10 top eco-friendly toiletries for travel
If you’re looking to green up your travels and your life in general, packing and purchasing items for your eco-friendly toiletries bag is a good place to begin. I’ve been travelling with plastic-free toiletries for years. In this post, I’ll show you how you can, too.
Our toiletries bag is where many of us end up making endless amounts of waste β particularly by buying “travel-sized” toiletries.
If you’re like me, you’ve got several floating around your bathroom cupboard from your first trip overseas several years back. You hardly used them, but throwing them out feels wasteful.
Fortunately, we can do better!
This post will give you a few ideas for plastic-free toiletries β investing in items that are long-lasting, compostable, or even homemade.
Let’s dive into your own eco-friendly toiletries bag together, and see where we can make a difference.
Green Tip: Don’t just throw the entire contents of your existing toiletries bag out to buy new items. Try to use everything up and replace each item as you go.
Your packing list of eco-friendly toiletries for travel contains:
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What to pack in your eco-friendly toiletries bag
These are some of my absolutely favourite plastic-free toiletries.
1. Cream deodorant
We ask a lot from our deodorants. They need to absorb moisture and mask the pong of BO, without irritating the skin.
‘Traditional’ deodorants achieve this with harsh chemicals. It’s taken awhile for companies making natural deodorants to truly crack the code.
It’s also taken me many years of trial and error to find a natural deodorant that works for me. I’ve tried just about everything under the sun. Crystal, roll-on, spray… you name it.
I finally found success with cream deodorants.
And after trying many brands, I’ve found that Biome make an excellent natural cream deodorant.
You can choose between 60g and 15g tins. The larger size is great for longer trips, whereas the smaller tin will suffice for weekends away. Or, you can pop it in your bag when you head out exploring, in case you need a top up.
This eco-friendly deodorant is free from bi-carb soda, which is great. I’ve found cream deodorants containing this ingredient tend to irritate my skin.
I recommend testing the product before you go on your trip, particularly in the cooler months. This gives your body time to transition to its use.
2. Soap & soap tin
No need for fancy body wash when travelling. A simple soap bar will do the job.
I really like these handmade soap bars from Dindi Naturals, a favourite Australian company.
They’re vegan, palm oil free and arrive unpackaged. Excellent, we’re all about the plastic-free toiletries.
From there, you can cut them down and pop them into a soap tin, when travelling.
If you don’t want to use an all-body soap, you can consider buying a facial cleanser bar instead.
Soap lasts a really long time and is an excellent investment. You can use it on your body, or to wash hands after using any questionable toilets.
Helps avoid getting the tourist trots, too. It’s one of the most important eco-friendly travel toiletries, in my opinion.
>> Buy: handmade soap from Biome | Soap tin from Biome | ETHIQUE Body Cleanser soap from Amazon | Soap tin from Amazon
3. Bamboo toothbrush (with travelling case)
Bamboo toothbrush from Biome are a simple and easy swap to make, if you want to go plastic-free in your travels.
If you’re after biodegradable toiletries, bamboo is the way to go. You can compost these toothbrushes at the end of their life in a home compost if you have one (mostly the body, not always the head).
Or you can make inquiries at a local community garden, to see if they’ll allow them in their compost (I did this when I had a Bokashi Bin, while living in an apartment).
I keep some old ones around for cleaning too.
You can also invest in a bamboo travelling case for your brush. Clean it and air it out after travel, before popping it back into your eco-friendly toiletries bag for the next time you need it.
>> Buy: Bamboo toothbrush from Biome | Bamboo toothbrush from Amazon | Bamboo travel case from Amazon
4. Natural toothpaste or tooth tablets
Likewise, you can swap out tubed toothpaste for a natural toothpaste or tooth tablets.
This natural and minty toothpaste comes in reusable glass jars, which can be repurposed for storing tea, condiments, spices, homemade lip balm… you name it.
Or you can recycle theΒ jars once you’ve finished using this eco-friendly product.
Tooth tablets are really easy to use on the go. You pop them in, crunch them up and brush.
>> Buy: natural toothpaste from Biome | Tooth tablets from Biome | Tooth tablets from Amazon
5. Shampoo Bar
Shampoo bars have exploded in popularity, to the point where you can now even use them on your dog.
There are heaps available for all different hair types β from dry and fizzy, to oily hair.
Purchase your bar of choice and pop it into a soap tin.
You can probably even just use it all over your body, in lieu of soap. One eco-friendly toiletries product with the purpose of two!
>> Buy: shampoo bar from Biome | shampoo bar from Amazon
The best reusable water bottles for travel
6. GoToob+ bottles
If shampoo bars aren’t your thing, you can opt to decant your own shampoo and conditioner into separate bottles.
My go-to are GoToob+ bottles. They’re lightweight and easy to carry around, making them ideal eco-friendly toiletries containers.
I like that they have their capacity written on the side, making it very clear that they’re within approved airport carry-on sizes.
I’ve personally used them for shampoo, conditioner and laundry powder. They’d also be handy for liquid hand soap and sanitiser. Or even condiments!
>> Buy GoToob+ bottles: from Biome | from Amazon
7. Bamboo hair brush & comb
I travel with a bamboo comb, which I’ve had for several years.
It’s definitely one of my most sustainable toiletries product, as I don’t imagine it will ever need replacing, so long as I don’t lose it or break it.
I also have a tiny bamboo travel brush with wooden pegs that I use pretty much daily. It’s perfect for taking just about anywhere – you can slip it into your handbag or your eco-friendly toiletries bag when travelling.
>> Buy a bamboo comb: from Biome | Amazon
8. Jojoba oil
Jojoba oil is a wonderful multi-purpose product, making it perfect to take travelling.
You can use it as a face and body moisturiser, as a daily cleanser, make-up remover and even hair conditioner.
Gotta love a product that pulls its own weight. It really is a must-have addition for your plastic-free toiletries bag.
>> Buy jojoba oil: from Biome | Amazon
9. Travel Razor (with blades)
Swapping out disposable plastic razors for a stainless steel version is a straightforward, plastic-free swap.
Get the right one and it’s an investment for life.
All you need to replace is the blade. If you’re careful, they can last quite some time too. Just make sure you rinse the blade immediately after use and dry.
You can opt to keep your razor in a safety case (advised) and if you feel extra fancy, take along some shave gel (which you could keep in a GoToob+ bottle).
>> Buy a travel razor: from Biome | Amazon
10. Homemade lip balm
I’ve been making my own lip balm for years, using beeswax, olive oil and honey.
It’s a simple recipe:
- Half fill a saucepan with water. Bring to boil on your stove.
- Pop the glass bowl on top of the saucepan and add a handful of beeswax. Let melt, should take around three minutes.
- Take off boil. Splash in some olive oil. How much? It really depends on how much balm you want to make.
- Add a teaspoon to tablespoon of honey, depending on the amount of beeswax and oil.
- Mix together and pour into jars (or the washed tin of what was previously a cream deodrant).
- Let cool and harden. Hey presto β easy, cheap lip balm, thatβs lip smackingly good.
If you don’t fancy making your own, or you prefer to apply directly to the lips, ETHIQUE have some great options. They’re also fully compostable, pleasingly planting them firmly in the zero waste travel toiletries category.
>> Buy ETHIQUE lip balm from Biome | from Amazon
PLUS: A long-lasting toiletries bag
Finally, you’ll need something to house all these eco-friendly products in!
Look for something long-lasting, or even made out of recycled materials.
Those are my must-have on hand sustainable toiletries. I just wouldn’t travel without any of them.
Of course, you can build on this list as you like. Perhaps you’re keen to carry around make-up, eye-cream or even a reusable ‘cotton’ bud. It’s up to you.
In this day and age, you can much easily swap out plastic disposable toiletry items, for those that are long lasting and easier on the planet.
What do you keep in your eco-friendly toiletries bag? Any other additions to suggest?
I love the illustrations, they’re great!! When I was about 10 I had a bamboo comb that I loved more than anything. Not because I was a particularly green child, just because it made me feel like a proper grown-up! It got left behind at Brownies camp one summer and I think it’s about high time I replaced it. With you on the lip balm – the only time I ever actually need it is in cold weather when my lips are drying out, but still every time I see a fancy new Lip Smackers flavour (cherry coke, YES!) I just have to have it.
The chefs at my workplace use rose all the time – you’ve inspired me to steal some of their petals to bring home and make up my own green concoctions.
Thank you Rhiannon! I’ve been wanting to consistently put my doodles on this blog for awhile but I suck at colouring in both with pencil and done digitally. Luckily my fella is a graphic designer, so he helped me out with them. Woot, teamwork!
Brownies have a lot to answer for. Definitely time to replace it. And yeah, lip gloss is about the most pointless cosmetic there is, especially those horrible gooey glossy ones. Urgh. I actually found all my old ones from high school when I moved back to Oz. I tried them out, which was probably a bit dangerous, considering how old they are now. Still tasted super sugary. Legal drugs for teens.
And yes, do it! Particularly if you love rosewater. I’ve been experimenting with a bunch of homemade toiletries, which makes me feel like I’m Hermione in potions class. Gonna share some of the successful recipes on here soon.
Definitely addicted to lip balm too. Although, I find myself using it a lot here is Switzerland, especially over the cold months, AKA most of the year. In Australia, with a warmer climate I didn’t need it as much so it should be good conditions for you to quit.
Yes! I hope so. I’ve definitely noticed that I use it less here – maybe twice a day at most. Conditions are good!
The illustrations are fab!!!! Does the bamboo toothbrush get smelly after a while though? And how’s that ‘water-only’ hair washing method going???
Used to have a wooden comb but it became sort of blunt so then I stopped using it and now got this plastic one that combs through my hair so nicely. But yeah… it’s plastic. π
A friend gave me homemade body scrub (essentially sugar with essential oils) and body butter for Christmas, and I totally loved that! Looking forward to some “cosmetics recipes”.
Thanks Kati π It’s actually fine. I’m not sure how it would do if I were travelling long-term and that’s not my style, so I haven’t tested it. But for just around the house and trips up to a month long, it’s been great.
My hair is so thick it shatters plastic combs, so the bamboo one has worked out nicely. If you’ve found something that works for you, that’s all that matters. I still have a lot of plastic items (my KeepCup for example), but I don’t have to replace most of them, so the fact that they are plastic doesn’t bother me.
Hair is going surprisingly well… will be posting the three month update in a couple of weeks(!).
I’m so looking forward to your hair update!! Beyond four days, my scalp starts to get so itchy that it drives me nuts. I can stretch to about six or seven on holidays, especially in colder climates and without shower access, but that’s been about it. And i just want to scratch and scratch…
I’ll publish it next Monday eve. ?? yeah had that problem too, but found a couple of natural solutions that have seemed to have worked!
This is awesome, and so helpful! I’ve just started trying to replace my bathroom stuff with zero waste alternatives so this has given me a few ideas. Love the illustrations too!
Glad it was helpful Karyn and thanks! Good luck with the transition – you won’t look back!
This is absolutely brilliant. We need more and more people who want to venture into sustainable lifestyle and travel. Being an environmentalist myself and following a lot of sustainable practices i am so stocked to come across this article. Keep up the good work.
Ageed! Good on you for blogging about it too.
I loved reading this. You’ve introduced me to products I’ve never previously heard of. I had no idea a bamboo toothbrush existed! Had a quick look online and it looks great, thanks for sharing π
No worries!
I really enjoyed reading this list. I’ve been using diluted apple cider vinegar + grapefruit oil as a toner, but tbh it is a little harsh and I’ve been thinking of switching to rose water. Might just do it now!
I used to use ACV as face wash too and much prefer the rose water.
I’ve known people who’ve used water only methods on their hair but I would fear mine is too dry, particularly in the Australian sunshine. I would be interested to see how you go! It’s funny you should say that your lips become drier with the use of lip balm – it’s one of those weird cycles of dependency that means you become hooked on using them. I, for one, can’t sleep unless I’ve used some lip balm – crazy huh? I like the thought of a bamboo toothbrush and comb so will investigate these for my next trip. Do you have any suggestions for a good wash bag?
I upcycled a washbag from a friend! I think she’d got them in one of those buy-a-product-from-Myer-or-David-jones-whatsits-get-a-free-gift thingos. My hair has fared a lot better in Oz with water only than it did in London. I think the water is a bit less harsh here.
Love this! I need to work on making my toiletries more eco-friendly and reducing my plastic use. So sad to hear that LUSH bars aren’t as eco-friendly as I thought they were π Any tips for a good tinted moisturizer or lightweight foundation that doesn’t use plastic?
Some people apparently use cocoa powder for foundation. I’m not very helpful as my BB cream has lasted for an age and I don’t really wear foundation, although I do like RMS.
Tons of great ideas for eco-friendly things to bring or make. I want to try the rose hip oil to see how my skin does with it.
I love the stuff. Hope you have success with it!
You’re always such an inspiration for me on all things plastic-free and eco-friendly! I’m trying to better myself all the time but my efforts are put to shame by your discipline. I would love to give the bamboo toothbrushes and the rose water a go.
Totally agree on the men and lip balm subject. I only thought about this the other day. Men always have smooth lips but never buy lip balm, so surely us ladies don’t need it either.
Shucks! You’ve made me blush, woman… I do like the bamboo brushes a lot and Sinplastico sells them in Europe.
Yeah, exactly! I’m not looking forward to giving it the flick, however. I think I’ll try after winter is over, which should be timely as my current and last pot of gloss should last ’til then!
You can make your own lip balms with shea butter, coconut oil, bees wax and honey (or just shea butter on itβs own is fine). I made tonnes for christmas presents this year and they taste quite good with the honey.
I’m quite determined to break my dependency on the darn stuff, but that will make for a great back up, should I fail (or crack in the process!). Thanks Katie.