Before I left London to travel the world, I had a certain natural skincare regime. I tried to use as less chemical ingredients in my daily skincare routine as possible so I only had a few items in my bathroom cabin (now I have even fewer!). I made my own face creams from oils and butters, mixed tonics from green tea and used fruit to naturally exfoliate my skin.
As a result of my simple and natural skincare routine, I always travelled light. In this post I’d like to introduce you to my favourite short term travelling packing hacks and how one item can become a life saver away from home.
It’s easy to master the art of effective skincare packing, all you need to do is try to pack multi-use items. It’s all about the numbers, 3 in 1, 2 in 1 or maybe even 4 in 1!
For example base oils are a perfect makeup remover, skin cleanser and moisturiser, that’s 3 in 1! I also used to pop some cosmetic clay into my travel bag for a detox face mask or an effective night cleanser. Let’s get into the details…
Natural skincare guide for short term travelling
Pack your essentials carefully, choose only your favourite and the most useful items. Having less cosmetic items to pack will make you feel less stressed. It’s also a time and energy saver. How many times did you stress about trying to squeeze all the skincare items into a tiny plastic bag at the airport?
After one heartbreaking incident, where I had to choose which of my handmade items to leave at the airport security, I decided to become a pro in skincare packing.
Here is the list of my favourite items to pack based on a 4 day trip. Depending on the length of your trip you might want to increase the quantities a little.
Also remember that things like baking soda and cosmetic clay don’t need to be presented at the airport security.
Natural skincare packing hack 1: Facial Oil – 30 ml
You will only need one bottle and it will last you forever. It’s a fantastic makeup remover (if you wear makeup), cleanser and moisturiser. And it will work as an amazing hair treatment too! That’s 4 in 1!
Forget all the makeup cleansing wipes, they are evil and filled with alcohol that does nothing but dries out your skin. Removing makeup (even waterproof) is like a dream with facial oil.
Just dampen a cotton pad, add a drop of oil on it, press the pad to your eye for a couple of seconds, wipe the mascara off. Repeat if necessary. Use the same method to wipe of your foundation.
To clean the rest of your face skin all you need to do is massage a drop of oil (preferably castor oil mixed with other base oil such as almond) into your skin for a couple of minutes and wipe it off with a clean hot muslin cloth. Run the muslin cloth under hand bearable hot (not scolding hot!) water, wring it out and wipe off the oil. Simple, yet effective.
Oil is an amazing moisturiser if chosen well. Make sure you choose the base oil to suit your skin type. Almond, Argan or my favourite – if you’re unsure – Rosehip oils are suitable for all skin types.
Oil will work amazingly on your hair too. Just rub some into your hair tips and roots, sleep on it, wash it out in the morning and voila, salon soft hair on the go.
If you’d like to learn more about oils and their amazing properties, check out this Fabulous Facial Oils eBook.
Natural skincare packing hack 2: Daily moisturiser – 30 ml
I rarely wear make up and do not always take daily cream with me when travelling. Instead, I like to use the base oil, usually Argan. But sometimes I’d pop in a natural handmade moisturiser, some of my favourite are organic Pai skincare and Soothe Me products.
I always transfer some of the cream into a smaller container to avoid over packing and comply with security checks.
Natural skincare packing hack 3: Sun care – 100 ml
Of course, never forget a sun cream if travelling somewhere warm and sunny.
I love the Green People Organic Sun Lotion SPF30 and use it all the time. It’s pricey, but I love it and sometimes even use it instead of a moisturiser. They do either 200ml or 30ml bottles.
Natural skincare packing hack 4: Coconut oil – 50 – 100 ml
This is my absolute favourite item to have with me wherever I go.
A little tub of coconut oil goes a long way. It’s a perfect moisturiser that leaves your skin glowing. And you only need a small amount to get your skin ready for the day. The oil is well absorbed by the skin and does not leave any residue.
The same can be said about using coconut oil for your hair. If your hair is curly use it after washing to enhance the curls. For straight hair use coconut oil as a night treatment or an hour before washing.
Natural skincare packing hack 5: Baking Soda – 30 g
There are many mixed opinions about baking soda, but I used it a lot in my beauty regime and found it very effective. You shouldn’t use it too often though, 2 times per week max.
Use it gently as a face scrub. You only need a sprinkle of soda and a drop of water. Make a smooth paste from the two ingredients and you have a face scrub. However you should avoid it if you have a sensitive skin. Use a gentler natural exfoliator such as honey or cosmetic clay.
You can also use soda to rinse you hair if you run out of shampoo. You only need a spoonful of soda and a cup of water. Mix the two ingredients and rinse your hair with the mixture.
If you run out of toothpaste, use soda to eliminate bad breath in the morning. Mix a sprinkle of soda with one cup of warm water and swoosh it in your mouth for a few minutes, gargle and spit it out. You can sprinkle a little bit of soda onto your toothbrush to clean your teeth, but be gentle, soda on it’s own can be slightly abrasive. But if you find yourself in trouble early in the morning, this trick will be very helpful.
Natural skincare packing hack 7: Cosmetic clay – 30 g
I never travel anywhere without my clay. Unless I travel back home, because I know my mum will have some in the cupboard. I love it. You should absolutely include cosmetic clay into your beauty regime.
It’s so versatile and will suit everyone’s skin, if used correctly. The golden rule is not to keep the clay on your skin longer than 10 minutes.
Clay makes a great detox face mask and will revitalise your skin after a long day. Again, to make a simple mask, you need a teaspoon of clay and a dash of warm water. Mix it all up, apply to your clean skin for 10 minutes. Rinse off with lukewarm water. Moisturise with the 3 in 1 oil.
The same recipe works for hair as well. Although, it might be a little bit drying, but it works for my hair.
It can also be a great face wash. Mixed with water, milk or honey it will gently exfoliate as well as cleanse your skin.
Natural skincare packing hack 8: Essential oils – 10 ml
This is more a treat than a necessity, but don’t we all need a little bit of luxury in our daily routine.
If you are travelling to a wedding or any other bigger event where you need to look your best, pop in a little bottle (10ml) of your favourite essential oil. Rose or Peppermint works great for hair or on wrists instead of perfume.
Choose the scent that will compliment your style and not irritate you throughout the day. I love Ylang Ylang, but it’s just too strong a scent for me to wear, instead, I use an understated Geranium.
Mix the essential oil with any base oil, i.e. Rose Absolute with Jojoba oil. After washing your hair, rub a little drop (just a drop!) of the diluted essential oil between your palms and then work it into your damp hair tips. Not only will your hair look healthier, but it will also smell lovely.
Do you struggle to pack your skincare essentials? What do you pack for short term trips? Let us know in the comments below…
This is a great article! You have inspired me to use more natural products and try making my own!
Glad you liked it Sarah, it is amazing what you can create when you know how!