorite solids? 

Stay beautiful!