If you've ever found yourself standing in line at airport security, battling to fit your toiletries into one of those tiny clear plastic bags, you're not alone. The 100ml liquid restriction can make packing for a even brief weekend break seem like a mean feat, but we have the answer to your problem – solid toiletries.
Before you roll your eyes, hear us out. Thanks to brands like Lush, Christophe Robin and Gallinee to name but a few, solid toiletries such as shampoo and body wash are a far cry from the heavily-scented lumps that'd crumble and melt before you'd even have a chance to bring them home. In fact, we'd say they're now on par with the liquid versions we rely on day in, day out at home.
Even better, a lot of said toiletries swap plastic packaging for environmentally-friendly alternatives and some come with no packaging at all.
Ahead, you'll find the most effective solid toiletries and beauty products out there right now.
This solid shampoo is made entirely of natural ingredients like scalp-soothing aloe vera and castor oil, known for its nourishing properties and ability to impart shine. Even though it's completely free from SLS, it lathers up a treat and leaves hair feeling as squeaky clean as a liquid shampoo. Simply massage it into wet hair and rinse.
Christophe Robin Hydrating Shampoo Bar With Aloe Vera, £17.50, available at Space NK
You've heard of bath bombs, but shower bombs are a thing now, too. Free from packaging altogether, it fizzes and lathers on contact with water. Just scoop away a chunk (one bomb should last you up to three washes) and massage all over your body. Bright blue in colour, Koyaanisqatsi smells like Lush's famous Sleepy Body Lotion thanks to star ingredient lavender, but it has a spicy, green kick to it, which is guaranteed to wake you up in the morning.
Lush Koyaanisqatsi Shower Bomb, £2.75, available at Lush
Wherever you're off to, SPF is non-negotiable, but if you're worried it'll leak in your hand luggage, pack a powder version instead. With SPF 30, this brush on sunblock provides broad spectrum protection, which means it shields skin against both UVA rays (proven to penetrate the skin) and UVB rays, which are associated with ageing of the skin, for example, fine lines and pigmentation. Hold the brush in your hand and tap until you see the minerals form in the brush, then apply liberally.
Brush On Block SPF 30, £25, available at Dermacare Direct
Avoid a last minute airside toothpaste dash and pick up Lush's cola-flavoured toothy tabs, instead. OK, it might not look like traditional toothpaste, but it works. Simply bite one between your teeth and brush. Powdered charcoal and gunpowder tea turn your mouth grey until you rinse, but leave teeth feeling surprisingly clean and breath fresh.
Lush Boom! Toothy Tabs, £5.95, available at Lush
Don't let the bar form put you off – this is completely soap-free. Instead, it harnesses prebiotics (basically nutrients to feed the good bacteria on your skin) and lactic acid to slough away dirt and dead skin cells. Formulated at a respectful pH of 5.8, skin feels soft, not stripped, making it good for both face and body.
Gallinee Cleansing Bar, £9, available at Gallinee
Housed in a reusable tin, this strand-quenching conditioner bar swaps sodium lauryl sulfate, which can sometimes cause irritation and dryness in sensitive skin types, for moisturising ingredients like flaxseed oil, but somehow never makes hair feel greasy or heavy. Work the bar between wet hands and massage into your hair, focussing on the mid lengths to ends.
Hair O Oi Thirsty Head Conditioner Soap Bar, £8, available at Superdrug
This mango-scented body cleanser is 100% plastic-free and sources sustainable ingredients from the UK. The shea butter base makes it vegan-friendly and much less likely to dry your skin out compared to other soap bars.
Nuddy Mango Soap Bar, £4.95, available at Nuddy
Unlike most physical exfoliators, this rice-based, salicylic acid version comes in powder form and transforms into a creamy whip when mixed with water to chip away at oil, grime and dead skin. It's incredibly gentle, so you can incorporate it into your skincare routine daily.
Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant 13g, £13.50, available at Harvey Nichols
This vegan, fragrance-free deodorant may be tiny but don't underestimate its power. It leaves behind a thin layer of mineral salts on the skin which work instantly and cumulatively throughout the day to mop up excess sweat and to prevent body odour.
Salt Of The Earth Travel Natural Deodorant, £3.49, available at Holland & Barrett
If you prefer something a little more substantial in texture than powder SPF, opt for this. It's broad spectrum, which means it defends against UVA and UVB rays. It is water resistant but in no way greasy or suffocating on the skin.
La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL SPF 50 Stick, £11, available at La Roche-Posay
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