Once the holidays begin, it feels as though many of us just don’t stop; between parties, dinners, and getaways there’s a lot of travelling we do for the season’s festivities. Whether you’re camped out at your family’s home or jetting away for the festivities, you want to be sure you’ve got your holiday travel essentials. No matter how you decide to get around this year, packing smart is always a necessity. Double-duty products, reusable containers, and handmade cosmetics can all make travelling that much more bearable. Let’s take a look at the holiday travel essentials that will make your low impact holidays merry and bright.
Travelling responsibly and sustainably isn’t just about how you move, it’s also about what you bring with you. Packing the right beauty products can mean less waste, saving money, and more importantly less stress!
These days you can find most beauty products in solid form. Shampoos, conditioners, body wash, toothpaste, and makeup are some of the more common low impact options available. With all of these options, you don’t have to worry about exceeding liquid quantities for flights, you get longer use out of your products, and you waste less!
If you get motion sickness, then this low impact holiday travel essential is for you. Calming scents like lavender, peppermint, and lemon can help you relax on a long trip. Available in various sizes of glass roll-on bottles, you can easily pack them away or keep them handy for your journey.
Normal disposable cotton rounds often have thin, plastic fibres that don’t biodegrade and can’t be recycled. Skip the disposable rounds and opt for reusable cotton rounds that you can wash and use again. These are ideal for removing makeup, applying creams, and even doing a bit of first aid.
These little gems are wonderful for storing your solid beauty products and keeping them from getting squashed in your suitcase. Although the greatest thing about them is that they can have other uses, too. Store jewellery, train tickets, money or whatever else you’d like in these helpful tins.
Bamboo is an incredibly strong and durable material that provides a wonderful alternative to plastic tools. Snag a bamboo toothbrush, comb, hairbrush or even cotton swabs for low impact holiday travel essentials. If something happens to them on your travels, they can easily be composted and returned to the earth!
If you’re headed down under for a sunny Christmas or just enjoy a clean shave, you may want to think about switching razors. Disposable razors can lead to lots of waste and are quite expensive in the long run. A well-made safety razor is not only a greener alternative to shaving, but some even say that it’s nicer!
What would the holidays be without stuffing your face with yummy goodness and sipping on lovely brews? Here are some low impact holiday travel essentials that will make your gastronomical enjoyment more eco-friendly.
I finally started using silicon ziploc-style bags and let me tell you, they’re a game-changer. You can use them for anything from saving left-overs to packing souvenirs. Lightweight, protective, easy to clean, and extremely versatile, I promise you that you will use these bags time and time again!
Hydration is key when you’re travelling to help beat exhaustion and improve brain function. Caffeine is also necessary when you’re hopping on those early morning trains back home. Bring your favourite beverages with you in reusable bottles and tumblers.
Whether you’re at a park or in the airport, sitting down to nosh happens when you travel. Come prepared for those on-the-go moments and bring your utensils. Doing so will minimise plastic waste and is especially useful if you have kids who love to eat every minute of the day.
During the holidays, leftovers abound. Wax wrap is a great way to sustainably save you leftover dishes, fruits, veggies or just about anything else. These wraps are also handy for non-food items that you don’t want leaking into your suitcase.
Choosing the perfect low impact holiday travel essentials for your travel style is crucial. Although sometimes waste happens, so here are a few tips to help you avoid it, if not at least dispose of it properly.
Put your reusable bags, containers or wax wrap to good use by packing snacks. It’s nearly impossible to find zero packaging snacks on the road, so this helps you avoid collecting too much plastic film and crisp packets. Not to mention, you know you’ll have your favourite snacks within arms reach.
Maybe this one seems like a no-brainer, but I’ll toss it in here as a friendly reminder. More and more cities are listening to their constituents and offering better recycling programs. Keep your eyes peeled for recycling bins and ensure that you dispose of any waste properly.
With all the eating, dancing, and partying you’ll be doing, you’ll probably need an extra dose of energy (i.e. coffee). The next time you stop by your favourite coffee shop, juice bar or take away, don’t be afraid to ask if you can use your own container. Everyone is becoming more eco-conscious and businesses are beginning to take notice, so why not give it a try?
This holiday season choose to be a responsible tourist or at least, an eco-friendly family visitor. Granted that while it may take some extra organisation, the feeling of doing your part for the planet really can’t be beaten. Do you already make plenty of your low impact travel essentials at home? Then, learn more about WapoBeauty’s eBook on How to Sell Your Skincare Products Legally in Ireland and the EU. For more hands-on instruction on how to formulate and make safe and professional skincare products should consider signing up for WapoBeauty’s upcoming Making Natural Skincare Masterclass.
Ashuni Pérez is an American writer based in Valencia, Spain. She has a passion for natural beauty and the environment. Ashuni loves to cycle and drink smoothies in the sun. Follow her on Instagram at @ashuuuuni
© 2024 Wapo.ie