If you’ve been following our travel adventures, then you know that we are downsizing and also fans of minimalist travel. We are not experts on minimalist travel by any means, but enthusiasts who keep improving our travel vision. Day 99 showed my small city backpack weekend packing job. With that in mind, there are 3 multi-tasking health and beauty items that I’ve recently begun traveling with that can make your toiletry kit less full. If you have these items on hand, find a small container to pack them in for your trip. You can also keep these tiny containers in your gym bag for a post-workout refresh.
- Dry Shampoo. I’ve been using Lush Cosmetics No Drought for about one year in between washings. I will say that Lush is the only organic dry shampoo I’ve come across, although I have not shopped around recently. The container is not very conducive to using the product, which is why putting it in your own tiny travel container will be a good move for you. A little goes a long way with this product, so you probably won’t run out, even if your container is small. You can use this shampoo for 3 main purposes while traveling:
- Shampoo, it’s actual purpose. You may be in a situation where you don’t have access to a American-style shower, especially if traveling in Europe. What I mean is, you may need to stand in the shower and hold the shower head while you bathe. This is not convenient for ladies with long, thick hair! Dry shampoo can allow you to let your scalp feel fresh, without having to actually wash your hair every day. When using this product, I can wash my hair every 3 days.
- Deodorizer for shoes. You can place some of this powder in your shoes overnight and let it soak up some of the odor. That’s essentially what you would do with baking soda, but who wants to pack baking soda on their vacation?
- Luggage freshener. You can sprinkle some of this powder inside your luggage to absorb excess odor. You may want to save that for the end of the trip, after you’ve arrived home!
- Organic cold-pressed Virgin Coconut Oil . Please don’t roll your eyes at me. I know every single healthy lifestyle website and magazine has exhausted this topic for the last 2 years. Just hear me out! Yes, coconut oil has many uses, some of which are proven, some of which are debatable and merely myths. However, the following are how I use coconut oil when traveling (if you’re more “hippie intense” then I am, you could probably find 10 ways to use coconut oil when traveling):
- Lotion. It can be used as an all-over body AND face lotion, meaning that you don’t have to pack 3 different little tubes of lotion. Just put some coconut oil into a little container (a little goes a long way here too) and you have all of the lotion you need for the trip!
- Makeup Remover. Again, instead of packing yet another container of some kind of remover, you can use coconut oil.
- Coffee booster. As a semi-lactose-intolerant person who is grossed out by milk when faced with the facts, I like to put almond or coconut milk in my coffee. This could end up as an afterthought in the travel packing, so coconut oil can be a good alternative, especially since you already have some packed!
- Tea Tree Oil. This essential oil jar is so small that you won’t even realize you’ve packed it until you arrive. Tea tree oil can be used for a myriad of things, but here’s how I use it (when I remember to pack it):
- Sore throat gargle and mouthwash. Sometimes travel can irritate your throat. 3 drops of this oil in a small glass of warm water can help soothe the throat. Rinsing your mouth with this substance can act as a mouthwash.
- Acne treatment. You can place a small amount of this oil on any breakouts at night. If you’ve already packed it, and then suddenly have a breakout because of all of the decadent travel food… voila, you already packed something to help remedy that!
I hope you’re able to use my minimalist multitasking health and beauty tips on your next trip. How do you use these items in your travels?
Intentionally International 