4 Eco-Friendly Personal Care Products for Travel

It’s important to be respectful of the places you go when traveling and to try to leave a positive impact. One way to do that is to use environmentally friendly personal care products. The best part? These products can be used to have a positive impact at home too!

When looking for sustainable products, there is a lot to consider, and it can seem overwhelming. How items are produced, packaged, and sold can all be taken into account. In addition, it is important to consider the impact these products will have on the location in which you are using them – does it have an adequate waste disposal system? Is it a sensitive ecosystem that will be polluted by certain chemicals like oxybenzone, which harms coral reefs?

Anyway, it’s great that you’re thinking about your impact! This list is meant to provide a starting point for trying to find products that tread more lightly on the beautiful destinations we visit while traveling.

1. Shampoo and conditioner bars

Shampoo and conditioner bars eliminate the water that is in traditional bottled products to create a convenient, plastic-free way to take care of your hair. Plus, they are lightweight and easy to get through airport security – no more worrying about travel-size containers or having liquid shampoo leak all over your clothes in a checked bag (this has definitely happened to me, and it is not fun). 

There are lots of companies making shampoo and conditioner bars now, but I’m currently using this combo bar from Naturetint, and it’s been working really well for me! It smells amazing but isn’t overpowering, and it makes my hair feel so soft.

2. Bamboo toothbrushes

​Toothbrushes are a common item I find during beach cleanups, and bamboo toothbrushes are a great way to reduce your plastic footprint. These bamboo toothbrushes are 100% plant-based (including the bristles and packaging).

Bamboo is a great crop to use in manufacturing because it grows quickly, requires little water compared to other crops, and does not require the use of pesticides or herbicides. All of this makes bamboo toothbrushes a sustainable way to take care of those pearly whites!

3. Reef-safe sunscreen

Protect your skin AND coral reefs with this reef-safe sunscreen! Chemical sunscreens can hurt corals and, added on top of stressors like warming oceans and pollution, can have a significant impact on the survival of these vulnerable species. Next time you go to the beach, remember that a mineral-based sunscreen will help you be kind both to yourself and to the ocean life. 

I really like Stream2Sea sunscreen, but you can use any non-nano mineral sunscreen. (Tip: Stream2Sea also has a sunburn relief gel that works better than any other after-sun product I’ve ever tried, so consider giving this a shot, too, if you’re ordering from them!)

4. A silicone menstrual cup

I got my first menstrual cup when I was 18 and headed on a hiking trip in northern India. Since we were in an area with few options for waste management (basically, trash could only be burned), we were advised to bring menstrual cups. I was very skeptical at first, and there was definitely a learning curve, but I’ve now been using this thing for over 10 years now, and I am so glad that I started so early.

Honestly, I really think it’s a game-changer. I don’t have to stress about leaving it in too long and getting toxic shock syndrome since the risk is minimal compared to tampons (insert “not medical advice” disclaimer here). I can do all my normal activities, including swimming and (although I don’t know how the pressure works here, so not sure if I should recommend this?) diving. I don’t have to worry about packing enough supplies for a trip since I just have the one cup and it’s always in my toiletries bag.

It’s crazy to think about the amount of money I would have spent on other menstrual products over the past 10 years, not to mention the amount of trash I would have generated. I get that it’s not for everyone, but if you’ve been thinking about it, it’s definitely worth a try! I got a Diva cup ages ago, but there are a lot of options out there nowadays.

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I hope you found this list of eco-friendly personal care products helpful!

If you enjoyed these eco-friendly travel tips, check out this post on making your next beach vacation more sustainable.

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