Summer is beginning, and with it come exciting plans, sunshine, the beach, the heat… it all points to the same thing: it’s time to travel. Even though it is one of the times of the year we look forward to with great anticipation, the moment of packing our travel toiletry bag is one of the most headache-inducing. You make a thousand lists of "essentials" and "just-in-case" items, but most of the time you end up lacking many products. Space is limited, and you have to make a clever selection that frees up as much room as possible.
Depending on the type of trip you take, there are certain restrictions that make organizing the "perfect toiletry bag" more complex. If you travel by plane, surely a thousand transparent plastic bottles will flood your bag, making it impossible for any Tetris-like arrangement to fit perfectly. But it’s no wonder—have you stopped to think about the amount of space all those 100ml plastic containers take up? If your travel favorites were solid, they would likely take up much less space and such a problem wouldn't exist.
If we add to all this the doubts about which cosmetics are best to use during this time of year, we face the great challenge of finding the summer essentials. Those that cover all the seasonal needs of your hair, skin, and lips. During the hottest season of the year, we need effective products that keep them hydrated. Because we shouldn't wait until September to remedy the damage caused by sun exposure.
Do you want to know the best sustainable alternatives for traveling this summer without worrying about space and reducing your environmental footprint? Take note of these tips!
Sustainable mini-sizes and why you should start traveling with them
If what you are looking for is to save space in your toiletry bag, there are special cosmetics that immediately solve the capacity problems we face when packing our suitcase. Mini-sizes are a very efficient format for travel; they are very practical, have the perfect dimensions to take up little space, and contain enough milliliters to enjoy for days without worrying about carrying refills. Best of all, by doing a little research, you can find all your favorites in mini version without exception. At BANBU, you can find them gathered in our body mini-size packs.
This offers great advantages because not only do you gain space in your suitcase, you also prevent temperature changes and travel from ruining larger-format products. The main benefit is that the mini size allows you to enjoy all the goodness of the cosmetics you use regularly. Not to mention the multiple environmental advantages that come with stoping the practice of refilling 100ml plastic bottles. On average, we use 10 plastic bottles per person on each flight; if we multiply this number by the average of 180 passengers an airplane carries, we get a total of 1,800 plastic bottles per trip... If we choose sustainable mini-sizes in solid formats, we are not only managing to considerably reduce space in our toiletry bag but also our environmental impact.
We have made a top selection of 7 sustainable mini-sizes for your summer routine. They are so special because they do not use unnecessary packaging and respond to the summer needs of your hair, skin, and lips. Do you want to know the products that will make your toiletry bag more spacious? Keep reading.
The cosmetics that will protect your hair this summer
Hair needs special care at this time of year. Maintaining its shine and silkiness is not an easy task when external agents modify its texture, deteriorate pigments, and attenuate shine. Therefore, a specific summer hair routine will help alleviate these effects. We suggest 3 basics that should not be missing from your toiletry bag to pamper your hair during your vacation.
Solid Shampoo
Shampoo is an essential that shouldn't be missing from any travel toiletry bag. If you add all the benefits of solid shampoo to the mini-size format, you will travel with a more sustainable and respectful travel format for your scalp, which also contains a higher concentration of active ingredients in its formula and considerably reduces the number of plastic containers.
Which options are better for summer? During the summer, hair loss is intensified by high temperatures and UV rays. These processes accelerate the number of hairs in the telogen or shedding phase. Therefore, in summer, it is necessary to have strengthening formulas that provide volume and prevent hair loss.
Hit is an anti-hair loss shampoo enriched with strengthening active ingredients that increase density, elasticity, and reduce hair loss:
- Contains 4 natural regenerating technologies: baicalin, ginkgo biloba, and hydrolyzed proteins that stimulate hair growth.
- Increases the percentage of hair in the growth phase by 12% by activating the follicle stem cells.
- Reduces the percentage of hair in the telogen or shedding phase by 43%.
- Free of harmful SLS and SLES sulfates, silicones, and parabens.
Hit Anti-hair loss shampoo with hyaluronic acid
3-in-1 Solid Conditioner
It’s no secret: hair in summer needs greater hydration. As we mentioned earlier, direct contact with the sun, humidity, and chlorine stimulates hair dehydration, diminishing its natural shine. When traveling, there are 3 basics you can't overlook if you want to show off radiant hair: a conditioner, a hair mask, or a leave-in serum. Making space in your toiletry bag for all of them can be complicated, but there are highly versatile products that offer a 3-in-1 treatment.
Fruit is a triple-action solid conditioner that nourishes, adds shine, and eliminates frizz. Its formula incorporates the properties of coconut oil, shea butter, aloe vera, hydrolyzed pea protein, and abyssinian oil.
- Provides deep hydration.
- Adds body and density to the hair.
- Attenuates the fragility of brittle hair.
- Controls frizz.
- Free of sulfates, silicones, and parabens.
- With 100% natural ingredients.
- Vegan and Cruelty-Free formula.
Fruit conditioner, mask, and leave-in serum
Travel Brush
Brushing hair in summer is a very necessary process if we want to avoid ending up with a more damaged mane. Brushing, if done correctly, is very beneficial as it helps to remove residue and stimulates the scalp, promoting hair growth.
When it comes to brushing hair while wet or damp, there is an ongoing debate about which method is the most effective to avoid hair loss and breakage of the hair fiber. On one hand, damp hair detangles more easily and has greater flexibility, so breakage is less. In contrast, since it is damp, the follicle is weaker and can fall out more quickly.
The success lies not only in the method but also in the type of brush we use. We should use brushes with rounded natural bristles, which stimulate the scalp. Moso bamboo wood brushes are a perfect option because they strengthen the root, stop hair fiber breakage, and prevent frizz.
Travel brush made of moso bamboo wood
How to adapt your skincare routine cosmetics to summer
The skin is the largest organ of the human body. Taking care of it all year round is extremely important, but during the summer, the care must be more specific. Welcoming this time of year requires essentials that protect the skin from sun exposure and heat.
During this season, solar radiation is more intense and we are inevitably more exposed to it. As a consequence, premature skin aging is accelerated, and with it, the loss of skin elasticity and the appearance of the first wrinkles are enhanced. Therefore, you must incorporate beauty products that soothe the dryness, peeling, and redness that the skin suffers at this time of year.
Here are 3 key cosmetics that should not be missing from your travel toiletry bag to show off juicier and more luminous skin.
Facial Cleanser
When you are traveling, your skincare routine is more minimal, which means that many of the steps you usually perform are reduced to a minimum. A smart decision if you are looking to save space in the toiletry bag, but it is one thing to reduce and another to "overlook" the needs of our skin. There are star products that make a difference when it comes to facial care. A good cleaning removes impurities and toxins, promotes cell renewal, and cleans pores, helping cosmetics to better penetrate the face.
On this occasion, we propose the Kadia soothing facial cleanser for sensitive skin. Its formula based on oils, violet extract, and Damascus rose water has highly hydrating active ingredients that treat the skin when it is most reactive or red. Its soothing properties provide freshness and curb irritation, redness, and skin inflammation.
- Cleans the skin deeply while respecting its pH.
- Maintains adequate hydration levels.
- Creamy texture without sulfates, parabens, or silicones.
- Allergen-free fragrance.
Facial cleanser with a creamy texture for sensitive skin
Facial Moisturizer
The sun, salt, pool chlorine, and air conditioning increase the skin's transepidermal water loss. Skin in summer is much drier, tighter, and duller. Therefore, hydration is fundamental. Every routine must incorporate at least one moisturizing facial cream that maintains optimal hydration levels.
With the arrival of high temperatures, it is more complex to select a less heavy moisturizer that "lets the skin breathe." You should keep in mind that there are highly hydrating formulas with lighter, fast-absorbing textures, perfect for summer. Shine is an excellent option; its light texture is enriched with Vitamin C extracted from 7 different fruits and Coenzyme Q10:
- Fast-absorbing texture.
- Provides hydration for 120 hours.
- Prevents transepidermal water loss and improves skin texture.
- Its antioxidant properties curb photo-aging.
Shine moisturizer with Vitamin C and a light formula.
Coconut Balm
The lips are one of the most sensitive parts of the face. The sun is one of the external factors that most influence them, causing peeling, irritation, burns, wounds, and even reactivating old cold sores and fever blisters. So, although they must be cared for all year round, we must place special emphasis during the summer season.
Lip balms cannot be missing from your toiletry bag. In summer, high temperatures and more hours of light expose us to more intense solar radiation, promoting the loss of juiciness. Protecting the lips daily with moisturizing balms and balms with SPF is very important.
This coconut balm keeps the skin hydrated for 12 hours, protecting you from external factors. Its combination of 4 natural oils creates a protective film that prevents water loss, maintaining juiciness for hours.
Coconut lip balm with high protection
Skin care and how to deal with the arrival of the heat
Enjoying the sun and heat has consequences on the skin of the whole body. We never overlook skincare, but body skin care usually takes a back seat. We must keep in mind that just like facial skin, the skin on the rest of the body is exposed to many factors that put it at risk: solar radiation, temperature changes, air conditioning, and chlorine...
During this season, we must add certain tips to our routine to improve skin texture, such as exfoliation, a proper cleansing routine, good hydration, and daily use of sunscreen. Below, we propose one of the star cosmetics that cannot be missing from your daily body travel routine.
Solid Shower Gel
Shower gels in summer should not only purify but also regenerate the skin. Contrary to the popular belief that all shower gels are the same and serve the same purpose, their properties, active ingredients, and aromas are very different. In summer more than ever, you should use moisturizing formulas with light exfoliating properties that respect the skin's pH and cutaneous microbiota.
After sun exposure, you have to take care of every cosmetic you incorporate into your routine, and yes, shower gels are important. If you are looking for effective cleansing that keeps the skin hydrated, Impulse is perfect to incorporate into your travel toiletry bag:
- Possesses citrus olfactory notes thanks to orange and lemon.
- Promotes cell regeneration.
- Combines the properties of coconut oil, olive oil, and shea butter.
- Natural formula enriched with Vitamin C.
- Purifies, hydrates, and lightly exfoliates the skin.
- With sweet orange peel particles.
- Free of sulfates, silicones, and parabens.
Exfoliating body shower gel with sweet orange
Can't decide on just one aroma? With the solid shower soap mini-size pack, you can carry several in your travel toiletry bag without taking up hardly any space.
Natural Deodorant
Heat doesn't only bring good things; it is also synonymous with less pleasant sensations like sweat, which is intensified by high temperatures. Smelling good in summer is an obsession, and deodorants are the best ally to achieve it.
During the summer, the skin is much more sensitive and prone to irritation, which is why it is important not only to use long-lasting deodorants but also to choose those that have a formula specially designed for sensitive skin: alcohol-free, baking soda-free, aluminum-free, and essential oil-free.
Silver Sea is the perfect version for everyone looking for a natural deodorant enriched with Vitamin E that takes care of sensitive skin without sacrificing fragrance. Its formula includes Dead Sea magnesium salts, which provide an incredible aroma and enhance the antiseptic and antibacterial properties of this natural deodorant.
Aluminum-free deodorant for sensitive skin.
Now that you know how summer affects your skin and hair, are you ready to incorporate some of these sustainable travel-sized products into your daily routine?
