It’s 7am Saturday morning and I’m stuck at border patrol. Who knew an expired passport would raise a few eyebrows? While I wait for authorities to triple check my identity I figured I’d dish my self care and tech travel tips.
Though my passport floats in the mail state side, I never leave home without my go tube of raw coconut oil or graphic splattered memory foam laptop case.
Dig through my suitcase with me and learn how to minimize your load and maximize functionality with quality products.
Natural Self Care Checklist:
Deodorant and other organic natural brands. Look for deodorants, not anti-perspirants. Check labels for toxic Aluminum and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. EcoStiletto.com delivers the ultimate Things That Suck List in self care products.
Hair Brush: A $7 sustainable bamboo long lasting paddle brush. No need to buy plastic products that contribute to the massive Pacific garbage patch that continues to bloom beyond twice the size of Texas.
Moisturizer: Massage raw coconut, avocado, primrose, almond, or sesame oil over every inch after a shower or a long day in the sun. I fill up large mason jars of raw organic coconut oil at my local co-op. No bulk section? Nativa sells it in bulk with free shipping.
Go Toobs: I bought these refillable airline approved tubes from Whole Foods for $6 each. Well worth the price and convenience. Humangear even pre-labels and color codes for shampoo, soap, etc. No leaks either! Buy a three pack for a better price.
Sunscreen: DeVita solar Body Block SPF 30+ is my latest discovery, also found at Whole Foods Market. 7 oz. of paraben free, 100% vegan, 19% Zinc oxide block for $20 a tube. I can’t stand the natural brands that don’t absorb. I love the silky smooth feel of this luxury potion. It’s the first thing I layer on after my coconut oil rub.
Toothpaste: There a several brands to enjoy and try. I currently use Tom’s of Maine and Jason’s Organics natural toothpastes with no flouride or aluminum. Flouride was added to the US water supply in 1945 to help prevent tooth decay. Read 50 Reasons to Oppose Fluoridatio to learn why other countries refuse to medicate their people with a substance that’s hike risk with no benefit.
Shampoo: After experimenting with several natural shampoos I now use E&O’s organic sulphate free shampoo with essential oils. For shining strong locks look for pH balanced and sulphate free shampoos. Low pH and sulphate packed alternatives strip your hair of it’s natural oils and increase breakage.
Body Brush: I forgot to show my brush, but it travels with me everywhere. Help your skin slough dead and dry skin by brushing daily. Radiant new cells lay just beneath! I teach my brushing technique in
Reusable Bags: I always have a reusable bag on me for random grocery or market buys, but my Lululemon small handle bag totes my travel toiletries. The quotes serve as a quick morning inspiration! It also doubles as the perfect lunch bag.
Make-Up: I only wear make-up on special occasions, but this week at the ranch I glammed it up for fun. Free mineral make over? Sign me up!
Radiant Natural Goddess…
Mineralized Vamped Diva…
Which do you like better?
Read Real vs. Fake Beauty to get my opinion. I also swear by a few raw natural make up brands. Raw Essentials by Carol Alt is my current fave line.
I also had a long over due pedicure.
I also had a long over due pedicure.
Happy feet= happy you.Though I’ll dance off the polish the massage and soak felt amazing.
Techie Must Haves:
Memory Foam Laptop Case: Isis offers edgy, elegant and fun memory foam cases and sleeves for Mac’s and iphones. I’ve bought a few over the years to protect my Macbook Pro and iphone 4 babies. They both will resell well with no scratches. Go for an incognito style to stay under the radar when traveling.
Virtual Cloud or External Hard Drive: After all my stuff was stolen in Barcelona I learned how important it is to back up all your computer files. I now use a virtual cloud service to hold everything online. Dropbox or Amazon’s A3 are fantastic cloud services that allow you to access all your files from anywhere. External hard drives are incredibly portable and inexpensive now days, but in my opinion it’s just another gadget to keep track of.
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Minimal travel is my forte. Every trip I reassess my gear as I pack my carry on. With the airlines charging for check ins and security buckling down on liquids, eliminate stress by packing smart, simple and light. It literally takes me 15 mins to pack.
….
Minimal travel is my forte. Every trip I reassess my gear as I pack my carry on. With the airlines charging for check ins and security buckling down on liquids, eliminate stress by packing smart, simple and light. It literally takes me 15 mins to pack.
Portland, Oregon is up next weekend for the Vida Vegan Bloggers Conference. The more I jet set the more I learn. More tips coming at you!
What natural self care products do you adore? Any digital nomad tips to share?
