My travel bag used to be chaos. Tiny bottles, plastic zipper bags, leaky lids, mysterious balms that melted into glue in warm weather, at least three lip balms (none of which I could ever find when I needed one). I’d repack it every trip and still somehow forget something crucial—like toothpaste, or socks.
But a few years ago, I decided to build a bag that just stayed packed. One I didn’t have to rethink or rebuild every time I left town. Not just the basics like a toothbrush and charger, but the little things I always end up wishing I had. A nail file. A sleep mask. That one pen I like.
And somewhere in that process, my whole approach to travel stuff changed. I stopped treating it like a separate category. Instead of buying “travel-sized” everything, I started looking for things that just worked, no matter where I was. Things that were solid, spill-proof, compact, and—ideally—not awful for the planet.
That’s how I ended up with a natural lotion bar.
I used to think lotion came in two forms: bottle or tube. Both annoying. Both prone to leaks. Neither TSA-friendly. But one day I was at a little indie market and saw this thing that looked like a big lip balm. Solid lotion. No water. Just smooth, buttery stuff you warm up in your hands and glide on. No cap to lose. No squirting too much out and having to rub lotion into your elbows because “why waste it?”
It sounded gimmicky, but I bought it. And now it lives in a side pocket of my bag, right next to my earplugs and emergency snacks. It doesn’t melt unless it’s really hot, and even then, it doesn’t explode. It lasts forever. It doesn’t smell like perfume, just clean and simple. And my skin doesn’t freak out when I use it on a plane. That’s a win.
Then there’s deodorant. You wouldn’t think that would be a travel issue until you’re in a humid place with the wrong product and suddenly you’re shopping for an emergency replacement in a gas station bathroom. Been there.
So when my usual stick ran out, I took a chance on something new. I ordered a deodorant cream from EcoRoots. I’d heard good things. Natural, aluminum-free, comes in a jar. I didn’t love the idea of applying it with my fingers, but I figured hey, I’m not doing this in front of an audience.
It was… surprisingly great. Smooth texture, clean ingredients, no sting, no white streaks. It worked better than a lot of traditional ones I’d used. And it packed down small. No twisty plastic tube, no risk of snapping off the top in transit. Just a tiny jar that slides into a side pouch and stays there until I need it.
I think what surprised me the most wasn’t how well these things worked, but how freeing it felt to not constantly worry about my stuff breaking or spilling or running out mid-trip. One bar, one jar, and I’m covered for weeks. No duplicates. No waste. No forgetting what I packed.
Other things made their way into the bag too. A tiny glass bottle of multi-use oil I use for everything from cuticles to flyaways. A stainless steel razor I don’t have to replace every two trips. A small linen pouch with reusable cotton rounds and a soap tin that holds a solid face cleanser that’s lasted me six months and counting.
None of this happened all at once. It’s not like I walked into a store and said, “Give me the sustainable travel starter pack.” I just started paying attention to what annoyed me. What broke. What I always forgot. Then I started replacing those things with stuff that made more sense.
And yeah, sometimes it takes trial and error. Some solid products are duds. Some creams don’t hold up in the heat. Some bars just turn into a gooey mess. But once you find the good ones, you’re set.
People think this kind of stuff is about being eco-conscious (and sure, that’s part of it), but honestly, I just like not dealing with tiny plastic bottles anymore. I like that my bag is lighter. That I don’t have to worry about liquid limits or weird airport spills. That I can go anywhere and know I’ve got what I need in one little pouch.
It’s not fancy. It’s not curated. It’s just… mine. Built over time. One product at a time. Based on what worked. Based on what didn’t leak.
Now, every time I unzip that bag before a trip, I feel a little bit smug. Just a little. Because for once in my life, I’m not scrambling. I’m not overpacking. I’m not buying a random toothbrush at the airport because I forgot mine again.
Everything in there earns its spot. Including the things I used to roll my eyes at. Lotion bars. Deodorant creams. Fancy reusable this-and-thats. Turns out, some of those “niche” products? They’re better. Not just in an environmental way, but in a practical way.
So yeah, my travel bag is kind of weird now. A little crunchy. A little minimalist. A little “did you make this yourself?” But it works. And more importantly—it doesn’t stress me out. I can’t say that about many things.
And that, honestly, feels like the biggest win.