My favourite liquid-free products for travelling (and my home)

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Here are four solid alternatives to common carry-on liquids

No matter the destination, these bars and tabs remain a constant in my “essentials” checklist. They reduce the amount of liquids in carry-on luggage, allowing more flexibility with the 1L limit (maybe you want a specific face sunscreen in liquid format, but are fine with your body sunscreen being solid). They also often come in plastic-free packaging, reducing impact on the environment.

Solid sunscreen and moisturizers

1. Solid Creams (Sunscreen, Moisturizers, etc)

Without a checked suitcase, your 1L bag can fill up fast with essential liquids like sunscreen or moisturizers. Luckily, there are more and more options for these in solid form, so they can be packed into your carry-on without worry. A bonus is that some of these have plastic-free packaging!

My recommendations

Please note that these are affiliate links, and I earn a small commission if you make a purchase. I have tried these products myself and I love them!

  • This Mineral Sunscreen stick from ATTITUDE is great and very easy to use (even while riding a horse!). It appears very white when you first apply it, but after rubbing it in it does start to blend in more. I use these at home as well so I don’t rely on the chemical sunscreens as much.
  • I have also tried their face cream stick, though it was in the smaller format (pictured above). I used this as hand moisturizer while trekking in Morocco.
Shampoo and conditioner bars

2. Shampoo and Conditioner Bars

If you will be doing any travelling that is not hotel-based, bringing your own shampoo and conditioner may be necessary. This is where the bars come in! Personally, was skeptical at first – how could a solid bar clean or condition my hair as well as a liquid option? As it turns out, a bar can do it very well! As with liquid shampoos, there are different brands catering to specific needs. Shampoo & conditioner bars are long-lasting (I’ve been travelling with the same LUSH bars for the last 3 trips) and can be cut into smaller pieces, if needed.

My recommendations

Please note that these are affiliate links, and I earn a small commission if you make a purchase. I have tried these products myself and I love them!

  • This volumizing shampoo bar from ATTITUDE is quite large (compared to my LUSH shampoo bar) so it will last a long time, and the smell is great (mine is orange cardamom). It is very easy to get it to lather up and spread around for easy washing. I also love that ATTITUDE is a Canadian company, and I have now tried quite a few of their beauty products.
  • The matching conditioner bar, volume & shine conditioner bar, from ATTITUDE is also great. The size of this bar is slightly smaller than the shampoo, but it does not foam up or lather as much so it will take a long time to go through.
A toothbrush and toothpaste tablets

3. Toothpaste Tablets

Yes, even your toothpaste now comes in tablet form! Save a bit of space in your 1L liquids bag by opting for a small container of toothpaste tablets instead. There are many options out there, some with fluoride and some without.

Laundry strips

4. Laundry Detergent Strips

They’re thin, they’re not messy (unlike powdered detergent), and they clean your clothes! There are many brands to choose from, and they have worked very well for me while travelling and while at home.

My recommendation

Please note that this is an affiliate link, and I earn a small commission if you make a purchase. I use these laundry strips myself and I love them!

  • These laundry strips from Tru Earth come as sheets in cardboard packaging. It’s easy to tear off a single strip, or to tear off smaller pieces if you need to wash only one or two things while you’re travelling.